AUTHOR E. B. White (Charlotte's Web and Stuart Little are among his books) famously wrote that there was "no limit to how complicated things can get, on account of one thing always leading to another".
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
or signup to continue reading
A good case in point is the presence of bats in our beautiful Machattie Park.
For some, they are adorable "sky puppies", for others, an essential but threatened species, and for others again, a major problem, interfering with human enjoyment of the park.
They got there on account of one thing leading to another.
Back in 2010, I remember standing on the river's edge just north west of town, looking up at the grey-headed flying foxes roosting in the willow trees.
A few years later, those willows were gone, as they'd been identified as a noxious weed. Meanwhile, destruction of the species' habitat, which first began with agricultural clearing in the 19th century, continued apace.
The grey-headed flying foxes first turned up in Machattie Park in the summer of 2017.
As this species really prefers to live alongside a river or creek, where they can keep cool and drink the water by skimming across the surface, this was, from their point of view, a less salubrious address than the banks of the Macquarie/Wambul.
But when your habitat is disappearing, you take what you can get.
So excellent intentions - to grow food, to get rid of weeds - have led to complicated, unintended consequences, including bats in the middle of town.
Machattie Park remains closed off due to the presence of the roosting flying foxes.
Back in 2018, Bathurst Community Climate Action Network held a Bat Night to educate the public about this ecologically valuable, threatened species.
We wanted to emphasise their essential role in pollination and seed dispersal, and, as a threatened species, their right to exist.
Bathurst Regional Council is to be commended for organising the upcoming Bat Night in Kings Parade on Friday, March 15 from 5.30pm to 8pm.
It's free and there's no need to book.
A perfect night for families, you can bring along a picnic and listen to flying fox expert Dr Peggy Eby and join other fun activities.
As the night sets in, watch the dramatic fly-out as the bats head out for a night of foraging.
If you're keen to help restore habitat for this species, you can get involved in tree planting days. See Bathurst Regional Council's website for details.
