New bat colony in Queens Park may be there to stay A COLONY of bats in the Queens Park Nature Centre is set to stay where it is - at l...
The bats have set up a colony in some trees in the Nature Centre in the heart of Ipswich's main park.
The State Government has called on councils to apply for permits to move bat colonies, and Premier Campbell Newman has considered setting up a mobile "bat squad" to deal with bats and then bill local councils.
Ipswich Councillor Andrew Antoniolli, whose ward includes Queens Park, said council was watching what the State Government did with regards to bat removal.
But he said the council had been frustrated with the process in the past.
"We're aware of the bats in Queen's Park," Cr Antoniolli said.
"But we're watching what this State Government does with regards to flying foxes."
He said previous experiences with the process had been discouraging.
"We've been through this in the past and it's a lengthy and frustrating process," he said.
"So we're interested in what red tape busting the State Government is doing."
Cr Antoniolli said improvements to the process could also benefit residents living in the shadow of other colonies.
"If things improve it wouldn't just be Queens Park but we could also look at issues at Woodend, where there's been a colony for some time."
While the council is monitoring the situation and the Queens Park flying foxes, Cr Antoniolli said it did not have plans to move on the colony unless it became a serious problem.
"If it became a great concern, yes we would (look at moving the bat colony)," he said.
The State Government's plan for a team to remove bats has been met with fierce opposition by conservation groups.
Bat Conservation and Rescue Queensland president Louise Saunders said the proposal was unnecessary and impractical while the Australasian Bat Society said the plan would not remove bats in the long term.
The Bat Society said the plans would damage population numbers and cause bats in other colonies, from up to 1200km away, to use the nests.
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