Roos to be evicted from village site

FENCING will be erected this month around the site of the future Commonwealth Games village to limit access to it by kangaroos.

The barriers will be installed in stages by Development Victoria with the aim of encouraging kangaroos away from the site before construction commences on the village later this year.

The installation of the fencing is expected to take two months and is considered a “low-impact” method of moving the kangaroos.

Development Victoria’s group head of the Commonwealth Games Joanne Wandel said she hoped this approach would safely see the kangaroos move into the surrounding national park.

“We are prioritising the welfare and safety of kangaroos, the community and the environment by ensuring the kangaroos are safely encouraged away from the site,” she said.

“This should be ahead of any works for the Commonwealth Games village commencing.”

Ecologists put together a kangaroo management plan with analysis and advice on the building of the fence and relocating the roos.

This advice was reviewed by Victoria’s Conservation Regulator and subsequently passed, allowing an authority to control wildlife order to be issued.

The ecologists will make regular inspections of the kangaroo population to ensure they are moving away from the area.

The 2026 Commonwealth Games village is set to be built in Flora Hill in parkland encompassed by Osborne Street, Retreat Road and Cook Street.

The State Government has said the village will “leave a lasting legacy” in the area while creating more affordable housing following the event.

Set for March 2026, the Commonwealth Games are being jointly hosted by Bendigo, Ballarat, Geelong, Gippsland and Shepparton.