Nationals MP slams 38,000 bat colony near Bendigo hospital

A massive bat colony in a regional city in one state is damaging a popular green space and putting the lives of patients at risk.

There is anger over a massive 38,000 bat colony in Bendigo’s Rosalind Park. Picture: Craig Wahurst / The Gympie Times

Anger over a massive 38,000 bat colony near a regional Victorian hospital is growing with one Nationals member calling out the Daniel Andrews’ government over a “ridiculous” situation.

Gaelle Broad, who represents Victoria’s Northern Region in the upper house, appeared on 3AW Melbourne to call for the urgent relocation of bats that roost at Rosalind Park, with claims the animals had forced Ambulance Victoria helicopters landing at the nearby Bendigo Health hospital to divert to the city’s airport on multiple occasions.

Ambulance Victoria has confirmed an incident where a bat strike forced an air ambulance crew to land at Bendigo airport and then take the patient by road to the hospital.

Ms Broad said the diversion could add up to 45 minutes in travel time for patients.

Nationals Northern Region MP Gaelle Broad has called for the urgent relocation of the bats.

“It is for very serious reasons that people are being transported by air ambulance, so to add up to 45 minutes’ time by landing in a different place, putting them into an ambulance and then getting them in, it is just ridiculous that we have got to this point,” she said.

“It is not good enough.”

Rosalind Park is about 1km from the hospital.

Ms Broad also said the bat colony, which she said entered Bendigo around 2010, had damaged Rosalind Park, with locals now avoiding the green space.

“It used to be a stunning park in the centre of Bendigo,” she said.

Ms Broad wants the bats relocated and suggested little action had been done on the matter because Bendigo was a regional city.

The Bendigo Health emergency department on Barnard St, Bendigo. Picture: Zizi Averill

“When it occurred in Melbourne, at the Royal Botanic Gardens back in 2003, there was a bat colony there with less numbers, 30,000 of them, in a much bigger area, but now it is happening in a regional city,” she said.

Ambulance Victoria air operations acting manager Rupert Freeman said ensuring the safety of patients, paramedics, flight crew and community was “paramount at all times”.

“Ambulance Victoria has contingencies in place for all helipads when they are unavailable or when pilots can’t land for safety reasons.

“In such instances, helicopters land at the nearest suitable landing site.

“After landing, patients remain in the care of paramedics as they are safely taken by road in the short journey to hospital.”

Bendigo Health declined to comment.