Redland council dismisses calls for rat patrol at Weinam Creek ferry terminal after cars gnawed

Locals paying more than $1000 a year to leave their car at a bay islands ferry terminal are pushing for rat control, saying the rodents are making a meal out of car wiring.

Cars parked at the Redland Bay ferry terminal. Picture: supplied

Overflowing rubbish bins, closed toilets and a filthy parking lot where rats are gnawing through car parts have prompted calls for increased vermin patrols at a south side ferry terminal.

Residents from the southern Moreton Bay islands this week reported rats were chomping through wiring in their cars while they are parked at the ferry terminal at Redland Bay.

But the local Redland City Council said it already had a comprehensive rat management patrol in place at the Weinam Creek ferry terminal and rat numbers were under control.

The council was responding after island resident Kristie Owen lodged a complaint with the council when she found rat footprints, dung and scratch marks through the engine bay of the car she leaves at the ferry terminal.

Under the bonnet of Kristie Owen’s car which shows rat footprints. Picture: Contributed

Ms Owen, pays Redland council nearly $1400 a year to use a locked car park compound, where her car is parked from 7pm to 6.40am six days a week.

Her partner, who has been forced to take a new hybrid Corolla back to the dealership twice, has been told by the mechanics that it possibly rats chewing through the wires.

“We thought that was ridiculous until now when I had my mainland car home on the islands for the long weekend and was checking the oil and noticed rat footprints all over it,” she said.

“I love my car and keep it spotless. Is there any way to deter these little vermin?

“I’m assuming they are from the car park at Redland Bay as I always see them scurrying around the bins.”

She alerted others who have had rat damage to cars at any of the island car parks to also lodge complaints in an effort to get Redland council to crack down on the vermin.

A council spokeswoman said no complaints about rats in the Weinam Creek ferry terminal car park this year.

Ms Owen’s online message to others who park at the terminal attracted 60 comments with Russell Island resident Louanne Collings claiming rats nested in the engine bay of her car and destroyed the wiring with the damage covered by insurance.

A response from Redland City Council to Kristie Owen’s complaint about rats at the ferry terminal. Picture: Contributed

Karyn Gilmour said she found a rat nest and the aircon wires chewed when she inspected her car when she parked it on Russell Island.

Island resident Annie White said she had also found footprints on her engine, after the car was parked at the ferry terminal and treated the problem with rat bait under the bonnet.

But fixing the rat damage was not as easy for Glenda Coulson who said her husband’s car dropped in value in months after rats ate through wires.

“Insurance does not cover it as is regarded as a pest infestation,” Ms Coulson said.

“The coating on many modern vehicle wiring is soy which they love.”

However, Toyota’s online service centre said rodents chewed on wires to keep their teeth trimmed, not for the taste.

While Redland City Council, which is responsible for the ferry terminal, said it had received no complaints about rats at the terminal car park this year they did acknowledge there had been rat concerns in the past at the terminal, which is the take off point for thousands of southern bay island residents and is part of a state government priority development area, with a bus station and Coast Guard and public boat ramp.

A car parked at the ferry terminal. Picture: Facebook

Residents said bins at the terminal were often overflowing and on the recent Easter long weekend, April 8-10, the council-maintained toilets were locked for hours for maintenance.

“There were only two complaints received during the previous two years,” the council said.

“There are six bait station sites throughout the car park, which are regularly inspected by Council’s Pest Management Team.

“The team has seen no evidence of an increase in rat numbers in the area.

“The frequency of inspections is increased if high rat activity is detected, and appropriate measures are put in place to try and reduce numbers.

“The Pest Management Team takes an integrated approach to rat management by removing food, water and harbourage sources as well as using management methods such as bait stations.

“While all effort is made to manage rats, it is very difficult to eliminate them totally from the environment.

“Vermin such as rats regularly seek out harbourage in warm and dry locations; sometimes this includes the engine bays of vehicles parked for an extended period of time.”

The council asked commuters using the Weinam Creek car park to help keep rats at bay by using bins and ensuring sources that keep cars and the car park clean of food sources.

The council said its pest management team investigated all requests for service regarding vermin on council-controlled land and was available to provide advice.