An estimated 750 bats have been roosting in several trees in the park and using it as a base to head to local orchards each night for food.

Australian Day events in Cook Park were under threat of being moved this year amid fears the bats posed a health problem.

The park’s next big event is the FOOD Week Sunday Producers Markets on April 9.

NSW Farmers executive councillor Reg Kidd said it was unlikely the bats would disrupt it.

“If we get cold mornings and a bit of a frost I suspect they’ll move,” he said.

He said the number of bats this year was lower than two years ago but the flying foxes had stayed in Orange for longer than usual.

NSW Farmers Horticulture committee chairman, Brett Guthrey, said the bats had left Sydney earlier this season in search of food.

“This year has been especially bad for fruit growers.

“Large chunks of land have been taken out for housing.

“If we take away their food source they look elsewhere.”

NSW Farmers are seeking government funding to complete the netting of fruit crops throughout NSW.

Mr Guthrey said 70 per cent of crops were netted and orchards near Orange were among those still needing funding to complete the protection.

Orange orchardist Guy Gaeta has had an on-going battle with the flying foxes for several years.

On Wednesday he visited Cook Park to see the situation first hand.

“Bats to the orchard industry are destructive,” he said.

“They cost us a lot of money.”

Mr Gaeta said that thanks to netting the bats had not been a problem to his orchards but they had affected un-netted crops elsewhere in the region.

“We need more support from government to help us to protect our crops.

“They are becoming an environmental problem for us.

“They might be endangered, but farmers are endangered.

“If you don’t look after food producers what are we going to eat, bats one day, are we?” he said.