Werrington Kangaroos - Update 23 October 2020

Thank you for your past support for the mob (population) of kangaroos on what has been the Western Sydney University Campus at Werrington Park. As you will see in this update it is possible for the kangaroos to move between the Werrington Park Campus and the Kingswood South Campus via a road bridge over the Great Western Hwy.

In a teleconference with university representatives earlier this year I asked whether future plans for the university land could include enhancement of access between the two sites for the kangaroos by way of the existing or an improved bridge. The response received was not a negative and indicated it could be considered.

Our thinking has been that reduced foraging and habitat to a business park in the Werrington Park Campus can be compensated by better access for the kangaroos to foraging and habitat in the Kingswood South Campus.

See the attached image to grasp the concept.

It came as a shock to us to see publicly exhibited in recent weeks a proposal from Western Sydney University to subdivide a large portion of open space area of the Kingswood South Campus into three lots to permit development there. That works against our hopes.

Upon contacting the university we received a reply containing the words: “I appreciate your concerns about the Kangaroo habitat and foraging area, they are a valued part of our urban ecology.

In February 2020 we wrote to you about the University’s commitment to managing the Kangaroo population on our campus. We continue working with Dr Ricky Spencer from our School of Science and the Office of Environment and Heritage to develop a long-term plan for managing the Kangaroos.”

Now, that may read as encouraging except that we have all experienced alleged independent flora & fauna consultants who provide what the client wants, not and objective assessment. That this proposal has someone on the permanent payroll of the university and that the Office of Environment and Heritage has done enough in the past to demonstrate that it does not care for kangaroos in Western Sydney leaves us still concerned for the welfare of the kangaroos.

Also contained in the reply from the university were these words: ”Although our current subdivision DA (DA20/0590) does not propose any physical works that would impact upon the flora or fauna on the site, the University submitted a Flora and Fauna Assessment with the application. The report confirmed that there are no impacts associated with the proposed subdivision.”

However, that is not a clear picture of reality. There was no species list submitted with the flora & fauna assessment. Further, the assessment admits: “Detailed designs have yet to be prepared for future development of the subdivided land and, as such, detailed impact assessments could not be undertaken for the purposes of this report.”

Mixed messages and concealed information prevail with the university. Based on what has been indicated thus far from Western Sydney University we have cause to be concerned for the future of the mob of kangaroos which have been part of the ecological and social fabric of Western Sydney for several decades.

More information later.

Wayne Olling