AFFIDAVIT
I (deleted)
Of (deleted)
TAKE AN OATH
AND SAY AS FOLLOWS
On Saturday the 7th of July I traveled to
the Central Highlands and back stopping in at the Duaringa township.
After using the rest rooms at the park in the township
I noticed that some of the little red flying foxes camped in the William Street
colony were in the air. I am a wildlife carer and I know this to be unusual
behaviour as they sleep during the day unless disturb. As I looked towards the
colony to see what had disturb them I was then
confonted by the sounding of a continuous loud horn which came from the
direction of the William Street colony.
The sounding of the horn continued for 15 minutes and
by this time most of the flying foxes from the William Street and Margaret
Street Maternity camp were now in the air except for the bubs which could not
escaped the noise.
From a report of the QPWS rangers as of the 6th
of July at least 500 are dependant young still remain in these camps.
At this point in time I drove around to Margaret
Street and stood on the footpath and using my mobile phone cam, videoed the
distressed animals in the air.
While I was standing in Margaret Street I could hear
what sounded to be metal on metal banging further distressing those already in
the air preventing lactating females from attending their young. This sound came from the Margaret Street
Camp.
Standing in Margaret Street I could see smoke
billowing from this direction of the Maternity camp. . I drove to the direction
of the smoke. I could see a smoking fire under a tree in 26 Margaret Street.
There were babies in the tree that could not fly away.
Standing on the footpath I used my mobile phone again to take a video recording
of the smoke. There was no one about. I drove around the block and came
back. When I came back Smoke was everywhere
in this area of the Camp.
The smoke smelled toxic and it made me feel nausea and
I got a headache straight away. You could smell it all over the town. A man
was standing poking the fire. I could see that some of the babies had moved
over to the other side of the tree as far as they could go. They could not fly.
I got out of the car and standing on the footpath I
again filmed the smoke. The man turned around and he asked me what I was doing.
I told him I was taking pictures of the smoke. He told me he had permission to
do build this fire. He came out the
gate and towards me on the footpath. . I felt uncomfortable and I was fearful
that he would take my camera from me and damage the evidence. I got back in my
car and drove away.
This was the same man that I witnessed making smoke under the tree in exactly the same spot on the 7th of April 2012 and this
gives me reason to believe that this man has continued to harass this maternity
camp, without any fear from anyone. .
I was in Duaringa for one hour from midday. During
that time I telephoned to report the illegal activity to Qld Police Link. I
asked them to record my complaint. They said that they would get in contact
with the Duaringa police
I telephoned QPWS getting in touch with Ranger Graeme Russell
who said he would contact the police. I
also contacted Bat Rescue.
When I got home I contacted Graeme Russell, QPSW
Rockhampton. Bat Rescue, Mike Devery, QPSW,
and several other carers.
When I contacted Graeme Russell he told me that he got
in contact with the Duaringa Police. They said that they checked on the Bats in
the morning before they left for Blackwater and they were fine and after my
complaint on their return and everything was quiet. They also said that they
saw no evidence of a fire.
The ranger told the officer that I have filmed the
fire.
After I spoke with Graeme I contacted people in
Duaringa to see if on the off chance
that they may be home. I knew they had
been away.
I spoke to the lady who said that her and her husband
had got home in the afternoon and had been filming the illegal activity all
after noon. The bats had been in the air
all afternoon.
What I can’t understand is why the police told the
QPWS ranger that everything was quiet, when according to an eye witness the
police drove up and down the street when the flying fox were in the air.
The reporting of the harassment of these flying foxes
has been on going by myself and others
since I placed my first report of the illegal activity on the 7th
of April 2012
