Animals on the roads aren’t anything new for the Kiama LGA, but with Jamberoo Mountain Road reopening and wildlife returning to the area, should Kiama improve its response to loose animals on local roads?

Reports on social media about cows loose on main roads around the Kiama LGA have increased in recent weeks.

There was a near-fatal car crash on Sunday 2 July when Jamberoo local Kate Harris hit a cow on Jamberoo Road after returning from Albion Park at about 7PM.

She describes how the Angus Yearling was up against her windscreen for more than 30 metres, and felt if she had swerved or panicked, her car would have rolled down an embankment. The car was a write-off and it’s unknown whether the cow died.

Kate says farmers and locals immediately came to help her, her husband in the front passenger seat with their 17-year-old son in the back. She said the accident could have easily become a triple fatality and she feels compelled to raise awareness for greater safeguards to prevent future accidents.

“One local woman turned up quickly and deployed some warning lights, so further traffic was aware of the danger and would then take care to reduce their speed.”

Kate has joined the call for greater public awareness around Kiama of animals out on local roads, which includes feral deer, cows and wildlife like kangaroos and wombats.

She agrees with the idea that it should be a legal requirement that flashing “Slow down animals loose” warning lights are immediately deployed when cows are loose with red warning lights saying something like “COW LOOSE SLOW DOWN.” 



In the UK these signs are an official warning that cows might be out on local country roads.

Similar traffic lights encouraging drivers to slow down and take greater care with animals on the roads could be deployed on high-risk roads such as Jamberoo Pass or quickly deployed when there are reports of feral deer on the highway.

Kiama Council has launched an awareness campaign with an animation warning drivers to be careful of wildlife while travelling through the newly opened Jamberoo Pass.

The post states that over the past 10 years, there have been a total of 1384 crashes involving animals that have resulted in injury or death. It is unclear if this statistic is for NSW or the whole of Australia. The NSW Department of Transport says on its website that 1 in every 41 crashes resulting in injury or death on country roads involve a vehicle hitting an animal.

Kiama drivers have also sighted red deer even as far south as Minnamurra on the highway.

NSW Police Media told The Bugle that cows on the road are a local council matter including any safety messaging.

Kiama Council told The Bugle it was unaware of any records of cows loose around Jamberoo and were unaware of an incident where vehicles had struck cows.