Conservation Hill, Rhyll. Photo: Julie Paterson
As told to Ron Day
G’DAY there, I’m Wallaby Wal and I live on Phillip Island.
I want to draw your attention to the conflict taking place all over the island between my mob and motor vehicles (HICLES), and particularly a 3.6km section of the Cowes/Rhyll Road. More than 400 of my brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces were killed by HICLES on this 3.6km section of road over a three-year period.
These HICLES are relentless in their efforts to commit genocide and eliminate our mob from the island. We once roamed freely across the island long before the arrival of the HICLES some 100 years ago. Surely it’s our right as original inhabitants to have free and unrestricted movement. After all this was our home long before the invasion of the HICLES.
G’DAY there, I’m Wallaby Wal and I live on Phillip Island.
I want to draw your attention to the conflict taking place all over the island between my mob and motor vehicles (HICLES), and particularly a 3.6km section of the Cowes/Rhyll Road. More than 400 of my brothers, sisters, nephews and nieces were killed by HICLES on this 3.6km section of road over a three-year period.
These HICLES are relentless in their efforts to commit genocide and eliminate our mob from the island. We once roamed freely across the island long before the arrival of the HICLES some 100 years ago. Surely it’s our right as original inhabitants to have free and unrestricted movement. After all this was our home long before the invasion of the HICLES.
It appears HICLES are exponentially breeding year after year with increasing numbers on the island’s roads. The worst time is during their twice annual migration to the island when their numbers swell by many thousands and casualties escalate drastically.
Recently HICLES organised a trial of an after-dusk, headlight-activated, electronic alarm system along the road in a couple of places to scare us off prior to the HICLES’ arrival. However, the alarm confused some of my mob. They hesitated, or misjudged the speed of the approaching HICLE. The result: BANG. They were mowed down in apparent retribution for supposedly defying the alarm.
HICLES are much bigger, faster and heavier than us, and they are continually evolving and mutating to become even faster and quieter. We are physically inferior and no match for this invading tyrant.
We don’t have the capability to fight back and reduce their numbers, but when we do inflict damage upon them, and they are compelled to undertake costly repairs and pay increased insurance premiums, it appears to enrage them further to the extent they seek revenge with a determination to eliminate more and more of us.
We are not the only species in conflict with HICLES. Our mates, koalas, echidnas, possums, bandicoots, rakali, snakes, turtles, plus falcons, maggies, swans, ibis, geese, ducks, purple hens, kookas and shearwaters are also victims of these unstoppable killing machines.
The mind boggles as to the number of wildlife road kills across Phillip Island. Between 3000-4000 a year is a reasonable estimate. No wonder many visitors and tourists refer to our home here as “Roadkill Island”.
Our mob have reached a stage of despair resulting from this ongoing road carnage. When will HICLES be legally obliged by road authorities to slow down to give island wildlife a chance of survival on our roads?
We dare to dream and hope it happens prior to the HICLES’ next migration in December.
Thanks for taking time to read this.
Wallaby Wal
Ron Day was involved in a Victoria University research study into the efficacy of the electronic roadside wildlife mitigation system (virtual fencing) on Phillip Island. He was responsible for collecting and documenting roadkill data for from April 2019 to March 2022, recording 1189 kills comprising 28 species during the three-year trial period.
Recently HICLES organised a trial of an after-dusk, headlight-activated, electronic alarm system along the road in a couple of places to scare us off prior to the HICLES’ arrival. However, the alarm confused some of my mob. They hesitated, or misjudged the speed of the approaching HICLE. The result: BANG. They were mowed down in apparent retribution for supposedly defying the alarm.
HICLES are much bigger, faster and heavier than us, and they are continually evolving and mutating to become even faster and quieter. We are physically inferior and no match for this invading tyrant.
We don’t have the capability to fight back and reduce their numbers, but when we do inflict damage upon them, and they are compelled to undertake costly repairs and pay increased insurance premiums, it appears to enrage them further to the extent they seek revenge with a determination to eliminate more and more of us.
We are not the only species in conflict with HICLES. Our mates, koalas, echidnas, possums, bandicoots, rakali, snakes, turtles, plus falcons, maggies, swans, ibis, geese, ducks, purple hens, kookas and shearwaters are also victims of these unstoppable killing machines.
The mind boggles as to the number of wildlife road kills across Phillip Island. Between 3000-4000 a year is a reasonable estimate. No wonder many visitors and tourists refer to our home here as “Roadkill Island”.
Our mob have reached a stage of despair resulting from this ongoing road carnage. When will HICLES be legally obliged by road authorities to slow down to give island wildlife a chance of survival on our roads?
We dare to dream and hope it happens prior to the HICLES’ next migration in December.
Thanks for taking time to read this.
Wallaby Wal
Ron Day was involved in a Victoria University research study into the efficacy of the electronic roadside wildlife mitigation system (virtual fencing) on Phillip Island. He was responsible for collecting and documenting roadkill data for from April 2019 to March 2022, recording 1189 kills comprising 28 species during the three-year trial period.