The Central and Southern Tablelands Koala Management Area (Central and Southern Tablelands KMA or KMA 5) lies in the central west and south west of New South Wales. Located between the Sydney metro area and the central western slopes and plains, the region extends from the Mudgee and Bathurst districts west of Sydney, south through Goulburn and Yass to the foothills of the Victorian alps.
Sparse and patchy koala populations live at high elevations, mostly to the east and north-east of Cooma and in the Bathurst–Cowra–Mudgee–Lithgow area. Other records of koalas scattered throughout this region include sightings around Goulburn, in Bungonia State Recreation Area and the Mundoonen Nature Reserve.
Koalas are mostly found in rugged, infertile woodlands and forests in this area, probably a consequence of land clearing and agricultural development in the fertile flats. Koalas in some areas chew the bark of Eucalyptus mannifera trees to access sodium in an otherwise sodium-poor environment.
Image: Map showing the extent of the Central and Southern Tablelands Koala Management Area (KMA),
with national parks, state forests, major waterways and roads.
Threats
Koalas and koala habitat in KMA 5 are threatened by:
- habitat clearing and fragmentation due to agriculture and rural residential development
- high-intensity and/or high-frequency fires cause koala mortality and temporarily eliminate food sources
- vehicle strike and domestic dog attack
- diseases such as chlamydia and koala retrovirus
- canopy dieback across a range of species, such as Eucalyptus viminalis near Cooma.
Restoration of habitat
Habitat restoration aims to reduce threats to koalas, increase habitat and help conserve koala populations.
Read our Koala habitat restoration guidelines (the Guidelines) for evidence-based recommendations and best-practice methods for restoring koala habitat.
Choosing an approach
Before you choose a restoration approach, such as natural regeneration, assisted regeneration, reintroductions or a combination of these, carefully assess your site and identify:
- which plant community you aim to reinstate
- whether the site has existing native vegetation on it. If native vegetation exists, try to facilitate natural regeneration before planting or direct seeding. The Guidelines have more information.
