Tableland hops up roo hit list
MAREEBA has been ranked as one of the worst spot in the state for crashes between cars and kangaroos.
The Tableland town ranks the eighth worst in Queensland for kangaroo crashes, according to NRMA Insurance data.
NRMA corporate affairs manager Sue Hawkins said animals, and in particular kangaroos, were the cause of more than 9000 accidents last year on country roads.
Tableland animal carer Harry Kunz is not surprised Mareeba has rated so highly on the list and he blames the carnage on speeding drivers.
He counts the road kill on trips to Cairns and said on average between Atherton, Mareeba and east to Koah there would be 20-30 dead animals on the roadside.
"There are so many murdered animals and most of them have been killed by drivers going too fast," he said. "They are not able to stop in time to avoid the animals and it’s just terrible."
Mr Kunz said the number of road deaths increased in the dry season.
"One thing that we have noticed is that there is less road kill in the wet season than in the dry season," he said.
"In the dry season, they have to move around to find food, while in the wet there is food everywhere."
Also not surprised by Mareeba's ranking is Foresto and Emmerson Smash Repairs panel beater Greg Karey.
He said kangaroo's kept panelbeaters in business on the Tableland and each week two or more vehicles would come for a quote or to be repaired at the Mareeba workshop.
"They cause a lot of damage," he said.
"On average, panel damage can cost $1500-$4500 to fix, but if you live in the country it's part of the parcel."
Mr Karey, who has also worked in Cairns, said the coastal city also had its fair share of kangaroo crashes but not as many as on the Tableland.
He said Trinity Beach was a hotspot, with hundreds of wallabies living in the area.
Ms Hawkins said if a kangaroo was on or near the road, drivers should try to brake but should never swerve to avoid a collision.
"How you react when you see a kangaroo on the road can potentially save lives," she said.
Top kangaroo hotspots:
1. St George
2. Goondiwindi
3. Warwick
4. Charleville, Rockhampton, Charters Towers
5. Mackay
6. Emerald
7. Longreach, Roma
8. Mareeba
9. Middlemount
10. Bowen
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Watch out: Mareeba has been ranked as the eighth worst spot for crashes between cars and kangaroos in Queensland, according to data collected by NRMA insurance.
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