Protesters are hoping the rain stays away for their rally in the central Victorian town of Wedderburn against a proposed kangaroo processing facility.
Campaspe Meat Company wants to convert a disused abattoir at nearby Inglewood to process about 1000 culled kangaroos for pet meat each week.
The protesters aim to gather outside the offices of Loddon Shire Council in Wedderburn today to voice their objection.
Online petitions have been started and supported from organisations like PETA, the Animal Justice Party, Bendigo Animal Welfare and Community Service and the Australian Wildlife Protection Council.
The council is considering an application to license the wild game pet meat processing facility.
It would also need approval from the Environment Protection Authority and PrimeSafe.
According to the application from Campaspe Meat Company it would process about 1000 kangaroo carcasses each week before distributing the product to another site to be processed and packaged into pet food.
The application states the facility would employ up to 10 staff as well as up to 10 harvesters.
The Australian Wildlife Protection Council said the proposed pet food works would destroy the region's liveability, peace and amenity and wipe out the area's native kangaroo population.
AWPC president Peter Hylands said: "Where this industry operates in other parts of Victoria residents live in constant fear of hearing the sound of high-powered rifles in the middle of the night close to their homes and wake the next morning to discover the remains of mis-shot kangaroos and orphaned joeys of dead mothers".
But the processor says there are no plans to increase culling in the local area but it would take kangaroos from throughout the state and interstate.
A Lake Purumbete abattoir in the Western District was earlier this year awarded the first Victorian licence to process kangaroo meat for sale for human consumption.
Castle Estate's works, near Camperdown, already processes venison and rabbit, as well as kangaroo from interstate suppliers, alongside cattle, sheep and pigs.
This year's Victorian kangaroo culling program will include meat for human consumption, with a quota of 95,680 kangaroos, an increase of 37,780 from last year.
Victoria now believes there are almost two million kangaroos across the state which has led to a 39 per cent lift in "harvesting" quotas.
Chris McLennan
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
ACM national rural property writer based in Bacchus Marsh, Victoria. Career journalist. Multi award winner.
