However, a trial noise management plan (NMP) may reduce the effectiveness of the gas guns used to scare the birds away from the fruit.

Orchardist Sam Licciardello said gas guns were the only viable tool to deter black cockatoos, because netting was too expensive and unsuitable for older orchards and it is illegal to shoot endangered cockatoos.

“We need an NMP that is practical, flexible, and suitable for both orchardists and residents, bearing in mind either party may have to compromise slightly,” he said.

The shire council had begun developing the NMP after complaints about gas guns from residents, he said. “Originally it was only Argyle and Irishtown growers involved,” he said. “The orchardists and the residents met with the shire and we had two workshops to resolve the problem. The shire drew up the NMP and we trialled it, but it was still unsuccessful.”

The plan was then opened up to public submission, and after the submissions were worked into the revised NMP, the plan was applied to all of the townsites within the shire, which included a lot more growers than before. “It was straightforward before, but now it’s quite heavy-handed towards the growers, and it makes the gas gun an ineffective tool.”

A decision on the plan had been deferred for further talks with government bodies on what direction to go. “The NMP originally was meant to be an agreement between the shire, residents and growers working together, and it was meant to be suitable to our conditions in our shire,” he said.

Mr Licciardello said he organised a petition to the council to gain support for a fairer gas guns policy. It gathered more than 500 signatures from growers and residents.

“Fruit is our biggest local industry and the cockatoos are causing havoc in the orchards,” he said. “We can’t afford to send people around on motorbikes scaring them. The growing season when crops are attacked is around two to three months per year, and residents should accept this relatively short time period and be willing to support the seasonal requirements for growers.”

The issue would have a huge impact on the industry, Mr Licciardello said.

A lot of studies on cockatoos were now dated. The birds’ behaviour had changed due to loss of forest habitat.

“We’ve looked at other alternatives, and it all comes back to the gas gun being the best tool,” he said. “The grower body is trying to find cost-effective ways other than gas guns, but we’re running out of options.”

If the community could solve the issue in Donnybrook, it might be a stepping stone for other shires, he said.