Yanchep kangaroos ‘forced off Sun City Country Club golf course by tractors’

A war is brewing between animal activists and golfers over a massive population of kangaroos which have invaded a Yanchep golf course.

For the last four decades, hundreds of kangaroos have ignored the calls of “fore” at the Sun City Country Club golf course.

But according to Yanchep local Kelsey Burns, Sun City management have become so teed-off with the kangaroos, they are now chasing them off.

She started a petition, which has already been signed by 1800 people, calling on Sun City to stop driving the kangaroos into nearby homes.

“Recently it has been brought to our attention that staff at the Yanchep golf course have been driving the kangaroos away from the course [into the surrounding residential area with only a little bit of bush surrounding the course] using tractors/utility vehicles,” she posted on change.org.

Ms Burns said that the kangaroos could be hit by oncoming traffic or may not be able to sufficient food on the small amount of bush land they are being forced onto “which will soon be destroyed for more residential houses”.

She said if the kangaroos cannot be left alone, they should be relocated to a national park, instead of being “driven out by tractors” to unsuitable bushland.

On Monday, Sun City members were informed by management that 3500 kangaroos now roamed the golf course, and were destroying the greens.

“The Sun City Country Club has been on this site for over forty years and the housing developments at that time were minimal and the kangaroos roamed free but mainly in the natural bush,” the statement read.

“The kangaroo population has steadily increased over this period, with the recent land development projects, the kangaroos have gravitated to the golf course.

“The club has had small fences in place for many years, although the kangaroos still get in and continue to damage the course costing several thousand of dollars a year in repairs.”

Sun City claims the new fencing it put up to keep the kangaroos out has been vandalised.

“The club is now experiencing several incidents of vandalism by vehicles and or persons knocking down our existing fences to gain access to the course, causing severe damage to the course which cannot be allowed to continue,” the statement read.

“When the fence is cut it also allows the kangaroos back out into the housing estate.

“In the near future, the entire course will be land locked by housing and there will be no escape for the kangaroos, the club cannot be expected to provide a corridor for the kangaroos, as they will just stay on the course.

“The club therefore is encouraging them out to the east bush land before the housing cuts off all access.”

Both Sun City Country Club and Ms Burns have been contacted for further comment.

Source: WA today