The grim reality of kangaroo and wildlife road fatalities along Wellington Road continues to weigh heavily on the local community, but recent developments offer a beacon of hope.
Emerald resident Leanne Sultana, a dedicated wildlife rescuer and the driving force behind the Help End Wildlife Roadstrike on Wellington Road petition, has been lobbying the councils of Knox, Yarra Ranges, and Cardinia, as well as local MPs, to take urgent action.
On Tuesday, 12 August , the petition will be officially tabled at the Yarra Ranges Council meeting — marking the first of the three local councils to formally acknowledge the community’s urgent call for change.
“It is with great pride that I share this milestone — our collective voices have been loud, and we have finally been heard by one of the three local councils. This is a significant step forward,” Sultana said.
“I will continue to advocate and be a voice for our precious wildlife whose lives have been tragically cut short on this road, and I will keep pushing until real change is achieved and our demands are met.
“In the meantime, I would like to sincerely acknowledge and thank the councillors of Yarra Ranges Council for taking this important and proactive step towards protecting our local wildlife from further harm.”
With over 5,225 signatures gathered, the petition demands that the councils, together with the Department of Transport and Planning (DTP), implement key safety measures on the 21-kilometre stretch of Wellington Road, including:
Reduced speed limits during dawn-to-dusk hours, recommending speeds of 60 km/h to allow motorists sufficient time to react to wildlife.
Installation of Virtual Fencing along the entire road. This innovative system uses sound and flashing lights to alert animals before they cross, proven in tests to reduce vehicle collisions by 50 per cent.
Deployment of electronic or solar-powered Variable Message Signs (VMS) to warn drivers of wildlife activity and encourage speed compliance.
The stakes are “painfully clear”. Sultana has recorded 100 animal deaths in July alone—a new tragic monthly record—with 89 Eastern Grey Kangaroos among the casualties.
Since the start of the year, over 338 wildlife deaths have been documented along Wellington Road, with kangaroos, possums, and wombats the most affected species.
Local hotspots like the stretch from Lysterfield Cleanaway to Napoleon Road in Rowville bear the brunt of these incidents. Yet, there is no safe crossing zone for wildlife anywhere along this corridor, highlighting the urgent need for protective infrastructure.
Sultana warned the toll is heartbreaking, and the burden on wildlife rescuers is growing.
“We are witnessing an escalating crisis that demands urgent action—through mitigation measures like wildlife crossings, reduced speed zones, better signage, and driver education,” she said.
“The spike of signatures within the petition was due to Vets for Compassion, who had shared a deeply distressing rescue that my fellow rescuer and friend, Vicki Clark, attended on Wellington Road just a week ago.
“The footage is heartbreaking and serves as a stark reminder of the daily atrocities that rescuers like Vicki and myself face on this road. Every incident is not just a statistic—it is a life lost and a trauma carried by those who respond.”
Parliamentary attention is also mounting. Last week, MP Kim Wells raised the issue in Parliament, directly questioning Minister for Roads and Road Safety Melissa Horne about the crisis.
The Parliamentary Inquiry into Wildlife Roadstrike is ongoing, with formal submissions from local rescuers advocating for critical measures like infrastructure improvements, reduced speed zones, enhanced signage, and community education.
Despite these efforts, the crisis continues without slowing down.
“Finally, we have already recorded 20 wildlife casualties along Wellington Road this month. We can only hope that August does not follow the same tragic path as July—our worst month on record,” Sultana said.
Sign the petition or parliamentary inquiry https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/wildliferoadstrike
