Flying foxes cause $180k headache for Gympie council

Gympie residents hoping for relief from a 32,000-strong colony that moved to Commissioner’s Gully last year may be waiting a while yet, with councillors lamenting how tightly their hands were tied by state and federal regulations.

A 32,000-strong flying fox roost in Gympie is causing headaches for the residents and council, which has limited options to address the problem under federal and state law. Photo Craig Wahurst / The Gympie Times

A flying fox roost in Gympie’s Commissioner’s Gully near the hospital has emerged as a $180,000 headache for Gympie Regional Council, which has found itself stuck between frustrated residents and environment laws trying to solve the problem.

The roost has been in the spotlight since the middle of 2020 after more than 320,000 moved from Widgee Crossing into a stretch of bushland behind Alfred St.

Councillors were told at Wednesday’s workshop this was because the bats’ Widgee habitat had deteriorated due to the spread of the cat’s claw weed and the effects of the 2019-2020 bushfires.

A plan to rehabilitate the area was one of three steps outlined in a council plan to solve the problem.

Managing the Gully roost, which was now home to about 32,000 flying foxes, and investigating other potential future homes rounded out the list.

But, while backed by $180,000 funding in the budget, this was a long-term plan which did not help Gympie residents living in distressing conditions since the colony moved in.

And options were limited.

The size of the roost at Commissioner’s Gully as of January 2021.

Councillors were told as much vegetation as legally allowed had been removed from the roost which was protected under state legislation due to its size.

The roost also had federal protection, including under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

Dispersing the roost was only on the table as a last resort.

Councillors were told in 2010, the Sunshine Coast Council spent more than $300,000 trying to move a flying fox colony on, only to have them return.

It risked spreading the problem to other parts of the region, too.

Mayor Glen Hartwig has questioned the legislation, saying if it was a business causing the same problem it would be shut down fast.

“We’re doing the best we can,” Mr Burns said.

Unfortunately, this did not lessen the mental health impacts on residents, who risked prosecution if they did anything to disturb the roost.

Mayor Glen Hartwig said the colony’s move caused countless headaches for residents for a prolonged period and he questioned the decision-making that allowed residents, who could not just pack up and move, to play second fiddle to the animals.

“They have suffered immensely over the past 12-18 month,” Mr Hartwig said.

He challenged anyone who questioned this to “pitch a tent down there for seven days, six nights … and then come and see me”.

“I just think it’s wrong that a human being should be considered second when it comes to a flying fox,” he said.

The roost moved from Widgee Crossing in the middle of 2020. Photo: Valerie Horton / Fraser Coast Chronicle

“”If this was a business (causing the disruption) we would have shut them down the first time we got a complaint.

“We’d have taken the keys off them.”

But when it came to flying foxes “we’ve got our hands tied”.

Mr Burns shot down claims council work including roadside slashing had contributed to their migration into the city.

“If that was going to remove them they should have left Commissioner’s Gully a long time ago,” Mr Burns said.

“They move based on food supply.”