We the undersigned, call on the Premier of Queensland, Hon. Anastasia Palaszczuk, the Minister for Health and Ambulance Services, Hon Yvette D’Ath and the Minister for Minister for the Environment and the Great Barrier Reef , Hon Meaghan Scanlon to urgently authorise the safe, humane and controlled relocation of all wallabies caught in the highly restrictive area of the Trinity Beach Sporting Precinct.

We clearly understand this is a State Government responsibility and the collective sporting clubs and associations of this precinct, namely AFL Cairns, Barron River Cricket Association, Cairns Baseball League, Centrals Trinity Beach Australian Football and Sporting Club and Marlin Coast Rangers Football Club need your support to ensure the ongoing safety of our children and adults when using our designated sports precinct.

The continued growth of residential homes in the Trinity Beach area has depleted the land available as natural wildlife habitat and forced the animals into land occupied by our sporting grounds. The subsequent over-population of wallabies has led to damage to the sporting fields and a significant amount of excrement covering the playing surfaces. This is not only inappropriate for participants trying to enjoy a healthy lifestyle and playing their favourite sport but it exposes a potential serious risk to their health. 

The following are excerpts from a recent email from Shai Ager, Founder & Ecologist of The Agile Project Wildlife Rescue; “I am writing to you all as the situation with the wallabies on the Northern Beaches, has become undeniably critical. More than 400 wallabies have died since the 1st of January this year and this is only the beginning. The majority of these deaths have been from car strikes and dog attacks. But we are now facing a situation where the wallabies, particularly the population at the sports fields, are infested with coccidiosis (a parasitic disease) most likely due to the huge amount of animals forced into such a small/unviable location. On top of this, they’re riddled with hookworm as well as a presence of tapeworm & roundworm. It seems
these worms in combination with this disease is causing the wallabies to become quite malnourished and sickly… not to mention the fact there’s not enough resources to feed all 700 of them.”

“It has been devastating to watch these animals suffer, particularly over the past few weeks. Not only does this seem like an animal cruelty incident but also a community concern if people start contracting what these wallabies have. Some of our relocation and rescue volunteers have already caught hookworm and have had to medicate themselves to treat it. This type of infestation in Macropods is simply because there’s too many, in such a confined area.”

Premier and Ministers, enough is enough. Our community should be able to enjoy their recreation safely and our wildlife should not be cruelly endangered. You have the power to end this unacceptable situation. Please order the safe and humane relocation of these animals immediately.