Home

Grisly find just metres from houses prompts outrage in Melbourne

Rhiannon TuffieldNCA NewsWire
Not Supplied
Camera IconNot Supplied Credit: NCA NewsWire

WARNING: Graphic

Dozens of kangaroos have been found slaughtered in a suburban Melbourne field just metres away from homes in what is believed to have been an authorised kangaroo cull.

Horrified residents stumbled upon the grisly discovery this week, finding around 20 dead kangaroos in a field at Chirnside Park with their organs, heads and paws reportedly chopped off.

Kangaroo heads
Camera IconThe kangaroos were found in a suburban Melbourne park. Credit: NCA NewsWire

Get in front of tomorrow's news for FREE

Journalism for the curious Australian across politics, business, culture and opinion.

READ NOW

The grisly remains of the kangaroos were left at the scene for nearby residents to find.

Resident Katarina Ivanovic stumbled across the dead animals while she was out looking for her dog.

“I came across the most horrific scene of slaughter and what I thought was extreme acts of cruelty,” Ms Ivanovic said.

“Their paws were cut off, heads cut off, innards everywhere.”

Disturbing photographs and video footage of the display showed the lifeless bodies of the animals strewn about a grassy area off Victoria Rd and dumped on the side of a creek bed.

The photographs showed single kangaroo paws and feet thrown on to the grass, with the animals’ innards left to rot in piles beside the creek.

Some kangaroos also had their ears chopped off.

Ms Ivanovic said she had reported the incident but believed it was an authorised kangaroo cull.

Animal paws
Camera IconThe animals even had their paws and feet chopped off Credit: NCA NewsWire
Innards
Camera IconThe innards were left in a suburban park beside a creek bed. Credit: NCA NewsWire

In Victoria, commercial harvesting of eastern and western grey kangaroos has been allowed since October 1, 2019, under the Victorian kangaroo harvest management plan.

According to the Victorian government’s own website, harvesting must be ecologically sustainable, humane and only undertaken by authorised people.

“Nothing prepared me for what that actually meant – I assumed a humane animal control measure was required in country areas overpopulated with kangaroos, not a massacre of a small mob of kangaroos that live harmoniously with the local residents of Chirnside Park,” Ms Ivanovic said.

“The scene made my physically ill, it was horrific.

“These animals deserve to live and certainly not be discarded in such a disgusting manner.”

woman holds up sign
Camera IconAlyssa Wormald (right) wants changes to the way the state manages and culls kangaroos. Credit: NCA NewsWire

The Victorian Kangaroo Alliance has been documenting the culling of kangaroos across the state.

Secretary Alyssa Wormald said the alliance had learnt kangaroos were often shot with rifles and field dressed in the paddock, leaving the viscera and body parts behind.

She said the Victoria Rd slaughter showed signs of a commercial shoot.

“These offal piles are standard practice and are seen elsewhere in the state, even near people’s businesses,” Ms Wormald said.

“The continual threat to kangaroos in the area is negatively impacting the wellbeing and peaceful amenity of residents.

“We are sick of the relentless killing of kangaroos and tormenting of communities that love them.”

The Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning has been contacted for comment.

Originally published as Grisly find just metres from houses prompts outrage in Melbourne

Get the latest news from thewest.com.au in your inbox.

Sign up for our emails