DO you have a solution to Naracoorte's corella problem?
Naracoorte Lucindale Council wants to hear it tonight. It will host a public meeting at 6pm at the Memorial Oval table tennis building to update residents on control methods, which have had limited success.
General inspector Darren Callaghan said he was at a loss to solve the issue.
"We're pretty much at our wits' end with what to do," he said. "I think we've been more proactive than just about any other council around the State."
Director of planning and environment Steve Bourne described Naracoorte as a "corella buffet," providing the perfect conditions: water, grain and trees.
The birds are an issue because of the noise they make and the damage they cause to trees and other assets.
"We've had letters from tourists saying love the town, love the caravan park, hate the corellas, not coming back," Mr Callaghan said.
This season the council was issued a permit to shoot 1000 birds to "reduce numbers and move them on".
It started in early November at key locations including the swimming lake, Memorial Parklands, Naracoorte High School and now Aerodrome Rd. The current tally of culled birds sits at 911.
"We had success late January, each night we were able to move them out of town with three to four shooters at each location," Mr Bourne said.
But shooting hasn't occured for over a fortnight, and the birds have returned "in their thousands".
The general inspector said he'd trialled various methods throughout his five years in the role - including morning and night shoots, bird fright and spotlighting.
"That worked for about a week and then they didn't care less," Mr Callaghan said.
In fact nothing has had long-term success. Baiting or poisoning is illegal.
In conjunction with the Department of Environment and Natural Resources, council officers have developed a trap which will be trialled if the birds don't move on over winter.
The council will also take a full scale approach to shooting next summer.
