Hundreds of wallabies remain in unsuitable Trinity Beach habitat despite relocation efforts
A program to relocate wallabies in Cairns’ northern beaches suburbs after a recent supermarket development has concluded but the risk of motorists striking the animals remains high.
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A program to relocate wallabies in Cairns’ northern beaches suburbs after a recent supermarket development has concluded but the risk of motorists hitting the animals every day remains high.
According to Shai Ager, the president of the Agile Project, motorists have killed more than 500 wallabies near Trinity Beach so far in 2023, a rate of more than two per day, contributing to the suburb’s unfortunate title of “the macropod death capital of Australia”.
The recent development of a Woolworths supermarket along Trinity Beach Rd has erased more of the animals’ habitat.
Ms Ager co-ordinated a relocation response that moved 80 wallabies to new land, away from roads and suburban habitat, but about 400 animals remained hopping about the suburb.
“Once again this was another precedent set that a human approach was possible when development goes ahead,” Ms Ager said.
“Their habitat here on the Cairns northern beaches has been shrinking due to development. That development has to go ahead, but we want to humanely remove the animals when that happens.”
Ms Ager said the death rate would likely remain high for the next few years, and relocation efforts would need to be supported as long as development continues.
“The habitat that they’re currently living in isn’t their natural habitat anymore. It’s not safe for them here anymore, so I would much rather see them relocated,” she said.
“We’ve been lucky enough that we’ve had so many private landholders reach out to us with hundreds of acres of beautiful, natural habitat for these animals … we’re lucky in FNQ to have access to these sites.
“You can’t stop development … I just want to work alongside these developers to create the best, most humane approach for the animals … because we have to coexist.
“Relocation remains one of the best approaches to wildlife and human conflict management.”
Barron River MP Craig Crawford supported Ms Ager’s relocation methods, but said development in the area would begin to slow.
“(The wallabies) will continue to grow their numbers, so we’re going to have to have a management program around that, and that’s certainly got to be led by council,” Mr Crawford said.
“We haven’t got many areas in the northern beaches we can develop now, it’s pretty much done.
“I think as far as parkland goes, what you see is likely what’s going to stay. But there’ll always be that clash between … wallabies and communities.”
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Originally published as Hundreds of wallabies remain in unsuitable Trinity Beach habitat despite relocation efforts
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