In short:
Mount Isa residents say an influx of flying foxes is damaging trees, covering properties in droppings and making outdoor areas unusable.
asserted
areas → say → droppings
The state government says the animals are expected to move on once trees finish flowering.
asserted
trees → say → ?
Residents want the flying foxes moved away from homes and greater help with clean-up and damage, while Mount Isa City Council has been asked what action it is taking.
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it → want → action
As dusk settles over the outback city of Mount Isa a dark plume rises from the trees surrounding homes in the suburb of Sunset.
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plume → settle → Sunset
Thousands of flying foxes stream into the evening sky.
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Thousands → fly → sky
For 24-year-old doctor Aaron Gray the spectacle has lost its initial sparkle.
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spectacle → lose → sparkle
Dr Gray moved to Mount Isa this year for postgraduate medical training and bought his first home as "a little present to himself" in June.
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Gray → move → June
The established garden was part of the attraction, but within about a week there was "an explosion" of flying foxes.
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garden → establish → foxes
His garden is now covered in droppings, dead flying foxes, leaves and fallen branches.
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garden → cover → droppings
At one point he was spending three to four hours a day cleaning.
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he → spend → hours
"I've just given up and just let it go," Dr Gray said.
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Gray → give → ?
A few doors away, long-time property owner Tony Tolke has watched the colony grow.
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colony → watch → ?
"It's just like a cloud coming over," Mr Tolke said.
"
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Tolke → come → cloud
It's never been as bad as this."
Branches have blocked Mr Tolke's driveway and droppings cover cars, the roof and a boat.
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droppings → block → cars
His pregnant daughter is a paramedic and shift worker, and the family had to move her baby shower away from the house.
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family → have → house
"You can't even enjoy your own home,"Mr Tolke said.
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Tolke → enjoy → ?
He said wet season insurance repairs had also been delayed because builders were unwilling to work at the property while the flying foxes remained.
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foxes → say → property
Residents want action
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Residents → want → action
The residents want authorities to encourage the flying foxes away from homes and provide more help with the aftermath.
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authorities → want → aftermath
Dr Gray said the problem had left him increasingly confined to his home.
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problem → say → home
He said the council environmental officers had visited his property but told him their "hands are tied", legally.
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hands → say → him
He later asked for visiting state wildlife officers to meet affected residents but said they instead drove through the area.
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they → ask → area
"A drive-by is not really the same as going into the property and speaking with the actual residents affected by it,"Dr Gray said.
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Gray → go → residents
The Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation confirmed a little red flying fox camp had formed in trees across private properties.
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camp → confirm → properties
It said it expected the animals to move on once the trees finished flowering.
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trees → say → ?
A department spokesperson said wildlife rangers had inspected the site and met with Mount Isa City Council to provide advice on management options.
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rangers → say → options
Under Queensland conservation laws, landholders can use deterrents including noise, lights and water sprays to discourage flying foxes from returning, provided the animals are not harmed.
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animals → use → foxes
Council considers moving flying foxes
Mount Isa City Council chief executive Tim Rose said new state advice had established the flying foxes were not breeding at the site.
"We can start having a look at moving the bats on because they're not breeding there, which is a positive outcome," Mr Rose said.
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Rose → consider → bats
Options include noise and potentially reducing vegetation, with the council considering a coordinated approach with residents.
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council → include → residents
"They call it nudging," Mr Rose said.
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Rose → call → it
The council received a $38,500 state government grant last year to develop a flying fox management plan.
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council → receive → plan
Mr Rose said the draft plan, developed following community consultation, was now with the department for feedback.
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plan → say → feedback
Residents have criticised the council's response to the influx but Mr Rose said, "I think we've done everything we can."
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we → criticise → everything
He said the council had needed state advice about what it could legally do because flying foxes were protected.
uncertain
foxes → say → what
Mr Rose said the council was unlikely to financially assist residents with cleaning, increased water bills or property damage.
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council → say → cleaning
"Probably not, to be perfectly frank and honest," he said.
"
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he → say → ?
Residents have questioned whether the council's vegetation clearing along Breakaway Creek contributed to the flying foxes moving into the area.
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foxes → question → area
Mr Rose said the clearing was undertaken because of flooding concerns.
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clearing → say → concerns
"We can't really say one way or the other whether it made any difference or not," he said.
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he → say → difference
For Dr Gray, the issue is increasingly about the life he came to Mount Isa to build.
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he → come → Isa
…and 1 more, not listed.
The Aporia