An innovative new $40,000 support structure will ensure the entrance to an old oil shale mine that a large colony of microbats use as a temporary roosting site remains open to the mammals.
The colony includes the threatened Eastern Horseshoe and the Large Bent-Winged bats (pictured). The entrance is 150 metres from an approved mining area.
Wilpinjong Mine employees designed and installed the box shaped steel structure with help from two of Australia’s leading bat experts. It has fewer safety and environmental risks than traditional methods to secure unsupported roofs and entry ways such as shotcreting and rock, mesh and structure bolting.
The structure’s initial 900mm opening was enlarged last year to 1200mm. We made the change after ongoing monitoring showed some bats were still using an open space above the culvert rather than the 900mm diameter steel pipe installed for the bats to safely enter and exit the roost if the surrounding area collapses.
In great news, ongoing monitoring by the Wilpinjong Environment team, including a live video stream, shows the bats are actively using the new structure.
More information
For more information, visit our Environment page.
