Overview

This strategy will guide the conservation and management of koalas and their habitat across the MidCoast region for the next five years.

The MidCoast Koala Conservation Strategy forms part of the broad koala conservation program in the MidCoast, called the Koala Safe Spaces Program. While the Koala Safe Spaces Program has so far focused on gathering data and developing community awareness about koala conservation, the MidCoast Koala Strategy documents management actions for koala recovery and conservation. The strategy has been informed by koala sightings data, habitat mapping, applied scientific knowledge and the ideas and perspectives of stakeholders and the community.

The strategy outlines 5 key actions

View the strategy below

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Koala habitat mapping

Exhibition period

The draft strategy was on public exhibition for community feedback from 25 March to 6 May 2024, where we received 36 formal submissions from the community and 2 formal submissions from govenrment agencies.

The feedback received from the community was considered and some minor changes were made to the draft document.

The strategy was then adopted by the elected Council at the 26 June 2024 Ordinary Meeting.

Community feedback

Feedback from the community largely related to action planning, koala habitat loss because of urban development and forestry, koala habitat protection and the management of threats.

Importantly, National Parks Wildlife Service agreed to have the National Park Estate included in the koala habitat mapping, which will be incorporated into the Strategy as soon as the mapping data becomes available. This will provide a more accurate representation of koala habitat in the MidCoast and facilitate a more holistic and strategic approach to guide conservation efforts.

Many of the comments related to issues outside of Council’s control or beyond the scope of the Strategy such as planning controls and the regulation of legislation administered by other government authorities.

Changes in response to submissions

Based on the feedback received the folowing minor changes were made to the strategy;

• the addition of actions to address feral deer impacts
• including local conservation area planning, and
• the nomination of priority koala populations as Assets of Intergenerational Significance