CRASH repairs caused by kangaroos are increasing in Western Victoria, as well as car smashes caused by deer.
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Kangaroos are the main culprit, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to vehicles and smash repairs having months of booked in cars.
Boyd's Body Parts in Ararat is thankfully not too booked ahead but still had several cars in for repairs caused by kangaroo collisions.
Manager David Lovell said while they haven't seen an increase on last years repairs, he had noticed an increase in kangaroo damage in the last decade.
"We've got a fair few cars in at the moment," he said.
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"We get about four to five a week, but we get through them fairly quick."
Mr Lovell said dangerous locations for driving and hitting kangaroos had expanded.
"They're everywhere," he said.
"Down south, Willaura and Lake Bolac way, you never used to see them but you do now."
He said even just 10 years ago, kangaroos were rare.
"Since the Grampians fires, they've moved out further," Mr Lovell said.
Deer have also been an issue around the Buangor area, he advised.
"Hitting a deer is like hitting a cow," Mr Lovell said.
"Kangaroos aren't quite so bad but any of it can be from minor damage to destroying the car."
Hemley's Smash Repairs in Stawell has also seen an increase in business.
Owner Heath Hemley said in one week, he had six cars waiting for repairs after hitting kangaroos.
"I'm about three weeks behind," he said.
"You'd be waiting three weeks to get your car in for repairs."
Mr Hemley said they had had far more cases of kangaroo damage in 2021 than last year.
"It is worse than last year at the moment," he said.
"Purely the season we're having, everything is green. When we're having a good year, they just start breeding more."
Mr Hemley said cars have been in all directions.
"A few years ago, it was rare for you to hit a kangaroo on the Western Highway, but they're getting hit non-stop at the moment.
"Literally nearly any direction out of Stawell within in a 40 km radius, they're there."
Mr Hemley said that he drives just one kilometre on a dirt road and will see a mob of 20 to 30 kangaroos on his way to the bitumen from his own home.
The worst damage he had seen from a kangaroo collision was $14,000 worth of damage and was written off.
"This vehicle has only done 34,000 kilometres," Mr Hemley said.
"It was only a Toyota Camry but $14,000 to fix it. Just for parts."
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