Secretary’s Notes

Reminder that membership fees were due on the 1^st July. Please make sure you have paid for the 2025/26 financial year. I will be sending out reminder letters to those who haven’t paid in the coming weeks.

There has been an increase to the carers reimbursement limit. Carers can now claim up to $2,000 per financial year. Claims, including receipts or copies of receipts need to be given to me for processing.

WRIN is now registered with the Victorian Container Deposit Scheme. Those who wish to can now donate their refund for bottles and cans to WRIN. WRIN’s donation ID No. is C2000060027.

WRIN lost 3 phone operators over the last couple of months. Brendan Irwin who has volunteered since February 2025. Jo Griffiths who has volunteered since November 2020 and Karen Macartney who has volunteered since 2016. We thank these three volunteers for their time and commitment. They have helped in the rescue of hundreds of wildlife animals in need and helped concerned members of public. Jo will continue volunteering with fundraisers and Karen with rescues and shelter operations.

If you have any questions or suggestions, please email them to secretary@wrin.asn.au.

Brenda Argus.

June General Meeting

Four renewals, 2 new memberships and 5 donations: $100 Brenda Skinner, $200 Anon & Zara Clinton, $1,000 BAWCS & $2,000 Dunolly Field & Game (for Denise Bridges).

Re veterinarian bat vaccinations; Julie let us know that only 1 vet at Furlife Eaglehawk Road and 2 vets at McIvor Rd clinics are bat vaccinated. McIvor Rd vets will only euthanise bats and ask that we call ahead of taking a bat in. Therefore we have only 1 vet willing to assess sick and injured bats.

Carer reimbursement limit was discussed again. Brenda supplied carer reimbursement totals for the years 22/23, 23/24 & 24/25. All year’s total an average of $2,700. It was motioned by Brenda that carer reimbursements increase from $500 to $2,000 per financial year. Lynne seconded the motion and all approved.

Term deposit statement and review form received. Brenda supplied WRIN’s account balances and announced the committee’s decision to transfer
money into the working account to cover a new aviary and to reinvest the rest for 6 months at 3.8%. After the decision to increase the carers reimbursements it was agreed to transfer $15,000 to cover costs.

Thank you letters received from Denise Bridges for the donation and from Trish Mutimer for the donation of milk powder.

Notes from Jo Fischer on the meeting held with Lu-Wei Spinks COGB on ways COGB and WRIN can support each other to raise community awareness of the wildlife road toll and to consider ways to reduce the toll and support wildlife carers. Suggestions discussed:

• WRIN giving a presentation to COGB on what we do.
• Participate in the School Sustainability Summit in September 2025
• Recruitment of new carers through the COGB e-newsletter
• Regular reporting on the seasonal movement of animals & birds.
• Advocating to Vic Roads to reduce the speed in identified ‘hot spots’
• Contact Macedon wildlife care and city council to see in what ways we can collaborate
• Consider arranging a wildlife awareness month
• Planning of new housing developments. Are wildlife corridors and consideration of wildlife part of the planning process?

Michelle reported on the roos at the Retreat Rd site. Four roos deceased from vehicle strike. One had a joey that has gone into care. Twice roos have been locked into fenced off areas. Michelle has had to ring and organise for fencing to be opened up again. Michelle will write a letter of complaint that rules are not being implemented and more support and consideration of these local kangaroos would be appreciated by WRIN and local members of public. Julie and Michelle agreed they would approach Lisa Chesters MP regarding this issue.

– WRIN received a donation of $300 from Grill’d after winning the Local Matters Competition for March.

– The WRIN stall at the Maldon Market raised $249 in April and $120.50 in May. Nature in the Mall stall in April raised $188.

Central Victorian Bat Alliance (CVBA)

In the past few months Central Victorian Bat Alliance (CVBA) has been delivering community engagement events to support and advocate for bats. In June CVBA introduced the group and discussed bats with City of Greater Bendigo (COGB) Mayor, Councilors, CEO and Executive Team, the session was well received.

At our friendly monthly CVBA meeting at Kangaroo Flat Library we discussed events for 2025/26; everyone interested in bat conservation is welcome to attend-please contact secretary.cvballiance@gmail.com CVBA will be represented at the 20th International Bat Research Conference in Cairns in August; hosted by Australasian Bat Society and Pacific Bat Conservation Network the conference promotes and supports conservation of Australasian bats through advancement of scientific knowledge and education. An emerging bat rescue and rehabilitation issue relates to fishing line and hook entanglement. Future community advocacy will revolve around preventing fishing tackle entanglement commencing by initially engaging with relevant government ministerial departments, angling groups and communities.

CVBA joined with COGB, WRIN and local groups to deliver fun, education information sessions during school holidays in Rosalind Park and Hargreaves Mall. All adults and children enjoy viewing bats and their behaviors through binoculars – it is often the first time for many to view bats safely, up that close and enables people to begin to identify bats as individuals with their own unique temperament and personality. Identification and understanding is a first step in building empathy!

Great news from WRIN’s Treasurer Brenda reporting small grant funds from COGB received on 25 June. CVBA can now purchase essential items including a marquee, bi-fold table, binoculars and bat models to expand community engagement, education and awareness-raising events. Thank you WRIN for supporting CVBA by taking on the role as our auspicing body, we are truly grateful.

CVBA’s Bats and Banter team presents the monthly bat show on community radio PhoenixFM 106.7 where every program has a different theme of interest, studio guests and great music too! In July we welcomed studio guest Lu-Wei Spinks, Biodiversity Engagement Officer from the City of Greater Bendigo, to join conversation about the vital ecological role bats play in our environment and how to safely enjoy coexisting with bats and wildlife in our common home. The Bats and Banter program is an important way we educate the community with evidence based information that debunks myth and counters misinformation. We are always looking for studio guests so if you have something you would like to share please get in touch with Michelle or Julie. We welcome you to join us and enjoy Bats and Banter every second Monday between 12pm-1pm on PhoenixFM 106.7….thankyou from the team at CVBA.

Wildlife

Kangaroos of Retreat Rd, Flora Hill, Building Site (the plight of)

In early July the kangaroos were restricted to the final section of the site on Cook Street. They were quite vulnerable on that small, now cleared section with nowhere to hide. Despite that, trucks have been working at the section on the Osborne Street side. To keep their distance the roos were hanging out on the far side next to the athletics track fence. 

On Wednesday 16^th July, two dogs on the loose ran into the athletics track and up to fence trying to chase the kangaroos, causing the roos to panic. With nowhere to go they have all ran out onto the road. Development Victoria (DV) workers working nearby have taken advantage of that and slammed the last gate closed, shutting them out of their last patch of home. A lot of the roos ran up the hill towards bushland but many took to the streets and also ran out onto busy Retreat Rd. This has occurred at around 3.30pm, the busiest time of the day leaving motorists at risk as well.

Four of them found their way into the athletics track. They were panicking, racing around and falling over and a young female with a pinkie slammed into a fence and broke her neck. A rescuer was called to attend, but by the time she got there the kangaroo had died. An attempt was made to get the other three out but they were distressed so it was called off and they had to be left locked in the athletics track site.

DV witnessed the carnage and would have seen our rescuers trying to keep the roos safe and off the roads, but offered no assistance. By the time rescuers got around to talk to them they were gone. In their haste to leave, they forgot to put part of the temporary fencing back up leaving a hole in the fence exposed and one roo has re-entered the site via that hole.

With concerns that they may have myopathy, our closest wildlife darter, Ian, was called upon.

On Thursday, after many hours, they were able to dart the trapped roos and move them up into bushland at the end of Friswell Avenue.

Complaints have been lodged with DV, DEECA, Conservation Regulator and Jacinta Allan’s office.

DV has finally met with me to chat via zoom. It was basically them in damage control, they stated they acted within the conditions of the kangaroo management plan (which we have never seen) and weren’t responsible for what happened with the dogs. The meeting at least provided an opportunity to express our frustrations regarding the handling of the situation and lack of consultation. They have finally agreed to our persistent request for flashing signs in the area to alert motorists. To this day no flashing signs have yet been installed.

We have also put together a flyer and have done a letterbox drop to alert local residents of the increased movement of kangaroos in the area, as kangaroos are constantly returning to the site trying to reclaim their home, as pictured.

Ian Slattery and I have also spoken to the Bendigo Advertiser and an article has been published in a recent edition of the Advertiser, of which has generated a lot of public interest and response.