Bootawa Dam - a koala safe space

A local water supply dam is one of the last places you would think to find koalas. However, recent surveys have revealed a high-density population living among the trees surrounding Bootawa Dam on the NSW Mid North Coast.

Thermal drone and song meter surveys conducted by MidCoast Council as part of the Koala Safe Spaces program funded by the NSW Koala Strategy, discovered more than 60 koalas using the Bootawa Dam site. That equates to one koala for every 2.5 hectares of land which is 7 times higher than the average density found within the MidCoast local government area.

Additional surveys are planned to monitor the health of the Bootawa Dam koala population and learn more about what makes the site so appealing to them. The research, supported by the NSW Koala Strategy will focus on genetics, disease, stress, nutrition and koala movement patterns. One possible factor for the higher than usual density of koalas is the steady, permanent water source, which helps keep the surrounding trees healthy and possibly helps cool the nearby environment.

Bootawa Dam is located in the Kiwarrak Area of Regional Koala Significance (ARKS) an area recognised for its koala population and identified as a priority for broad-scale conservation actions under the NSW Koala Strategy. While there were already preferred koala habitat and food trees growing at the site, MidCoast Council have been enhancing the landscape for koalas. Bush regeneration work includes native tree planting and the removal of weeds, including lantana, which has been shown to restrict koala movements across the landscape.

The NSW Koala Strategy funds a regional partnership with MidCoast Council which supports the appointment of a dedicated Koala Officer to coordinate local projects that help conserve koalas and their habitat.

As a regional partner under the NSW Koala Strategy, MidCoast Council is supporting landowners around the dam site to improve koala corridors by planting appropriate tree species, controlling environmental weeds and providing stock fencing.

Data from the ongoing surveys will guide future conservation initiatives for this significant and high-density koala population.