Corella management plan - have your say

Published on 25 June 2020

WEST Wimmera Shire Council is calling for residents to have their say on corella management in the region.

The draft West Wimmera Shire Council Corella Management Plan 2020-2024 was presented to Council at its meeting on June 18.

The plan outlines a range of options for corella management in the shire. The plan will be on public display for four weeks and residents can make submissions to Council about the plan.

Planning and Environment Manager David Pietsch said West Wimmera Shire had experienced problems with large numbers of corellas in the past.

“In significant numbers, corellas cause damage to trees, create noise issues, and can potentially damage buildings and infrastructure,” he said.

Mr Pietsch said community opinions about corellas varied, with some residents seeing the birds’ migration as a natural phenomenon that people needed to accept.

“Other residents in the shire consider these birds a menace,” he said.

The corella management plan outlines five different management strategies available to council.

These strategies include culling birds, dispersing birds, public education, asset design solutions, and advocacy and partnership.

“It is understood that no single management strategy alone will prove effective,” Mr Pietsch said.

“A number of different techniques need to be used in different locations and at varying times.”

Culling birds and dispersing birds will involve shooting live ammunition, along with using hand held lasers and flares, stock whips, clapping boards, and gas scare guns.

The public education strategy will involve distributing more information to residents about corellas and how to live with them.

The asset design solutions strategy will involve looking at the design and maintenance of Council’s infrastructure in view of limiting the destruction that corellas cause. This might include changing the colour of synthetic turf or using polyethylene pipe to prevent birds perching on aerials and communication cables.

The final strategy, advocacy and partnership, will involve sharing corella management ideas with other councils and advocating to the state government for a regional response to corellas.

Mr Pietsch said residents were invited to make submissions to council about the corella management plan before 5pm on July 24.

Written submissions must be addressed to Mr David Pietsch, PO Box 201, Edenhope, VIC, 3318, or emailed to council@westwimmera.vic.gov.au.

The plan will be available for inspection at council’s website and at Council’s Customer Service Centres at Baker Street, Kaniva, and Elizabeth Street, Edenhope.

All submissions will be presented to council, and a final decision on the management plan will be made in August.

Further details contact David Pietsch, Manager Planning and Environment, 5595 9900.

Draft-West-Wimmera-Shire-Council-Corella-Management-Plan-2020-2024-Version-2-Council-meeting.pdf(PDF, 2MB)