A PROPONENT of a proposed commercial kangaroo processing facility has urged the State Government to lift the ban on commercial harvesting given the explosion of animal numbers across the district.
Mount Gambier resident Glenn Fry has revealed he was working on getting a processing facility off the ground in the Blue Lake city.
But Mr Fry said the proposal was being stonewalled given the ban on the commercial harvesting of eastern grey kangaroos.
“There are thousands if not millions of kangaroos in the region, they are everywhere,” Mr Fry told The Border Watch.
He said there was a viable sustainable kangaroo harvest industry in Victoria, but South Australia was yet to follow suit.
Mr Fry said it was not unusual to see a mob of 50 kangaroos on the side of the road near pine plantations and farmers were reporting high numbers on their properties.
While landholders could apply for a permit to shoot kangaroos, he said these carcasses were being left to “rot in the paddock”.
“They are going to waste, but they could be used for leather and pet meat – they should be processed in Mount Gambier.”
Furthermore, he said kangaroos were being regularly hit by vehicles and trucks and left on the side of the road.
Mr Fry said he had already held discussions with possible companies which could process kangaroos in Mount Gambier.
He said the greyhound industry used kangaroo meat given it was high in protein.
“I just hope now we have a new Liberal State Government this can be looked at,” Mr Fry said.
He estimated there were up to 30 commercial kangaroo shooters operating in the Hamilton-Camperdown region.
Victoria has allowed commercial kangaroo harvesting since 2014 for pet food as part of a trial.
