Old Noarlunga residents call for action to get rid of ‘clever’ corellas

RESIDENTS say the township is being destroyed by the annual avian influx, but their local council has given up trying to get rid of them and the Environment Department isn’t much better.

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CORELLA season down south is just about over for another year — and people at Old Noarlunga in particular hope it will be the last episode of mass devastation.

The township, they say, is being destroyed by the annual invasion, lasting from November to April over the past 20 years.

They want Onkaparinga Council or the Environment Department to stop the birds’ assault on parks, streets, schools and homes.

Doreen Jury, who has lived in Old Noarlunga since 1982, said the corellas should be culled or, at the least, a bird of prey used to keep them away.

“The council did try a few things over the years, but corellas are clever birds so nothing really worked,” Mrs Jury said.

Corella droppings littered the town, and she wanted the council to increase street sweeping.

“The road out the front is more white than bitumen,” Mrs Jury said.

A tree full of corellas at Old Noarlunga.

Paula Nysten, an Old Noarlunga resident for 12 years, wants the council to empty her green waste bin weekly — rather than monthly — during corella season.

“There are leaves, poo and damaged trees everywhere,” Ms Nysten said.

“At the Old Noarlunga Primary School, kids sit on poo because it’s all over the grass area and it’s really unhygienic.”

Michelle Ward, who has lived in Old Noarlunga for 10 years, recommends trained eagles as a corella hit squad.

“You can hire someone to bring in eagles and fly them during the peak season, which means you’re not culling the birds, not damaging the ecosystem,” Ms Ward said.

“It’s a peaceful and natural way to deal with the problem.”

Corella poo and ripped foliage on Patapinda Rd, Old Noarlunga.

Onkaparinga’s city operations director Kirk Richardson said the council was not responsible for controlling corella numbers.

But the council did increase its maintenance of streets, footpaths, parks and reserves in Old Noarlunga during peak corella periods.

“During peak times we sweep on a weekly basis, and sometimes up to two to three times a week depending on the level of activity,” Mr Richardson said.

“At a council meeting in June 2012, our elected members decided the city of Onkaparinga’s role in relation to corellas should be to only provide maintenance to affected areas under the council’s care and control.”

The council had received only a “handful” of clean-up requests.

Corella parents with a juvenile in a gum tree. Picture: Jason Sammon

The Environment Department developed a statewide management strategy in 2017, with a range of options.

A department spokesman said the long-term plan included reducing and removing unnecessary or open food and water, installing barriers for food and water resources and reducing the attractiveness of sites for corellas.

Short-term strategies outlined in the management plan included spotlighting, noise generators and lasers.

The spokesman said the birds flocked to drier areas in the state during winter and spring to breed in red gums along watercourses.

“In more recent years it has been noticed that large flocks of corellas have been residing in some of these urban areas for much longer periods of time,” he said.

In previous years, the council had tried other tactics — such as shooting, gassing and strobe lights — but these had not worked.