The odour from the remains of millions of dead birds buried on the New South Wales central coast has forced the State Government to buy a local property.
The birds were slaughtered during the 1999 Newcastle disease outbreak on Mangrove Mountain.
Three large burial pits were created in the district to bury the carcasses.
Since then problems have emerged with one of the sites, forcing a family to move out of their new home.
The Department of Primary Industries has acquired the property, after detecting abnormal methane gas levels near a pit containing feathers and manure.
Local resident Margaret Pontifex is concerned about the impact on the environment, including the local water catchment.
"There were too many unknowns and there still is too many unknowns," she said.
The department says there is no evidence of contamination and environmental monitoring is ongoing.
