Gold Coast council to remove 50 geese and ducks from Water Hen Park at Coomera

Northern Gold Coast residents are in a flap after council announced plans they would remove 50 geese and ducks from a park and exile them from the city.

A GROUP of residents is in a flap over the council’s decision to remove a gaggle of “vexatious” geese from the Coomera river.

In a game of ducks and drakes, the council wants to rehome 50 wild geese from an area known as Water Hen Park near Graywillow Boulevard.

Residents say the birds have lived there for decades, have become friendly with locals, and the council should have come round for a gander and told them what was going on.

Andrea Gunn, whose home backs on to the river, said she was devastated to see council workers setting traps for the animals.

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Gold Coast Council is on a mission to rid the coomera river of geese and residents aren't happy about it. Laura Szkoruda with just some of the local geese. Picture: Jerad Williams

“It’s very upsetting,” Ms Gunn said. “My 5-year-old was in tears.

“My girls can literally pat them. They are by no means on the main road and they are so loved by everyone.”

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Oxenford residents said they had become so accustomed to their feathered neighbours they referred to the island they nest at night as Goose Island.

Laura Szkoruda said the geese were a feature before she moved to the area more than a decade ago.

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According to residents the geese have lived in the area for decades. Picture: Jerad Williams

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“It is such a shame that the complaints of a few means the family is removed.

“We understand control but the population has grown from 21 to 31 since I moved in 14 years ago. I would hardly say that is a population explosion,” she said.

Writing on social media, Councillor William Owen-Jones sought to justify the council’s decision.

“The supply of easy-to-acquire food also leads the birds to laying more eggs, which can further contribute to overpopulation,” he wrote.

The City is responsible for managing issues relating to domestic animals (being non-native animals).

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Cr William Owen-Jones said the gaggles over population has caused concerns and needs to be dealt with. Picture: Jerad Williams

Cr William Owen-Jones clarified the Department of Environment and Science (DES) were initially to assist with the matter, but as the geese are not a native animal it was unable to help.

“City officers recently met with Gold Coast Wildlife and Australian Wildlife and Feral Management to discuss the abundance of ‘vexatious’ geese currently residing around Brittany Drive, Parklands, and Russell Hinze Park,” Cr Owen-Jones wrote.

“The total number of animals to be removed is approximately 50.”

Several non-native ducks will also be removed.

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Some of the geese around the park Picture: Jerad Williams

The birds are expected to be caught in traps and removed in small groups.

They will be transported to the Animal Welfare League in Coombabah where they will be given a general health assessment before being taken to Logan Agricultural High School and a veterinarian’s farm in Bilambil, if deemed suitable for relocation.

Cr Owen-Jones said geese numbers were previously reduced in 2014.

Rowley Goonan, of Wild Bird Rescues, said he did not believe the geese were affecting native wildlife.

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“Geese are considered feral animals as opposed to natives, as a consequence they don’t have any rights,” Mr Goonan said.

“My personal view is they are doing no body any harm. Clearly the council have a responsibility to manage population but if there was 50 there I certainly haven’t seen them.

“I don't believe they are doing any harm or disturbing natives to any great degree at all. All they do is wander around. There is no shortage of grass.”