Council disbands Flying Fox Advisory Committee

Charters Towers Regional Council has resolved to disband and close the Charters Towers Flying Fox Advisory Committee at their May General Meeting.

The Committee was established in February 2018 to provide Council with recommendations to address the issues required to manage the significant negative impact of Flying Foxes in the region.

Membership included representatives from the Federal Government through CSIRO; the Federal Member for Kennedy; State Government through the Department of Environment and Science; the State Member for Traeger; community representation and Council.

Mayor Frank Beveridge said the Committee had served its purpose and it is now time for action.

“We appreciate the years of work that has been invested by the various committee members, especially our community members and the input from various agencies.

“The purpose of the Flying Fox Advisory Committee was to bring together the various stakeholders to formulate a plan moving forward. The Committee has now fulfilled that purpose and is no longer required. We have the plan and now is the time for action,” Mayor Beveridge said.

Earlier this month Mayor Beveridge called on Queensland's Environment Minister, the Hon Leeanne Enoch, to step in to oversee the construction of the flying fox habitat by the Department of Environment and Science.

The relocation of the flying fox and the habitat works at Young’s Block were to be undertaken by third parties which the State Government, through the Department of Environment and Science, released through a tender process.

The State Government allocated $900K for habitat works at an alternate roost site and flying fox dispersal at Lissner Park in 2018.

OGG 28 May 2020