East Gippsland Shire Council will continue to investigate interagency options with Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (DELWP) and Parks Victoria regarding a strategic management plan for the revegetation of the Mitchell River grey headed flying fox colony in Bairnsdale.

It was unanimously agreed at last Tuesday nights council meeting that in doing so any interagency strategic management plan developed would examine all potential future management options that may be considered appropriate having regard for and input from relevant expertise; make specific recommendations in respect to the more appropriate future land management arrangements; engage, as appropriate, with officers from the Commonwealth Department of Environment and Energy; and provide opportunities for community engagement and input to the process.

Director of community strategy, Kate Nelson, said none of the options investigated so far have been particularly attractive with regards to council obligations and modified approvals processes.

We have been able to undertake some conversations or meetings with representatives from the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning, and also Parks Victoria, to understand if there is any appetite to look at an interagency strategic approach to how we determine the best future management options and land management options for the land that the colony occupies, she said.

We think this small strategic approach to what is a really complicated matter for the council is something worthy of exploring. It gives us the opportunity to understand all the potential options that are available using the expertise and the wider range of organisations and people.

It will then enable council to use that information to decide whether it will be a relevant role for council to manage this part of the Mitchell River corridor.

Council reaffirmed its commitment to develop the alternative access path through the land cleared by council in accordance with the current Mitchell River Revegetation Program Bairnsdale Grey-headed Flying Fox Roost Site Strategic Management Action Plan, 2015.

It will implement the required revegetation works as soon as it can be feasibly undertaken in accordance with necessary approval conditions.