Bat Shade Announced

TODAY the government announced new shade sails will be installed at the Murrurundi Primary School to compensate for the trees currently occupied by flying foxes.

Michael Johnson MP fielding questions from the children of Murrurundi primary school.

The New South Wales state government will provide $25,000 while the local Shire Council and the NSW Department of Education will provide $12,500 each.

There are estimated to be more than 100,000 flying foxes along the Pages River in Murrurundi extending half a kilometre in each direction of the school.

The Murrurundi school children had several questions for the Hon., Michael Johnson when he made the announcement today including pointing out that the animals are called flying foxes, not bats.

“Yes that is a good point they are flying foxes, but we call them bats because they are bat like,” said Minister Johnson.

But all agreed the animals were “stinky” and “noisey”.

The playground and sandpit will soon have shade sails to provide protection from the sun and the flying foxes.

Rodney Swansborough, chair of the Murrurundi Community Forum said it was welcome news, but they hoped the flying foxes would soon move.

“An expert from Sydney University explained that the reason the bats are here is because there is a lot of feed for them in the trees with the flowers and they anticipate that will cease in about four to six weeks,” Mr Swansborough.

“There are about 100,000 in this camp and hopefully they will soon move somewhere else simply because the food supply won’t be able to sustain them,” he said.

“It creating an issue simply because of the proximity to the school and residents along the Pages River,” he said.

“People have tried various things like cracking whips and trying to smoke the out along the river bank here, but it hasn’t worked it just basically stirs them up,” Rodney Swansborough said.

Flying foxes in a tree at Murrurundi Primary School.