At the last council meeting Council approved a proposal to look at moving to a new roost near the Sewage Treatment Plant on recommendation from a feasibility study by consultants.

Cr Slade said no action would be taken until Council held consultation sessions with stakeholders and the wider community.

"The recommendation, and this isn't set in stone, is the Sewage Treatment Plant, and they estimate it will be a kilometre away from the nearest paddock," Cr Slade said.

"We want to have community engagement and people to come along and we'll present the feasibility study."

Cr Slade said that area on council land would be further away from the horse paddocks than where they currently roost and the Sewage Plant area was recommended was because Council had control of the land.

"We can look after it and make sure it is maintained the way it should be," she said.

Cr Slade said it would be a staged approach.

"It could take us five years to move them on and that might not be their final place either," she said.

"If we try too fast they may not move on at all."

As for funding the move, Cr Slade said they had funds from the $28 environmental levy on the rates bill.

"We have a lot of money in that kitty, it raises $400,000 a year, and that is for projects such as the bats," she said.

Because their habitat is threatened in built up areas, the flying foxes are a protected species under the Nature Conservation Act 1992.

However the noise, the smell and the droppings can be a problem for people that live nearby.

The Mount Isa cemetery has long been a favourite annual roost and Council has been working with the state government and CSIRO into strategies to manage the problem.

A trial of sprinklers in 2018 failed and last year Mount Isa City Council closed the main entrance to the cemetery to avoid disturbing the roosts and visitors must take a side entrance from Commercial Rd.

SEE ALSO: Wee McGregor pioneer honoured

While you are here subscribe to our weekly email to your inbox every Tuesday and Friday