Grey-headed flying-fox - Our local community page
We want to keep those most affected by Grey-headed flying-foxes (GHFF) updated.
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- Stay up to date with current information on what is happening at each site
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As always, you can also refer to our website for general information Grey-headed flying-fox in Campbelltown.
What are Grey-headed flying-foxes?
Flying-foxes are nomadic mammals that travel across large areas of Australia, feeding on native blossoms and fruits, spreading seeds and pollinating native plants. The Grey-headed flying-fox (Pteropus poliocephalus) has a rusty reddish-coloured collar, grey head and unique hairy legs. It's the largest Australian bat with a wingspan up to 1 metre, can weigh up to 1 kilogram and is the most vulnerable flying-fox species because it competes with humans for prime coastal habitat along the south-east Queensland, NSW and Victorian coasts.
Why are they protected?
The Grey-headed flying-fox, like the koala and kangaroo, is a native species and is protected in Australia. It's also listed as Vulnerable to extinction in NSW and nationally and is protected by law because numbers have rapidly declined over a relatively short period of time. Unlike other pollinators like bees and birds, flying-foxes can transport pollen over vast distances and are also able to disperse larger seeds. This makes them vital to the health and regeneration of our native forests.
Understanding flying-foxes
While the noise made by flying-foxes can be unpleasant at times, vocalisation is an important part of how they communicate. For example, mothers use a special call to locate their babies. Smell is also important for communication between flying-foxes. Like koalas, male flying-foxes use scent to attract females. Mating behavior begins in January/February and continues through to April/May. Flying-fox droppings also play an important part in the dispersal of seeds for many native plant species.
Flying-fox camps
A flying-fox camp is a patch of trees that flying-foxes are found in during the day. Camps are generally located within 20 km of a regular food source and are commonly found in gullies, close to water, in vegetation with a dense canopy.
Being social animals, they congregate in these camps to roost, find a mate and feed their young. Flying-foxes can travel up to 50 km from their camps to feed at night, leaving at dusk and returning at dawn.
The numbers of flying-foxes at camps fluctuate with the food supply but they may host tens of thousands of animals at a time. The same animal may return to the same camp each year, but they may not. They can also move from one camp to another and back again over a few days. They also do not move as a uniform group with individual flying-foxes moving independently throughout their range.
Living near a flying-fox camp
Due to the loss of their native bushland habitat, flying-foxes are increasingly moving into urban areas. Living near these camps can sometimes be a problem, but there are ways to minimise the disturbance camps can cause.
- Don’t disturb flying-foxes. They are quietest when left alone.
- Planting low vegetation around your property can provide distance between your house and flying-foxes.
- Consider property modification options. For example, double-glazing of windows has been shown to reduce noise inside buildings.
- Where possible, keep vehicles under cover, and take washing off the clothesline before sunset to protect from droppings.
- To protect backyard fruit trees, use fine-meshed netting that you can’t poke a finger through, and keep it taut to prevent wildlife from getting entangled.
- Keep animal food and water dishes away from trees used by flying-foxes.
What we're doing to help
- Eligible residents living next to the Bingara Reserve Grey-headed flying-fox camp can apply for our Residential Assistance Program. We offer a one off payment of up to $1,000 to purchase goods or services to assist you to live alongside the GHFF camp.
- We've prepared the Macquarie Fields (Bingara Reserve) Grey-headed flying-fox Camp Management Plan (CMP) as a framework to manage issues associated with the camp while conserving flying-foxes and their habitat.
- We've implemented a restoration plan to restore the degraded habit, conserve the nationally important camp and provide additional roost habitat further away from residences to reduce conflict.
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Bingara Grey-headed flying-fox camp
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2023 works
From May 2023 restoration works undertaken by environmental specialist bush regeneration contractors have continued to improve the vegetation condition within the northern end of the reserve. The work is focusing on tackling exotic vine species that threaten the canopy and the planting of a further 1500 native stems is planned for winter 2023.
2022 works
From August 2022 initial restoration works have been undertaken by environmental specialist bush regeneration contractors to improve the vegetation condition within the northern end of the reserve. Continued weed control work is ongoing at the reserve and is currently undertaken in a mosaic approach as is required in accordance with NSW Government Legislation and best practise environmental restoration. The work has focused on:
- Weed control targeted woody weeds in the creek line and vine weeds encroaching on canopy species south of Saywell Road on the western side of the creek line.
- Targeting giant reed infestations on the eastern (Bingara Road) side of Redfern Creek.
- Soil stabilisation works at the northern end of the camp, including planting of native on the creek-bank adjacent to Saywell Road.
- Further works will be undertaken and will include the maintenance of previously worked areas and the continued targeted primary control of woody and vine weeds.
