Grants allow Queensland communities to manage the impacts of flying foxes

• Sixteen councils will share in more than $620,000 in the sixth funding round of the Flying-Fox Roost Management in Queensland Program.
• More than $1.48 million has been allocated to 28 Queensland councils in the program’s first five funding rounds.
• The 2023-24 State Budget extended the grants program with an additional $500,000 per year for the next three years.

Sixteen Queensland councils will share in more than $620,000 in grants from the Miles Government for flying-fox management projects in their communities.

Councils will use the grants to enhance flying-fox programs in their communities, with projects to develop and deliver long-term roost management plans, conduct vegetation management activities, create buffers around roosts and deliver public educational programs. 

This is the sixth round of grants under the Flying-Fox Roost Management in Queensland Program, which has already seen more than $1.48 million allocated to 28 Queensland councils in the first five funding rounds.

The program supports local government’s flying-fox management, especially to mitigate the impacts of flying-fox roosts on communities and support residents and businesses to co-exist with flying-foxes.

While the latest funding completes the allocation of the original $2 million funding commitment to the program, the 2023-24 State Budget extended the program by committing an additional $500,000 per year for the next three years.

The Department of Environment and Science works with the Local Government Association of Queensland to deliver the program and ensure that funds are targeted to the areas of greatest need and provide maximum long-term benefits for roost management in local government areas.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef, Minister for Science, Leanne Linard:

“The Miles Government is committed to supporting local councils to manage the effects of flying-foxes on their communities.

“We know that flying-foxes can present challenges when they co-exist with residents, but these protected native animals also have a vital ecological role in dispersing seeds and pollinating flowering plants, as well as keeping our native forests healthy.

“The successful projects in this latest round of grant funding will help to reduce the impacts of urban flying-fox roosts and support local communities to co-exist with flying-foxes.”

Further information:

Under the latest Flying-Fox Roost Management in Queensland grants round, funds have been provided to:

• Burdekin Shire Council: $37,100 to develop a long-term region-wide flying-fox roost management plan.
• Central Highlands Regional Council: $3,062 to install flying-fox educational signage at roosts within the Central Highlands region.
• Charters Towers Regional Council: $42,000 to develop a long-term region-wide flying-fox roost management plan.
• Cloncurry Shire Council: $42,969 to develop a long-term region-wide flying-fox roost management plan.
• Douglas Shire Council: $14,104 to reduce canopy cover at two roosts and increase the buffer distance between residents and the roosts.
• Gladstone Regional Council: $35,700 to conduct vegetation modification at four roosts, helping minimise the impacts on nearby residents by reducing foraging and the impacts of flying-fox droppings.
• Hinchinbrook Shire Council: $13,720 for scoping works on a region-wide flying-fox roost management plan.
• Ipswich City Council: $34,800 for works to improve the sustainability of two roost sites. 
• Isaac Regional Council: $70,200 to undertake several low-impact actions recommended in Council’s Hoods Lagoon draft flying-fox management plan, including roost habitat improvement, a sprinkler system installation, and delivering an educational awareness program.
• Logan City Council: $50,162 for a localised grant scheme for residents directly impacted by two flying-fox roosts and $22,830 for the re-establishment of a buffer strip between residents, a child care centre, and the Mt Warren Park flying-fox roost.
• Maranoa Regional Council: $80,000 to establish two alternate long-term preferred roosts in Surat. 
• Moreton Bay City Council: $24,715 to deliver an extensive flying-fox community education program at multiple locations.
• Noosa Shire Council: $15,500 to develop a flying-fox roost management plan for Pinaroo Park, Noosa Heads.
• North Burnett Regional Council: $25,550 to develop a long-term region-wide flying-fox roost management plan.
• Townsville City Council: $80,000 for a localised grant scheme for residents living near a flying-fox roost impacted by influxes of flying-foxes.
• Whitsunday Regional Council: $30,000 to develop a long-term region-wide flying-fox roost management plan.

More information on flying-foxes is available here.

ENDS

Media contact: Scott Chandler – (07) 3719 7339