Cape Bridgewater property owner and two companies charged after 70 koala deaths

A property owner in Victoria’s southwest and two companies will face the Portland Magistrates’ Court after hundreds of animal cruelty charges were laid.

The owner of a Cape Bridgewater property and two companies will face court in Victoria’s southwest after the Conservation Regulator laid more than 250 animal cruelty charges.

A total of 253 animal cruelty charges have been laid after the three parties allegedly cleared a Cape Bridgewater property, where at least 70 koalas were injured and killed or had to be euthanised.

The landowner faces 126 charges under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 and the Wildlife Act 1975, including 18 aggravated cruelty charges for causing fatal injuries.

A forest and earthmoving business is facing the same 126 charges.

Forest and Wildlife Officers responded to reports of injured and starving koalas at the Cape Bridgewater property, sparking an investigation into the alleged actions in February 2020.

A crime scene was established, and a triage centre was set up to assess the koalas, where 21 koalas were found dead on site and 49 koalas were required to be euthanised.

It is alleged that following assessment of the deceased and euthanised animals, 70 koalas were identified as experiencing, or likely to experience, pain or suffering in the form of starvation and/or dehydration, and 25 of those koalas had also sustained fractures.

More than 120 koalas were released directly from the incident site back into the wild, with more than 70 animals taken into care, and of those around 60 were released from care into the wild according to a statement released by the Conservation Regulator.

The landowner and business are accused of clearing habitat which disturbed more than 200 koalas. They are also charged with destroying koalas, which are a protected species.

A separate contracting business has also been charged with one cruelty offence under the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals Act 1986 for disturbing the koala population.

Chief Conservation Regulator Kate Gavens said a thorough investigation has led to the charges being laid against the three parties.

“Our investigation included gathering a large volume of evidence from the crime scene, as well as mobile devices and witness statements,” she said.

“Techniques such as forensic radiography and pathology were undertaken on all deceased animals discovered on the property to assist in determining when and how the animals died.

“Animal cruelty and destruction of protected wildlife are serious offences.”

The matter is listed before the Portland Magistrates’ Court for February 22, 2022.

The charges from the Conservation Regulator come after a Gippsland man was convicted of 53 wildlife cruelty charges against common wombats.

The maximum penalty for one charge of aggravated animal cruelty leading to death is $218,088 for a business, and $90,870 or two years imprisonment for an individual.

The maximum penalty for one charge of animal cruelty is $109,044 for a business, and $45,435 or 12 months jail for an individual.

The maximum penalty for one charge of illegally hunting, taking or destroying protected wildlife is $9,087 and/or six months imprisonment. An additional fine of up to $908 per head of wildlife may also apply.

To report wildlife crime, contact Crime Stoppers Victoria on 1800 333 000.