Rudder Park closed from Monday for flying-fox buffer works

Published on 06 July 2022

Rudder Park will be closed for around three weeks from Monday as ecologists carry out bush regeneration works to encourage flying-foxes to roost closer to the Macleay River and away from residential homes.

Kempsey Shire Council has received several concerns that flying-foxes in Rudder Park East Kempsey are creating significant mess, noise and frustration for residents and has engaged ecologists to create a buffer between flying-fox habitat and neighbouring homes. 

Works will take place Monday to Friday between 8am and 5pm, beginning Monday 11 July and will last for around three weeks, weather permitting. During this time Rudder Park will be closed to the public. Qualified ecologists are working with both Council and the NSW Government's Department of Planning and Environment to complete these works to make sure there is minimal disturbance to the species.

These works are included in the Rudder Park Flying-fox Management Plan. They are not to move flying-foxes from the established Rudder Park camp, but to tempt the species to roost further away from homes. This will be done by replacing exotic vegetation near homes with native plants unsuitable for flying-fox roosting.

As flying-foxes are listed as vulnerable, Council cannot interfere with the colony in any way to remove them from Rudder Park.

Find out more about flying-foxes

The areas where buffer works will be carried out at Rudder Park in July 2022 (Purple)