But the state government appeared unlikely to budge, arguing a rise in the wallaby population at Mission Beach necessitated the cull.

Cassowary Coast Wildlife Shelter president Tanya Jones posted the petition on Change.org, which had attracted 22,360 signatures as of Wednesday evening.

Ms Jones said the majority of Mission Beach residents were “horrified” by the cull – an assertion rejected by the state government.

“They’re being annihilated to make way for urban development. (The government is) actually committing genocide because they’re a slight inconvenience to humankind,” Ms Jones said.

“They spend money relocating crocodiles – why can’t we relocate these wallabies?”

Ms Jones said it was not just locals at Mission Beach – population about 500 – who were against the move.

“The general feedback I am getting from international tourists is ‘you’re shooting our holiday memories’,” she said.

“The international tourists that come back here every year are very unhappy and, while there’s a small minority who want them gone, the rest of the community is devastated that this is occurring.”

Ms Jones said 1050 permits had been issued for a wallaby population of just 400.

But a spokeswoman for Queensland Environment Minister Andrew Powell said latest figures showed 1660 wallabies were in the area.

The spokeswoman said the government had responded to the locals’ concerns about the proliferation of wallabies in the community and was acting on those concerns.

In a media release earlier this year, Mr Powell said the number of agile wallabies in the Mission Beach area was “higher than is deemed healthy for a normal wallaby population”.

“Many of these wallabies are causing safety concerns in urban areas, including the potential for an attack on a child or cause a driving hazard,” he said.

“We are pleased to support local landholders in their efforts to responsibly manage this issue.”

Comment was sought from Cassowary Coast mayor Bill Shannon.

Local MP Andrew Cripps, the Minister for Natural Resources and Mines, was unavailable for comment as he was in South America on government business.