The flying foxes could be gone from Duaringa just after Easter if the community joins forces with Central Highlands Regional Council to get the paperwork right.
General Manager Communities Daniel Fletcher said the call has gone out for cooperation because more of the flying foxes are on private land than in the public park.
‘We conducted an assessment of the flying foxes today and there are only about 80 black flying foxes on council land, but around 43,000 little red flying foxes on private property.
‘Under council’s flying fox management plan, we do not conduct dispersal activities on private land, so the Duaringa property owners affected by the animals will each have to apply for a flying fox roost management permit with the Department of Environment and Science (formerly the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection).
‘The application is free and will ensure the activities on private land are approved by the department.
‘Everyone that wants to have the bats moved on from their property on the 3 April, which is when we’ll be able to do a dispersal, must lodge their paperwork by the end of Tuesday 27 March.
‘To make this as easy as we can, a ranger will visit every affected property to help people fill out the form and we’ve also made the form available here,’ he explained.
‘Rangers will be in Duaringa on Friday 24 March and again on Tuesday 27 March.’
Mr Fletcher stressed it is essential that the Duaringa residents follow the procedure and abide by the code of conduct.
‘If people go off and do their own thing to remove the bats, there’s a high chance that the planned dispersal will be unsuccessful,’ he said.
More information about living with flying foxes and the code of conduct for managing roosts is available at here.