Our environment team uses data from our road crews and WIRES to determine wildlife hotspots along our roads.
What started as a pilot program along Cullendulla Drive in Long Beach has extended to Dunns Creek Road and now Tomakin Road.
The virtual fences use lights and sound to deter animals at night - they're triggered by vehicle headlights.
The Dunns Creek fence has been extended an additional three kilometres, which means the entire hotspot is now covered.
Tomakin Road was another hotspot, receiving a virtual fence along a 2.7 kilometre stretch.
The virtual fence not only turns heads of wildlife but has turned heads of media and other councils, near and far. We've had calls from almost every state - and even internationally.
People are keen to learn from our experience. What are we telling them? The secret is well-placed lights and maintenance.
The lights work magic in dark rural areas and the sound alerts are super effective in quiet environments with minimal background noise. Plus, getting the installation right is crucial. Posts need to be perfectly aligned with car headlights for them to trigger effectively.
You can't just set and forget. Recently, we had posts on Dunns Creek Road damaged by a car. Our team along with WIRES volunteers regularly check the posts and undertake maintenance.
This effort has led to a consistent reduction in roadkill, making the roads safer for both wildlife and drivers.
- This story was first published in Council's quarterly newsletter for residents, Living in Eurobodalla. A printed edition is delivered to Eurobodalla's 26,000 households.
