KEY POINTS:
A group of Kawau Island property owners is upset by the way rat poison put out to kill rodents and possums is also killing wallabies.
The 2000ha island, in the Hauraki Gulf east of Warkworth, has had wallabies since the marsupials were introduced by Sir George Grey, then
Governor of New Zealand, in 1869.
The wallabies have since been declared a pest and authorities want them eradicated because of the damaging effect they have on the island's ecology.
But some members of the Kawau community say wallabies should be allowed to remain on the island.
Wayne Green, a property owner at Schoolhouse Bay, said there was concern about the number of wallabies which had been poisoned lately.
"I've buried six myself ... it is obvious they have been poisoned, they have stuff around their mouths. It is cruel."
Mr Green accepted the wallaby population needed to be controlled, but said that could be done humanely by shooting as had been done previously.
He said a pro-wallaby petition had gained the support of more than 30 property owners.
Ray Weaver, of the Pohutukawa Trust which aims to restore the island's native plants and animals, said no formal wallaby poisoning program had yet been started.
But some wallabies had died as "bycatch" after eating brodifacoum, a rat poison put in bait stations to kill possums.
Mr Weaver, who owns a property at Bon Accord harbour, said he and three other trust members had shot thousands of wallabies.
"We want them removed as humanely as possible."
Some residents didn't like the wallabies because they ruined their gardens, he said. There could be room for compromise, and he supported a suggestion to keep some enclosed near Mansion House.
Liz Maire, the Department of Conservation's Warkworth programme manager community relations, said there had been allegations about indiscriminate use of poisons on Kawau, which was 90 per cent private land.
"We don't condone that, but we have no control over what residents are doing."
Ms Maire said only certain toxins were registered for wallaby control but people were putting out poison for rats and unwittingly killing wallabies and also endangering native birds.
She did not see potential for keeping some wallabies in an enclosure, as had been done at at Mansion House.
While DoC cared for the historic house and its grounds, and had jurisdiction over the 10 per cent of the island set aside as reserves, the department was "not in the business of managing exotic species," she said.
If wallabies were left to roam the island it would end up a "grass dust bowl".
Christine Rose, the Auckland Regional Council's Rodney representative, said wallabies were a listed pest in the regional pest management strategy.
Mrs Rose said the council wanted the wallabies eradicated within five years and had been working on a strategic eradication programme with the Pohutukawa Trust which could include poisoning.
The only authorised poison for wallabies was 1080, the use of which would raise issues that would need to be worked through with the local community.
"I would be concerned if unapproved poisoning was going on."
Mrs Rose noted the "late resurgence" to have the wallabies protected but said that was not ideal for the biosecurity and ecological integrity of the island.
"Complete eradication is the optimum solution."
Mrs Rose said there was extensive native bush cover on the island, which was the last stronghold of North Island weka.
She said the wallabies browsed the bush understorey which prevented regeneration and interfered with food supplies for native fauna.
"Not a blade of anything is left."
Kawau ratepayers association chairman Max Edkins, said it was "generally agreed" the wallabies should be removed from the bulk of the island.
But some could be kept in an enclosure.
