Either I’m dreaming or there’s been an outbreak of common sense somewhere in that big white building down on Burelli St.

It seems ducks will no longer be killed for getting a bit too comfortable in the grassy, shady surrounds of Corrimal pool. Yes, it was an unfortunate episode late last year when Wollongong City Council revealed it would kill 15 native wood ducks, with the permission of the National Parks and Wildlife Service, after they made themselves  at home in the pool grounds. 

It was unfortunate how council had to admit in November that the ducks had actually been killed back in August, but no we’re not going to do any more of that.

And it was unfortunate that eight ducklings drowned in Helensburgh pool, left to fend for themselves after a staff member drowned their mother, this a mercy killing after she was injured while being removed from the pool.

It was unfortunate how a Darkes Forest resident’s generous offer to welcome all the ducks on her property was ignored.

And it was unfortunate how National Parks had allowed the extermination rather than demanding a more humane solution. And it was unfortunate how council defended the killing, saying the ducks would just come back if relocated.

It’s also unfortunate how some refer to this killing as “euthanasia”, as if it’s for mercy, rather than convenience.

Fortunately, it’s now not too hard, apparently, to relocate the ducks – they’ll be taken to a proper habitat in the bush with the WIRES organisation leading the way.

What’s more, this change of tack seems to have been achieved without re-writing the plans of pool management, or consulting on a new draft duck policy, or hiring consultants to do a review of environmental factors, or holding a confidential briefing for councillors on potential options.

Careful, common sense is catchy.