The wallaby plague that is causing much angst in Queensland’s Mission Beach is as bad as ever.
In January, we reported that residents in the grey nomad hotspot were at the wit’s end, with thousands of the animals moving into residential areas.
The community was divided as to how best deal with the problem but the Environment Minister, Andrew Powell, has now approved the shooting of more than 1000 of the animals.
“Many of these wallabies are causing safety concerns in urban areas, including the potential for an attack on a child or cause a driving hazard,” he said. “We are pleased to support local landholders in their efforts to responsibly manage this issue.”
Councillor Alister Pike from Cassowary Coast Council fears the animals are becoming so desensitised to humans and are more willing to attack.
“We had an elderly lady last year that tried to shoo one off her verandah and it struck back, scratched her and hurt her,” he said. “And she had to go to hospital.”
The council says that the majority of people in the village support ridding the area of the animals but full-scale culling is the least preferred option.
Fencing properties and having contractors trap the animals are other alternatives being considered.
Comment below
they are native leave them alone don’t like it move out you are nomads that is their home
Mike, read the article. It is the local human population who are wanting this done!
There needs to be a reason why the wallabies are heading into suburbian area’s.. could it be that the drought in the area is forcing them to go to the closest area of feed for them..
The only thing you could do is to wait.
Yeh, the reason is that they’ve eaten all the grass from the farms at South Mission Beach and the only grass left is in town. They are here to stay. No-one is culling the wallabies in town…..
What about mozzies and flies, Mike? They’re native too. Hehe.
Well I guess this is what happens when you live in a rain forest and you have all that lovely green grass around your cleared lot. I prefer to live in harmony with the environment I choose to live in..
I’d do some research before commenting Philip. These are not a rainforest species , they are a plains animal. They’ve eaten all the grasses they had on the farms, promoted weeds and soil erosion leaving these farms unable to hold cattle. One delusional greenie wants everyone to believe there is only 400 wallabies left here but no-one has been on the 750 acres mentioned to count any animals. There are still abundant wallabies roaming these properties and in town. If there were only 400 wallabies left there wouldn’t be an issue. And for the record they are not an endangered species as she wants people to believe.