Reports of a farmer shooting corellas on a busy Bacchus Marsh street have been dismissed, with the accused landholder saying he used only a scare gun.
“We’re just wanting to scare them off and because of the nature of our crops we can’t lay nets or pass the tractor over it,” the Fisken Street farmer said.
“The scarecrows work for random ones, but not flocks of thousands.”
These non-lethal methods are recommended as a deterrent, according to Department of Environment and Primary Industries senior compliance officer Jim O’Brien.
The farmer, who has lived in Bacchus Marsh for more than 20 years, said he recently lost 20,000 plants in five hours.
A witness to an alleged culling in late January said he had contacted Moorabool council and police. “I understand they’d be extremely frustrated by what’s going on, but they’ve chosen the wrong course of action,” the witness said.
But Bacchus Marsh police said they had not received any reports of corella shootings. Their last arrest for possession of an illegal firearm was in December.
The Weekly reported in August last year that the native birds were causing extensive damage to council and private property in Bacchus Marsh.
Council chief executive Rob Croxford said a “scare cannon” was initially used for a two-week period. The Fisken Street farmers are hoping the council will use scare cannons again this year.
Corellas are not the only pests causing problems in the shire, with Moorabool Landcare Network receiving $19,400 from the state government to demonstrate rabbit control practices.
Landcare facilitator Max Coster said a newly formed rabbit control group would show Parwan farmers how to bait the pest animals. “Rabbit control works best when neighbours work together.”
Mr Coster said rabbits were plaguing areas around Bacchus Marsh, Rowsley, Lal Lal and close to Melton.
The demonstrations are scheduled for late April.
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