MACHATTIE Park has been ruled out for use during the Bathurst Winter Festival, with the council unable to guarantee the space will be remediated in time for the July event.
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A substantial portion of the park remains closed to the public for safety reasons after the trees were damaged by flying foxes.
The colony arrived in Machattie Park around spring of 2023, seeing upwards of 20,000 flying foxes in the vicinity when numbers peaked.
While thousands have since departed, some flying foxes continue to roost in the trees six months after it was closed to the public in November, 2023.
Bathurst council has already spent $30,000 to remediate trees in the park, allowing parts of it to reopen in March, 2024, however, far more will have to be invested to tackle the remaining trees.
When preparing to reopen the park, the council's director of Engineering Services, Darren Sturgiss, estimated the additional work could cost between $60,000 and $100,000.
The council has since allocated money in the 2024-25 draft budget for the remediation works, with the total amount set aside being $150,000.
However, council has yet to obtain a final quote from the specialist arborist.
"The full assessment of trees in Machattie Park was undertaken in January this year," Mr Sturgiss said.
"The report detailed the specific works that should be undertaken to selected trees throughout Machattie Park in order to mitigate the public safety risks that exist throughout the Park caused by the large numbers of flying foxes that roosted in the park during spring 2023.
"Council has not yet sought a quote for the remaining work, but has identified funding in the draft budget for the required remediation works."
Timeline for works
Council has not identified a start date for the remaining remediation, however, Mr Sturgiss did confirm that it will not be before July 1, 2024.
"The work will not occur until the new financial year when the funding becomes available," he said.
Importantly, work is not allowed to occur so long as the flying foxes are treating trees in Machattie Park as their habitat.
Just when the remaining bats will leave is unknown, which is why the council has decided not to incorporate Machattie Park into the Bathurst Winter Festival footprint this year.
"Council staff are continuing to develop plans for the winter festival but will not activate Machattie Park as the timeline for the remediation works is still not known," Mr Sturgiss said.
The winter festival will get under way on July 6, 2024.
Rachel Chamberlain
I have been a journalist at the Western Advocate since 2014.
I have been a journalist at the Western Advocate since 2014.
