Animal welfare concerns have been raised in a north Queensland community which is overrun with wallabies.

Thousands of the small animals have moved into residential areas of South Mission Beach, south of Cairns.

The majority of people in the village support ridding the area of the animals but culling is the least preferred option, the council says.

Instead, fencing properties and having contractors trap the animals are other alternatives being considered.

"I think you would have to say that everybody that lives with them is affected by them," Councillor Alister Pike from Cassowary Coast Council says.

He says the wallabies are destroying people's homes and gardens and people are fed up.

"The hygiene issue as well too, people are really worried about, particularly young kiddies walking in fresh wallaby excreta," he says.

Wallabies attacked elderly woman

Sorry, this video has expired Police may cull wallabies in north Qld ( Allyson Horn )

Mr Pike fears the animals are becoming so desensitised to humans they are more willing to attack.

"We had an elderly lady last year that tried to shoo one off her verandah and it struck back, scratched her and hurt her. And she had to go to hospital," he says.

These concerns are shared by the local MP, Andrew Cripps.

"There's an ongoing issue with the population of wallabies at Mission Beach that does need to be addressed," he says.

"The local community's been very clear about the impact it's having on property and it's becoming a real road hazard for motorists in the area as well."

Last month residents held a crisis community meeting and called on the State Government to take action.

Culling not the total answer: MP

As a result, five rural landowners have been given permission to cull up to 1,000 wallabies.

But Mr Cripps say that will only ease a fraction of the problem.

"It does become more complicated when you move into residential areas," he says.

"And that's because you can't really have people culling wallabies in residential areas, so we need to find alternative strategies to doing that."

Councillor Pike says 90 per cent of the community want to get rid of the animals, although culling remains the least desired solution.

The Government is considering asking police to carry out a controlled kill in residential areas.

But Mr Cripps says other alternatives are also being considered in order to ease community concern for animal welfare.

"Some of the ideas that have been floated involve infrastructure such as fencing around people's properties to protect their gardens and lawns.

"Also the use of contractors to trap the animals and take them away."

Mr Cripps says controlling the wallabies will be a delicate balance of combining community expectations with animal welfare.