Kempsey Shire Council is pleased to advise that the breeding season for Rainbow Bee-Eaters has ended and the Stuarts Point sports fields have now reopened to the community. Council is aware that the fields require maintenance and will complete this as soon as possible.
In October 2021, Council identified that Rainbow Bee-Eaters were nesting in burrows in the Stuarts Point sports fields. As a result, Council temporarily closed the fields to protect the birds while working with local sports teams to locate alternative facilities.
As a native species, Rainbow Bee-Eaters (Merops ornatus) are protected under the Biodiversity Conservation Act 2016 (NSW).
Council will continue to develop a plan of management for the birds' November-January breeding season.
We thank the Stuarts Point community for their patience and understanding on this issue.
