Koalas

The second reassessment of koala activity across the Tweed Coast has recently been completed. This substantial on-ground survey program is essential to track the status and recovery of the Tweed Coast koala population, and the success of the Tweed Coast Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management (KPoM).

The findings of the Tweed Coast Koala Study 2018 (3.39mB PDF) are encouraging, and provide support for ongoing investment in implementation of the KPoM, as it works to support population recovery.

The results suggest that populations may be beginning to expand again into areas that had experienced decline as reported in 2015, most notably around Cudgen Nature Reserve and the Round Mountain area. Koala occupancy and activity levels remain relatively stable in the Pottsville Wetland and Black Rocks areas.

A summary of the study (2.44mB PDF) was presented to Council in March 2019.

There are many ways to get involved and help to recover the Tweed Coast koala population. The survival of koalas is now totally dependent on humans. Every koala is precious and fundamental to local population health and therefore koala survival.

Everyone can make a difference by doing the Tweed Coast koala Top 5!

1. Call Friends of the Koala on 02 6622 1233 if you see a koala
2. Drive with care at night, especially in koala zones
3. Keep your dog away from koalas
4. Plant koala trees on your property or join your local Landcare group
5. Get involved – join a local group working to help koalas

If you have a suitable property with space for large trees or areas of habitat, contact Council for advice. Council can advise on the right species to plant, how to plant them and how to look after them. If your property is in a high priority location, Council may be able to assist with site preparation, planting and initial maintenance.

There are many other organisations working to assist with the recovery of koalas on the Tweed Coast. Organised participation is the best way to contribute as an individual to koala conservation. The following groups provide opportunities to get involved:

Friends of the Koala – www.friendsofthekoala.org
Team Koala - www.facebook.com/teamkoalatweed/
Tweed Valley Wildlife Carers – www.tvwc.org.au
Tweed Landcare – www.tweedlandcare.org.au

Koala zones are areas where koalas are known to regularly cross the road to access food and habitat. Driving with care is required at all times, but especially at night when koalas are most likely to be on the move

Fire is a natural component of the Tweed Coast and plays an important role in maintaining the habitat of koalas and koala food trees. While large, high intensity canopy fires have the potential to eliminate koalas from extensive tracts of forest, fire is nonetheless essential for the maintenance of koala habitat, and long-term fire exclusion can lead to irreversible habitat decline and displacement.

The major fire-management issues threatening the Tweed Coast koala are:

• high intensity bush fires killing individual koalas
• peat fires that cause widespread collapse of koala habitat
• fire exclusion resulting in progressive koala habitat decline and displacement

The management of fire as a key element for the recovery of koalas on the Tweed Coast is identified in the Tweed Coast Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management. A number of the key fire related actions of this plan have been addressed through the preparation of the following documents:

Tweed Coast Koala Fire Management Plan (7.04mB PDF)
Hazard Reduction Burn Guidelines for Koala Habitat on the Tweed Coast (4.21mB PDF)

You can also view a fact sheet (1.28mB PDF) providing an overview of the approach to managing fire for koalas, life and property on the Tweed Coast as detailed by these plans.

Tweed Shire Council is working with the NSW Rural Fire Service, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Northern Rivers Fire and Biodiversity Consortium, Friends of the Koala and landholders to implement these plans including for the management of Council bushland reserves throughout the Tweed Coast.

The Hazard Reduction Burn Guidelines for koala habitat on the Tweed Coast assist land managers to undertake hazard reduction burns with minimal impact to koalas and their habitat. Use of these guidelines will ensure the persistence of healthy koala habitat and reduce high intensity wildfires to the benefit of human life, property and koalas

Koala Connections Forum Program (350kB PDF)

The Tweed Byron Koala Connections project team held a highly successful forum in May 2016 to share our stories and lessons from implementing the Koala Connections project. More than 80 people attended the forum held at the Byron Community Centre and shared information about koala habitat restoration and reducing the threat to koalas from cars, fire and dogs.

YouTube video links to proceedings are as follows:

Tanya Fountain - Planning and realising a large scale habitat restoration project
Scott Hetherington - Koala roads
Marama Hopkins - Koala planning; Why write a plan when you could be saving koalas?
Lindsay Murray - From a landholder's perspective
Jo Green - Connecting koala corridors; The extraordinary people behind the trees
Chris Roberts - Where to from here? (part 1)
Alison Ratcliffe – Where to from here? (part 2)

One of the priority actions of the Tweed Coast Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management is the reassessment of the status of the Tweed Coast koala population, as it is now five years since survey work for the Tweed Coast Koala Habitat Study was done in 2010. The Tweed Coast Koala Study 2015 (5.72mB PDF) was completed in December 2015 and describes the methods, results and implications of the most recent survey.

See the Koala Study 2015 FAQ (445kB PDF) for a summary of the study.

The Tweed Coast koala population has declined by approximately 50 per cent in the last decade and without action there is a very real risk that koalas could disappear from the Tweed Coast within the next 15 – 20 years.

Tweed Shire Council has prepared a Comprehensive Koala Plan of Management (4.47mB PDF) to help the Tweed Coast koala population recover to more sustainable levels over the next two decades. The plan was adopted as a strategy of Council on Thursday 19 February 2015.

The plan has been prepared in conjunction with the Tweed Coast Koala Advisory Group, in accordance with State Environmental Planning Policy No. 44 – Koala Habitat Protection and is based on the outcomes of the Tweed Coast Koala Habitat Study. The plan aims to ensure a strategic and comprehensive approach to issues including:

• habitat protection and restoration
• management of bushfire
• mitigation of threats from motor vehicles, dogs and disease
• community education
• research, monitoring and evaluation
• resourcing and implementation

To see what was achieved during the first year, view the Tweed Coast Koala Plan of Management Year 1 Annual Report Summary (738kB PDF).

Tweed and Byron Shire Council collaborated to deliver the Tweed Byron Koala Connections project with the financial assistance of the Australian Government.

The four year project was completed in June 2016 and resulted in:

• Planting more than 73,000 trees on over 120 sites
• Creation of 55 hectares of new koala habitat and improvement of another 150 hectares of habitat
• Koalas including breeding females using planted trees at many sites
• Monitoring and evaluation of project sites continues to demonstrate excellent planting establishment rates of consistently greater than 90%
• More than 800 people attended training, working bees and other events
• Vertebrate pest management monitoring and control over nearly 4000 hectares
• Relevant agencies and land managers have access to new resources to improve fire management to benefit the protection of koalas, their habitat and human life and property
• Corridor linkages have been established between properties, which together with areas of clustered project sites, create landscape scale improvement for koala habitat and connectivity
• Actions taken to reduce threats to koalas from vehicles have resulted in innovative techniques that have proven successful and are being adapted for use in other locations
• The Tweed Byron Koala Connections Forum was a highly successful strategy to communicate the outcomes of the project to a broad audience including sharing lessons learned to the benefit of environmental works throughout koala habitat areas
• Proven success of chemical free techniques for large scale revegetation projects at two sites

One of the key elements of the success of the project was the active involvement of partner organisations including Friends of the Koala, Brunswick Valley Landcare, National Parks and Wildlife Service, Team Koala, Tweed Landcare and Local Land Services. Together with the dedicated and inspiring commitment from landholders, local contractors and volunteers – the project has demonstrated what can be achieved through a whole of community effort.

Read the successful Tweed Byron Koala Connections Banksia Awards nomination (3.58mB PDF).

News Feed

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Volunteers plant another 150 koala trees at Pottsville Wetland   27 October 2015 A group of dedicated volunteers brought together by a joint initiative of Team Koala and Council have planted another 150 koala food trees in Pottsville Wetland.  The group have been planting and maintaining koala plantings each month with more.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Koala Connections announced as finalist in Banksia Sustainability Awards   14 October 2015 Tweed Byron Koala Connections has been selected as a finalist in the 2015 Banksia Sustainability Awards  The Banksias are regarded as the most prestigious and longest running environmental awards in Australia. These awards recognise.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Koalas already benefiting from young planted trees at Pottsville   27 August 2015 Koalas have been recorded using trees planted by the Koala Connections project at two sites around Pottsville Wetland.  This is a highly significant and exciting outcome given the trees being used are less than 18 months old.  The previous.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Pottsville Eco Warriors help local koalas   17 August 2015 Pottsville Beach Public School Eco Warriors are working with Council to save Tweed Coast koalas. Based on an information session delivered by Council, the students developed a list of actions that they could take to help.  Their work.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Koala Connections Tree Competition Awards announced   27 July 2015 The Koala Connections tree competition awards night was held on Friday 17th of July celebrating dozens of entries in the categories of 'Tallest tree', 'Best maintained planting' and 'My special forest'.  More than 50 people attended the awards.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Koala Connections finalist in World Environment Day Awards   28 May 2015 Tweed Byron Koala Connections has been selected as a finalist in the United Nations Association of Australia's World Environment Day Awards.  The project is one of five finalists in the Best Specific Environmental Initiative category of the.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Koala Connections committee visits Byron sites   19 May 2015 The Koala Connections Steering Committee has completed field visits to a number of the project sites in Byron Shire.  It was an excellent opportunity for the committee to meet some of the dedicated landowners involved in the project and to see.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required 50,000 Tweed Byron Koala Connections trees planted!   1 April 2015 The 50,000th Tweed Byron Koala Connections tree was planted on Saturday 28th March by volunteers at Pottsville Wetland. A swamp mahogany, one of the coastal koala's favourite feed species, was planted to celebrate this highly significant.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Top 5 things you can do to help koalas   18 February 2015 Saving the koalas on the Tweed Coast requires a whole of community response.  New information materials have been produced that list the Top 5 things that anyone can do to help conserve koalas.  The tips apply throughout the Tweed.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Clothiers Creek 'koala road' works commenced   4 December 2014 Works have commenced to establish a 3 kilometre section of Clothiers Creek Road as a 'koala road'. This section of road bisects known koala populations in Cudgen Nature Reserve and is unfortunately responsible for the death of 1 - 2 koalas per.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required NSW Green Globe Award   4 November 2014 The Tweed Byron Koala Connections project has won the Natural Environment Sustainability category in the NSW Green Globe Awards. The Green Globes are the leading environmental awards in NSW with more than 130 nominations received this year. more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Living with fire and koalas workshop in Bogangar   18 August 2014 Living with fire and koalas in the Tweed (407kB) Protecting humans and koalas from wildfire was the focus of a workshop held on Saturday 16 August at Cabarita Sports Club. 30 local residents received information about fire management and koala conservation from representatives of Tweed Shire.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Cudgen Nature Reserve planting complete   13 August 2014 5000 trees have been planted at Cudgen Nature Reserve including 2600 koala food trees. Contractors Bushland Restoration Services have planted the trees on ex-banana lease areas adjacent to important koala habitat. The site.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Mt St Patrick College group help out koalas   8 August 2014 Students from Mt St Patrick College environment group planted 300 trees at Cudgen Nature Reserve as part of the Koala Connections project.  Twenty one students asssisted in planting the site that connects another large planting project with.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Koala survey to assist fire planning   8 May 2014 Council ecologists completed a koala activity survey at Cabarita to assist NSW NPWS plan a hazard reduction burn in Cudgen Nature Reserve. Identification of the areas with koala activity will be used to prepare the burn plan in a manner that avoids.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Another 1000 trees in the ground at Pottsville   6 May 2014 Nearly 30 volunteers assisted in planting an important patch of koala habitat at Pottsville. Volunteers from Team Koala, Currumbin Wildlife Hospital and the RSPCA Wildlife Ambulance joined forces with Council and the Bushland Restoration Services.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Koalas using highway fauna overpass   12 April 2014 Monitoring of structures installed to assist animals to move across the Pacific Highway has recently confirmed use by koalas. Remote cameras installed on one of the constructed fauna overpasses have revealed use by a koala and many other species.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Broken Head community koala planting   11 April 2014 A strong planting team from the Brays Forest Community completed a connecting planting of 1500 trees including koala food trees, between existing koala habitat patches at Broken Head. The main species planted were swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus.... more

Add a new image Download Photo [ change ] [ remove ] Select Photo: Required Needs jpg or png Photo Caption: Required Koala Connections team visit Byron sites   20 February 2014 The Koala Connections project team recently visited a number of project sites in the Byron Shire. The site visits revealed not only fantastic outcomes creating new koala habitat, but also the inspiring contributions landholders are making. The.... more

Tweed Coast Koala Habitat Study 2011 (7.35mB PDF)

A detailed koala habitat study was undertaken for the coastal portion of the Tweed local government area in 2011. An area of approximately 21,200 ha, comprising lands surrounding Terranora and Cobaki Broadwaters in the north and extending approximately 35 km south, generally between the coast and the Pacific Highway was surveyed.

The study documented extensive habitat fragmentation to the degree that the remaining viable koala population is now restricted to a small area between Bogangar and Pottsville. Critical koala recovery actions are identified including in relation to fire management, the impact of vehicles and habitat restoration.