Koala Woman Says

There are a few notable Koala populations in this electorate, especially south of Lismore, at Waterview Heights (just west of Grafton), Kyogle, and in State Forests in the south of the electorate. The recent fires have severely impacted these Koalas, with Koalas near Kyogle and Grafton the only populations not affected. Koalas face many other threats, in Clouds Creek and Ellis State Forests about 1500 hectares have been logged by clearfelling in the last few years, and logging continues in other Koala forests like Wild Cattle Creek. These forests were severely burnt, so, with logging and fires, there can’t be many left in this area. We have tried for many years to prevent logging of important Koala food trees, and a Koala Protection Act will finally achieve that.

Lismore’s Koalas are in trouble, in 2013/2014 there were a reported 66 road kills and a further 122 died from disease. Such numbers are not sustainable in the longer term. Recently a much watered-down Koala Management Plan was introduced. Now only three species are listed in the Plan, not the 13 species we know Koalas use in this area.

Another Pacific Highway upgrade, this time at Wardell, has severely impacted yet another critically-important source population of Koalas, The new road cut straight through this colony, estimated to be 200 strong. A recent study shows these Koalas are on a trajectory to extinction. It is ironic that this is only a few kilometres from the once-famous but nearly extinct Tucki Tucki Koala population.

Will he Act or Axe?