Council Ramps up Efforts on Flying Foxes at Cowra Golf Club

Published on 10 October 2023

Cowra Shire Council, under the leadership of new Mayor Ruth Fagan, has taken decisive action to address the growing issue of flying foxes at the Cowra Golf Club. In a motion passed last week, the council has resolved to seek urgent assistance from the state's Health and Environment Ministers to manage the flying fox colony, which has grown in numbers to become one of the largest colonies in NSW, posing a threat to the golf club and neighbouring sporting fields.

Over the last 18 months, the flying fox population at the Cowra Golf Club has dramatically increased to an estimated 45,000 bats, including both grey-headed and little red flying foxes. The club is home to a nationally recognized flying-fox camp, attracting these creatures in large numbers. Cowra Mayor Ruth Fagan expressed her concern, stating, "We need to control them or at least move them on. The presence of these flying foxes has not only disrupted the golf club but also caused concerns for the broader community.”

Despite the growing numbers and the impact on the golf course, the camp and its inhabitants are protected from destruction or harm by the NSW Biodiversity Conservation Act. Any changes to their habitat must adhere to a strict three-tiered action management plan, which involves costly licensing and approvals.

The Central West Councils Environment and Waterways Alliance had previously awarded a small grant to Cowra Council in 2021 to assist with tree pruning across the golf course. Additionally, a $40,920 grant was provided to the council in 2019.

Addressing this complex issue requires a coordinated effort, and the Cowra Shire Council is now calling on the state government to play a more active role in managing the flying fox population, which has not only become a nuisance but also poses potential health and environmental concerns.

Professor Hamish McCallum, an infectious disease ecologist and Director of the Griffith University Centre for Planetary Health and Food Security, was recently quoted in the Cowra Guardian, emphasising that “addressing settled camps of flying foxes must also consider the underlying factors that lead these creatures to town centres in the first place!”

“Cowra Shire Council remains committed to finding a solution that not only addresses the immediate concerns but also take-into-account the broader ecological and environmental context. The urgent assistance sought from the state's Health and Environment Ministers is a significant step towards managing this challenging issue,” said Mayor Fagan.

For more information, please contact Cowra Council Communications on 02 6340 2087 or email communications@cowra.nsw.gov.au.