Flying Foxes of Bellingen Island

Discounting the red or black ones, Bellingen Island is home to a colony of 40 000 Greyheaded Flying Foxes that hang upside down from the overgrown trees. These friendly creatures are an actual tourist attraction of the tiny town of Bellingen and are accordingly well treated and well behaved. They have as much curiosity in visitors as visitors do of them. Often they remain still, not flying away, staring and watching.

Most of the young are born in mid October, and until April are constantly at their mothers side. A good time to visit the colony is in late December or January when the baby flying foxes practice their flight techniques at the edge of the shore. In October and November you may even see a birth.

In 2001 the NSW government listed the Greyheaded Flying Fox as 'vunerable'.