Wimmera car smash repairers are seeing more cars come in from wildlife hits

Kangaroos are the main culprit, causing thousands of dollars worth of damage to vehicles and smash repairs having months of booked in cars.

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.

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"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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Greg McLennan from Greg McLennan Crash Repairs has been inundated with kangaroo crash repairs, still taking in six repairs a week; the garage is booked out until November.

"We get seven a week that can be driven, and the kangaroo hits that can't be driven we always have two, three or four," Mr McLennan said.

"We can have half a dozen sitting here that can't be driven that have come in via tow truck."

Mr McLennan said each week, they expect more and more cars to come in via towtrucks.

He said they try to priorities those who come in with undrivable vehicles.

The worst damage he had seen was $27,000 worth of damage on a Jeep.

Mr McLennan said parts could be the big hold up.

"Some places are finding it hard to place complete orders," he said.

Even driving about, Mr McLennan said he had personally noticed more kangaroos out on the roads. Even having to clear one after picking up a car that had hit a kangaroo.

"It is getting worse," he said.

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