The state government is stumping up funding for Queensland’s councils as they battle an intractable flying fox problem.

Twelve councils have shared in more than half a million dollars to develop long term management plans for the protected but not always welcome flying mammals.

Flying foxes are protected under Queensland’s Nature Conservation Act and it’s illegal for residents to destroy a flying fox roost or drive a flying fox away from a roost, although local government has authority to manage flying fox camps in urban areas, including dispersing or driving them away.

The mammals are native to Australia and important for biodiversity and the pollination and dispersal of native vegetation.

However they don’t always make the best of neighbours because of their noise, smell and droppings and some Queensland residents have declared them pests and complained of being “terrorised” by them.

They also feed on fruit trees and orchards and carry a small risk of disease including the Hendra virus and Lyssavirus.

Increase in numbers

Brisbane City Council has more than 30  permanent roosts in the city and thousands of flying foxes can arrive in the city during annual migration from NSW and the Queensland central coast.

Council says that over the last 12 months Brisbane’s flying fox number have increased significantly, with new camps being established and numbers in existing camps swelling.

“This population increase has coincided with the evacuation of permanent flying-fox camps in Logan, Gold Coast and northern New South Wales regions following the bushfires in 2020,” its website states.

“As habitat recovers in these areas, wildlife has relocated to take advantage of Brisbane’s high floral biodiversity.”

Meanwhile, Gympie Regional Council last year reported that a new colony of more than 60,000 flying foxes had become established at Cooloola Cove, prompting council to plead with residents to leave the roost alone so it didn’t split into multiple smaller ones.

Grants program

The Queensland government made an election commitment last year to help councils across the state manage flying fox roosts and has set up a $2 million Flying Fox Roost Management grants program to be delivered through six competitive rounds over the next four financial years.

“Flying-foxes are a critical part of Queensland’s ecosystem, but recently we’ve seen flying-foxes increasingly roost in urban areas causing concerns around noise and odour,” environment minister Meaghan Scanlon said.

“(This) program will help communities lessen the impacts of flying-foxes while also making sure they can continue to play their important ecological role.”

The first $572,000 disbursement was announced last week.

Sprinklers and buffer zones

Successful councils will use the funding on a range of initiatives.

Gympie, Townsville and Hinchinbrook Shire councils  will install sprinklers to encourage flying foxes to roost away from play areas and properties.

Gympie will also establish buffer zones around urban areas and remove weeds to try and encourage the mammals to roost at abandoned sites.

Moreton Bay will build roofing over a pedestrian path, as well as relocating an existing footpath and park furniture.

Southern Downs Council go down the path of a targeted community engagement strategy.

Sunshine Coast will offer microgrants to help residents make improvements to their properties to reduce the impact of flying foxes and a number of councils will also use the funds to develop new or asses existing management plans.

Some local government dispersal strategies have previously included the use of strobe lights, scare-guns, electric wires, bat-deterrant odours and smoke machines.

However these can be distressing for the animals and annoying for residents. They also have limited effectiveness as flying foxes tend to return as soon as the strategies stop.