Gold Coast Council removes Nerang peacocks after one person complains

COMPLAINTS from one resident have forced the removal of a group of wild peacocks who have been living on a Nerang street for more than a decade.

A male peacock. Picture Jerad Williams

COMPLAINTS from one resident have forced the removal of a group of wild peacocks who have made their home in a Nerang street for more than a decade.

Locals in Balyando Dr are devastated after Gold Coast City Council authorities removed the protected species, leaving one lone male behind to pine for his mate and offspring.

Residents in the street, which is adjacent to Nerang State Forest, say they have watched the peacocks grow up.

Council has removed pa group of peacocks on a property in Nerang

They are particularly upset that the male has been left behind, as peacocks love being social, “mate for life” and “must have company” to thrive, according to a spokesman from the Animal Welfare League.

Steve Gresham, who lives on a half-acre property in the street, said neighbours were “really upset”.

“We loved the peacocks, all the neighbours did, we’ve watched them grow up, we've watched their babies grow up,” he said.

“They have been here forever and it’s devastating that they’ve just been taken away.

“And to leave the one male behind on his own is upsetting – typical Council not even finishing the job properly.”

The lone male peacock on a property in Nerang

Mr Gresham said the peacocks were so comfortable in their environment, they would come within arms reach for a feed.

“They would come right up to us,” he said.

“We don’t have enough wildlife as it is with all the developments going on, so to take away even more for no good reason, because one person complained, is ridiculous.”

The Peacocks were relocated to the Animal Welfare League Queensland. Mr Gresham offered to “adopt” the peacocks from the Staplyton centre but the AWLQ confirmed they had been quickly rehomed as a group at a rural property.

A Gold Coast City Council spokesman said the peacocks were relocated at the request of a resident who asked for them to be removed from their property in October.

The group of peacocks on a property in Nerang who were removed by Council

“It appears there were two complaints from the same person,” he said.

The council declined to comment as to why they male peacock was left behind but said there were no plans “at this stage” to relocate it.