REMEMBER WHEN

GOLD COAST BULLETIN Wednesday, May 2, 2007

EIGHT protected wallabies were shot on South Stradbroke Island in six weeks, less than 300m from a patrolled tourist beach.

Gold Coast City Council officers said the gunshot wounds – most likely from a .22 calibre rifle – suggested the shooter preferred to take aim from high in the dunes south of Couran Point.

The island’s laid-back residents are infuriated the agile ‘golden’ wallabies, known for their gentle character around tourists, have apparently been used as targets for sport.

“It’s not exactly a sport when they (wallabies) walk up and eat out of your hand, is it?” said island resident Jonathan Oulds.

Tyre tracks were not found near the shootings. However, authorities did not suspect locals of the cowardly act.

“It’s not a local because this would’ve been happening for years if that was the case,” said John Traill, who had been the Gold Coast City Council’s island operations manager for the past five years.

“This is the first time I’ve had this.

“There’re no tyre marks around here, so it’s likely someone who has a temporary vehicle permit on the island, who leaves the car and walks over (for a shoot).

“You won’t get a tourist getting on a ferry with a gun.”

The kills happened at dusk, mainly on weekends, when the island’s 3500-strong wallaby colony moved from inland scrub to the beach to forage for mangrove seeds.

A night-time scope was likely needed for such accuracy.

The island’s wallabies had developed a placid reputation, hardly representative of a game animal.