East Cessnock residents are bracing themselves for another noisy, smelly summer as the flying foxes return to town in droves.
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The bats have set up camp on the corner of Long Street and Old Maitland Road for the past four years.
Last summer, the colony grew to an estimated 30,000 bats, and spread all the way across to Maitland Road and Anzac Avenue.
Trees were almost stripped bare as winter approached, with most not having recovered before the bats returned.
Hallam Street residents Leonie Allan and Rachael Davies say the bats have turned their once-lovely, peaceful street into an “eyesore” that is impacted by noise from the main road.
“It was lush and beautiful, you would wake up to the birds chirping,” Ms Allan said.
The no-through street even became a tourist attraction last year, with busloads of people visiting every day and knocking on Ms Allan’s door to ask her questions about the bats.
Ms Davies said she was drawn to the peace and quiet of the street when she bought there almost five years ago.
“I loved living here, but it was so disheartening last year with the bats,” she said.
Ms Davies said she understands that council is bound by the management plan, but that she would like to see the trees replanted and better maintained.
Ms Allan runs a child care centre at her home and said the lack of maintenance on the land nearby is hazardous to her and her family, the children who attend the centre, and her animals.
She said she has been “passed from pillar to post” between Cessnock City Council and Crown Lands when trying to get some work done on the land.
“Although this is not my land it does become my interest when the land is continuously kept in an extremely poor state and becomes a danger to the residents surrounding it,” she said.
“I’m hoping to get some action, thrive this business and live in a beautiful area again.”
Ms Allan said if no action is taken she would be happy to negotiate the sale of her property to Crown and council.
Council is continuing community consultation on flying fox camp management options after receiving $25,000 in NSW Government funding this year.
Meanwhile, the House of Representatives Standing Committee on the Environment and Energy will hold an inquiry into the matter, at the request of Hunter MP Joel Fitzgibbon.
