THE Ross Wallbridge Reserve Flying Fox colony has long been an issue for Raymond Terrace locals.

In a Council meeting on 8 February 2022, Councillor Giacomo Arnott raised a notice of motion regarding an update on the current flying fox numbers and clarification on the flying fox management actions in place for the reserve, noting that they “continue to be a nuisance for locals”.

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The flying-foxes first established a camp at Newbury Park, Raymond Terrace in the summer of 2011 and have since expanded into the adjacent Ross Walbridge Reserve in November 2014.

The Raymond Terrace Camp is located adjacent to light industrial, commercial and residential areas causing community concern due to noise, smell and excrement impacts.

Port Stephens Council Strategy and Environment Section Manager, Brock Lamont, said that Council and community volunteers, predominantly Wildlife In Need of Care Inc., undertake regular population counts to monitor the camp.

“Similar to other Flying Fox camps and typical of the species, the population number fluctuates substantially based on the availability of seasonal feeding resources.

“Council continues to monitor the population, which typically fluctuates between 2,000 to more than 20,000 individuals,” he said.

Mr Lamont stated that the population was estimated at 13,300 in early March 2022.

In 2018, Council prepared and adopted the Flying Fox Camp Plan of Management for the Raymond Terrace Camp which outlines the issues of concern caused by the presence of Flying Foxes and the measures that will be taken to manage the land.

This is predominantly how Council manages the colony.

With this information provided at the Port Stephens Council meeting on 26 April, Councillor Arnott stated that he was irritated due to no action being proposed in the report.

“I think the community deserves better and Council needs to work with them to do our part to rid our local environment of these animals.

“There are ways to move the flying fox colonies on without harming them, and while maintaining their capacity to breed and survive, noting that they are a protected species.

“I think as a Council, our primary duty is to our ratepayers, our people that live in Raymond Terrace, that live in our community to make sure we’re protecting them from issues like this that are causing distress to them and their families,” he said.

By Tara CAMPBELL