Maitland Council moving forward with dual flying-fox management initiatives

Maitland City Council is proactively addressing two flying-fox camps in Tenambit and Maitland to balance both conservation of threatened species and the challenges that come with camps in populated areas.

At a recent Council meeting, councillors endorsed entering into a service agreement with the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to prepare a management plan for a flying-fox camp on private land in Regent Street, Maitland.

Since the camp was established in 2019, Regent Street residents have reported noise and odour impacts, as well as damage to gardens and surrounding tree canopy.

In addition to accepting a $25,000 contribution from DCCEEW for the Regent Street management plan, Council will provide a co-contribution of $15,000. Once drafted, the management plan will be exhibited for public comment.

Meanwhile, Council officers are already working to revegetate an area of land east of Beryl Humble Oval in Tenambit to create healthy, suitable habitat where flying-foxes can be relocated to roost and feed away from residential homes and private land.

Maitland City Council Manager Environment and Sustainability Catherine Pepper says the grant funded, $144,000 project, which kicked off in July last year and will run until 2030, involves ‘cultivating high quality habitat through the planting of more than 3,000 native seedlings that will provide a complex vegetation community with a closed canopy and long term food resources.’

‘We also want to help shape and shift community attitudes towards flying-foxes,’ Ms Pepper said. ‘They play an important role in a healthy ecosystem and preserving our forests, by pollinating flowers and dispersing seeds as they forage.’

‘Whilst flying fox camps can pose challenges when they are close to houses through noise, odour, mess and property damage, local residents may not know or understand that grey-headed flying-foxes are a protected species that are vulnerable to extinction.

‘In addition to habitat creation and rehabilitation, we will continue to work with residents near both camps and across the wider Maitland area, to educate and inform on the importance of a healthy, manageable flying-fox population.’

Read more about Maitland Council’s flying-fox homebase project in Tenambit.