The Grey-headed Flying-foxes are listed as a threatened species both state wide and nationally.
Therefore Council must prepare a Camp Management Plan before undertaking any management actions.
In August 2020, Council adopted a Camp Management Plan for the Tarban Creek Grey-headed Flying-fox camp and engaged Ecological Consultants Australia Pty Ltd to provide expert input into the Plan.
Extensive community consultation was also undertaken.
You can check our Notifications page for updates on actions or view in the dropdown section below.
As at 21 July 2021:
| Action | Phase | Proposed start | Actual | Completed | Further action | Evidence |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engage a (Ecological Consultants Australia Pty Ltd) to provide expert input in the Management Plan | pre planning | Jan-18 | Jan-18 | Jan-18 | Ecological Consultants Australia prepared the CMP |
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| Community Consultation round 1, online survey | pre planning | Jun-18 | Jun-18 | Jun-18 | Jun-21 | 111 online, 49 household, 49 park and 85 second online surveys. Another online survey was commissioned in June 2021 and will close on Friday 23 July. |
| Community Consultation round 2, online survey - exhibitions | pre planning | Jul-19 | Jul-19 | Aug-19 | 17 public submissions received |
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| Tarban Creek Flying Fox Camp Management Plan approved by Council | pre planning | Mar-20 | Aug-20 | Aug-20 | Council adopted CMP |
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| HHC successfully applied for a Local Government NSW grant to implement some actions | pre planning | Aug-19 | Aug-19 | Mar-20 | LGNSW Grant acquitted |
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| Arborist engaged to review trees for trim or removal | extra | Sep-19 | Sep-19 | Sep-19 | Arborist inspected trees along reserve boundaries Richmond Crescent and Manning Road | |
| We applied and were granted a licence to remove 2 Camphor laurels approved by an arborist (level 2 action) and we replaced with Banksias to limit their spread, completed DPIE. | extra | Sep-19 | Sep-19 | Sep-19 | Two Camphor laurels removed and replaced with two Banksias adjacent to the Manning Road carpark | |
| Some residents have taken up the option offered by letter to residents for odour/ screening and masking plants, that have been ordered and will be delivered shortly | level 1 | Oct-20 | Apr-21 | Apr-21 | Plants have been ordered and delivered 22 April 2021. It was difficult to source appropriate plants hence the delay. | |
| Community education and awareness is ongoing. Council has updated Councils Grey-headed Flying-fox webpage. A workshop was proposed at the Priory and a date to be determined | level 1 | Aug-20 | Aug-20 | Ongoing | Council's Flying-fox webpage which includes information on living with flying-foxes and links to the NSW Health webpage on flying-foxes and diseases. | |
| Routine camp management e.g. trimming overhanging branches from pathways will be done in winter when the Flying-foxes are be absent or numbers are very low | level 1 | Jul-21 | Ongoing | Council will reassess opportunity to trim or remove vegetation shortly. |
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| Bush regeneration contractors are removing weedy understorey along the slopes as part of their annual contract. The strategy is to leave a strip of weedy understorey along the creek line to move Flying-foxes away from the boundaries and into the creek line | level 1 | Aug-19 | Sep-19 | Ongoing | Weedy understorey has been limited to the creekline to encourage Flying-foxes away from reserve boundaries |
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| Council to provide factual information on living near FF camps. | level 1 | Jun-18 | Jun-18 | Ongoing | Council's Flying-fox webpage and brochures distributed during community consultation surveys. |
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| Specifically on disease, as it was a top community concern | level 1 | Jun-18 | Jun-18 | Ongoing | Links to NSW Health webpage on Flying-foxes and disease on Councils website and information sheet distrubuted during community consultation surveys |
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| Council host Walks and Talks at least annually covering all aspects of ecology of the park including the FF. | level 1 | Dec-17 | Dec-17 | Ongoing | Bat talk held December 2017 and further workshop planned. |
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| Continue with routine maintenance. | level 1 | Ongoing | Council staff continue with routine reserve maintenance. |
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| Identify priority areas for planted vegetation – away from dwellings but within camp vicinity | level 1 | Mar-20 | Mar-20 | Buffer plantings of low vegetation installed along Richmond Crescent and rainforest plants along the creekline with grant funds. |
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| Implement immediately, seek advice from ecologists for planting opportunities, species, costs, maintenance. | level 1 | Mar-20 | Mar-20 | Advice sought. There is limited opportunity for further planted vegetation at the location, except for planting native grasses and low groundcovers to the reserve pathway as per Riverglade Reserve PoM. 140 Rainforest species planted along the creekline. |
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| Develop action plan - Alternative habitat design, location, implementation strategy. | level 1 | Mar-20 | Mar-20 | Artficial roosts such as old telegraph poles in the reserve have been proposed by the consultant. A REF and grant funding would be required. |
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| Build on existing guidelines as required. | level 1 | Ongoing | Council staff continue to be guided by Flying-fox Camp Management Code of Practice 2018 and NSW Flying-fox Camp Management Policy 2015. |
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| Research should be implemented in conjunction with other management actions such as; alternative habitat creation and provision of artificial roosting habitat. | level 1 | Mar-21 | Ongoing | Council open to contributing in-kind to Flying-fox research. Installation of automatic irrigation system will be monitored for impact on Flying-fox camp and native vegetation. |
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| Council can provide in-kind contribution to research. External funding from public and/or private organisations would be required for council to facilitate this option internally. | level 1 | Mar-21 | Ongoing | Council open to contributing in-kind to Flying-fox research. |
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| Consider any proposed re-zoning within 100m of the camp. | level 1 | N/A | There is no opportunity for rezoning. Church land is E2 zoning along the foreshore. |
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| Recommendations for appropriate mitigation provisions in DAs. | level 1 | Mar-21 | Ongoing | Require discussion with development section of Council to include provisions in updated DCP. |
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| Level 2 | ||||||
| Investigate and develop options paper for managing and reducing roost trees adjoining residence – ensure no net loss of habitat. | level 2 | May-21 | May-21 | Vegetation trimming and removal is likely to be approved in winter months when FFs are absent or in low numbers. |
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| Seek approval from DPIE for level two actions | level 2 | Apr-21 | Apr-21 | 18/05/2021 | Report to DPIE for level 1 actions has been submitted. Threatened Species Licence received with conditions for implementing use of sprinklers along Richmond Crescent i.e. level 2 action. |
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| Investigate and develop action plan – identify buffers to be used and priority residence identified. | level 2 | Mar-21 | Mar-21 | Jun-21 | Action plan developed for use of automatic sprinklers along Richmond Crescent. Council has sought advice from DPIE and engaged successful irrigation contractor. Installation commenced 26 May and completed 11 June 2021. | |
| Actions may form part of external funding - i.e. buffer trials and/or research | level 2 | Jul-21 | May-21 | Ongoing | Regular meetings held with DPIE staff and seeking advice from other Councils with Flying-fox camps. DPIE funding received to install automatic sprinkler system along Richmond Crescent. | |
| Level 3 | ||||||
| Investigate and develop action plan for when trigger point is reached. | level 3 | Mar-21 | Mar-21 | Ongoing | Investigation and action planning is ongoing. |
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| Implement level one and two actions prior | level 3 | Sep-19 | Sep-19 | Level 1 actions have been considered and most implemented to date. Other level 2 actions e.g. vegetation trimming and/or removal are currently being considered. |
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| Not recommended and it would require State and Federal government approval. | level 3 | 2022 + | Advice sought from DPIE on likely approvals and licencing for management action options. Currently Council must consider and implement where feasible, all level 2 actions before applying for a threatened species licence for level 3 actions e.g. noise |
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| Often ineffective | level 3 | 2022 + | 70% of cases active dispersal doesn't work or Flying-foxes move within 1 km of the original site |
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| Option if other camps form in the Council area | level 3 | 2022 + | No new camps formed to date |
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| Securing funding and identify potential areas for where FF camps may naturally establish. | level 3 | Jul-20 | Jul-20 | Jul-20 | Potential habitat mapping has been completed and Council has received some external funds from DPIE and LGNSW. |
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| HHC General Manager advocates in writing to DPIE to move to Phase 3 | extra | Mar-21 | May-21 | May-21 | Mayor has written to the Minister requesting assistance to move the level 3 actions |
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Grey-headed Flying-fox pose no health risks unless you are bitten or scratched, so never directly handle them. The risk of animals’ transmitting disease to humans is extremely low. Coming into contact with faecal matter or urine will not transmit diseases and apply basic hygiene measures.
Read more on our Grey-headed Flying-fox camp page.
22 Alexandra Street, Hunters Hill NSW 2110
PO Box 21, Hunters Hill NSW 2110
Tel: (02) 9879 9400
E: customerservice@huntershill.nsw.gov.au
ABN: 75 570 316 011
We acknowledge that The Wallumedegal people of the Eora Nation are the Traditional Custodians of this land.