Gympie Council Mulls Buyback Scheme to Tackle Surging Urban Bat Population

As of November 16th, 2025, the Gympie Regional Council in Queensland is considering a property buyback scheme to address the growing problem of "loud and smelly" flying foxes encroaching on a residential area. The council has endorsed a long-term plan to better manage the protected bat colony, which is located in a nationally significant roost.

The plan recommends that the council advocate to the state and federal governments for the buyback scheme and request funding to cover expenses associated with vegetation management and dispersal efforts. According to Gympie Mayor Glen Hartwig, the buyback would involve 20 or more affected properties, and is reliant on government support.

Residents like Kyla Reen, who lives just meters from the bat colony, have been struggling with the nuisance caused by the flying foxes. Reen complains of black dust from the bat droppings frequently entering her home, forcing her to keep windows shut and avoid hanging laundry outside. The noise from the bats has also become "horrendous" and unrelenting.

CSIRO senior ecologist Adam McKeown explains that the trend of bats roosting in urban areas has been increasing over the past 20-30 years. While there is no easy solution, the council's options are limited by the legal protections afforded to the flying foxes under state and federal legislation. Hartwig argues that the governments "created a problem" and should now fund a solution.