OUTRAGE and immediate action from the local community and local wildlife protection groups brought about a stay-of-execution for the kangaroos at Heritage Golf and Country Club, on Tuesday, April 27.
With mere hours’ notice, owners of properties adjacent to the golf club on the edge of Wonga Park were informed a kangaroo cull would take place on the grounds that evening.
This information was immediately shared on various community group and wildlife protection social media pages.
The information was shared widely, Warrandyte Diary has recorded 221 comments across 27 shares of its post with many comments expressing distaste at the advertised action, there was also some debate around the issues of dealing with wildlife populations, as Melbourne’s suburban growth continues to place settlements in wildlife territory or push populations into green wedge areas.
The Heritage Golf and Country Club’s own Facebook page received 838 comments on their most recent post with people protesting the kangaroo cull.
Local wildlife protection group Save the Kinley Kangas (STKK) mounted an on-site protest, on the evening of Tuesday, April 27 and through combined community action were able to postpone the cull.
A further demonstration was scheduled for Wednesday, April 28 but this was called off at the last minute when demonstrators were able to get assurances the cull would be postponed for the time being.
STKK is a team of highly skilled veterinary and wildlife experts that mobilised with the community in response to a proposed cull of the kangaroo mob on the Kinley development in Lilydale.
The Diary spoke with STKK representative Alyssa Wormald.
“We worked collaboratively with the developer to produce a high-level relocation proposal for the Kinley kangaroos, based on proven best-practice methodology,” she said.
Ms Wormald told the Diary they had heard about the Heritage Golf Course cull, via social media, at 2pm that afternoon and that the cull was a financial decision and not about population control.
Ms Wormald also informs the Diary that while the cull is temporarily postponed, the kangaroos are still at risk.
“Our understanding is that this is a poorly considered financial move to sell the carcasses for pet food.
“According to long term residents and staff, the kangaroos cause no trouble and are beloved by locals and guests alike.”
“7 News reported the General Manager of the Club intends to go ahead with the cull as soon as they can.
“We hope to convince them that it would be a great PR move to cancel the cull and show they are a club that respects wildlife and the community by working with us to resolve any genuine issues with the kangaroos,” she said.
The Diary also asked the group about how the response would have played out if notice had been days or even weeks in advance.
“It’s deeply concerning that culls are allowed to go ahead with so little notice and no community consultation.
“It is extremely distressing to the many people who care about these local mobs.
“If we had known about it in advance, we could have reached out to the club to provide our assistance pro-bono.
“We could have worked together towards a really positive outcome for all involved.
“As it is, we have offered our services to the club but we have had no response, possibly because they have been bombarded with communications from concerned community members.
“It is essential that wildlife be considered in future planning, preserving habitat and green corridors wherever possible.”
The Diary then asked Alyssa about how we manage wildlife in the face of suburban development.
“If wildlife cannot be adequately accommodated, relocation must be the next step.
“The State Government has an outdated resistance to the relocation of kangaroos based on flawed research.
“We know experts like ours can safely and humanely relocate kangaroos and this should always be the first option.
“The government makes it extremely difficult to gain approval to move native macropods yet there are no restrictions on moving introduced farm animals that are environmentally damaging.
“It is non-sensical,” she said.
The Diary also reached out to Heritage Golf and Country Club for comment but are yet to receive a response.
STKK report that they have negotiated a cease-fire while talks take place to find a solution.
The Diary continues to monitor the situation.
RSS - Posts