More than 100,000 bats have descended on the New South Wales holiday town of Batemans Bay with one local politician declaring it a disaster after residents were hit with a wave of dirt and destruction.
The noisy bats, commonly known as flying foxes, have caused power outages, kept tourists away and hit property prices in the south coast town, according to Channel Seven News.
The bats have been a problem for the town since since April.
Al Jazeera reported residents were unable to open their windows due to the noise and smell from the flying foxes.
Mayor Lindsay Brown told the ABC a number of measures were being considered to get rid of the animals.
"The current method that seems to be the one that's working the most ... is extremely loud industrial noise combined with smoke and combined with bright lights in an effort to make the area where the flying foxes roost to be as uncomfortable as possible," he said.
"Well, I think it's a natural disaster. It's a disaster for residents, it's a disaster for the flora and fauna," said local MP Andrew Constance.
The bats, a protected species that cannot be culled, set up a colony in the town years ago but numbers have multiplied over time, media said.
The NSW Government pledged an additional $1 million for state councils to manage problem bat colonies on Tuesday. They previously committed $2.5 million for the "camp of unprecedented size" at Batemans Bay which has disrupted daily routines.
"Every morning, without fail, I have to wash the deck, wash the car," local resident Kent Lewis said.
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