Flying-Fox Alternate Roost Project in Surat

Maranoa Regional Council has been successful in obtaining State Government funding from the Flying-Fox Roost Management Grants Program to establish a long-term alternate flying-fox roost site in Surat

The funding involves the establishment of a project to create a new long-term habitat for flying-foxes approximately 1200 metres downstream of their current roosting location. This location is downstream of the Surat weir.

The establishment of a new roost habitat includes the planting of additional native trees and shrubs to encourage the existing colony to relocate over the long term while ongoing short term low impact disruption techniques can commence.

Low impact disruption techniques include clearing and reducing the understory below the roost to make it less desirable, installing deterrent devices and investigating opportunities to use water and smoking techniques earlier on in the season when the scouts arrive.

To support this effort, regular ongoing community updates will be provided to the Surat and the wider Maranoa community with annual ongoing monitoring taking place.

Council and the Queensland State Government understand that flying foxes can impact communities with unpleasant smells and noises. 

Through the newly endorsed Regional Flying-Fox Management Plan council can now begin to establish annual operational activities to monitor and manage these populations, and their impacts on the community.

Council officers will begin drafting an annual flying fox management operations plan which will provide additional clarity and information on specific activities each year to manage flying-fox roosts in the future. 

Further updates regarding the operations plan will be provided to the community in the future. 

To find out more about the alternate roost project of Regional Flying-Fox Management Plan please check go to council’s website, contact council customer service in Surat on 4626 6100 or email customer.surat@maranoa.qld.gov.au