February 15 2018

It is the end of the line for the Peacocks when it comes to residing Waring Gardens.

Edward River Council voted in favor of re-homing the Peacocks with the vote being 6 for removal and 3 for staying.

The Peacocks who have resided in Waring Gardens for the last couple of decades have been a must see every time people walk over the footbridge or are about to use the bridge.

1,400 signatures were collected in favor of the Peacocks staying where they are with locals believing the cost required to bring the enclosure up to date in terms of safety and the cost of training people to care for them was worth the tens of thousands of dollars cost.

150 signatures were collected for the removal of the Peacocks and based on the number differential it was expected that People Power would win the day.

By 4pm the mood among locals was one of unhappiness because many believe that the people power has been ignored, that the town has lost a tourist destination and also feel the council would rather spend money on things considered useless.

People are already questioning where our rates which are already considered high are going, our roads are not in the best of shape, our gutters are crumbling, parks are found to have drugs left behind and icons are vanishing by the month.

It is hard to say whether this decision will impact the council when it comes to the next election as it is so far away but council must be reminded that the last Deniliquin Council team was almost wiped out wholesale in the election that decided the composition of the ERC and the same can happen to the current council.