Australia's largest bat is a real opinion-divider. Some hate 'em because they're noisy and they eat the fruit off our trees.
Others fall in love with their adorable foxy faces and leathery wings that take them up to 50 kilometres in search of food each night.
Mother and baby. Photo courtesy Australasian Bat Society
The Grey-headed Flying Fox will be celebrated at Bat Lover's BBQ, a fun, educational afternoon on Saturday, 3 March at
Yarra Bend Park, Kew.
Experts from the
Australasian Bat Society will be on hand with telescopes to enable the public to get up close and personal with the bats and their babies, and tours of the colony will take place on the hour.
This family-friendly event will also have speakers, a bat costume prize, show bags, live music and gold coin donation BBQ.
Why are they important? With their diet of nectar, pollen and fruits, fruit bats play a huge role in pollinating plants and dispersing seeds. Without them and their rowdy feeding habits, many plants couldn't reproduce.
Find out about these fascinating, threatened mammals which spend a good half of their lives upside-down then stay to watch 20,000 leave the colony after sunset.
Bats are beautiful! Photo courtesy Australasian Bat Society
At nightfall, the bats leave their riverside roosts, streaming out over Melbourne suburbs. In an exhilarating, natural wonder, they stop their noisy chatter and take to the skies.
Bats in tree just before fly-out
Bellbird Picnic Area has a shelter, electric BBQs, toilets and ample parking. Bring your own food and drink and picnic rug. Sun protection advised.
