The Northern Rivers region contains 4 of 19 koala populations identified as a priority for support under the NSW Koala Strategy. This area supports high-quality koala habitat and is home to one of the most genetically diverse koala populations in New South Wales.
How does the regional partnership support koala conservation?
The Northern Rivers region has many organisations and local people engaged in koala conservation, including local councils. Councils are invested in koala conservation, and 5 local councils have a koala plan of management.
We are providing $630,000 under the NSW Koala Strategy to support the Northern Rivers Regional Koala Conservation Partnership with Friends of the Koala.
Local councils involved are:
- Tweed Shire Council
- Byron Shire Council
- Ballina Shire Council
- Lismore City Council
- Kyogle Council
- Richmond Valley Council.
Other agencies and organisations that support the partnership include Landcare groups, University of the Sunshine Coast, Bangalow Koalas and other community groups.
What work is being undertaken?
Funding supports a dedicated koala officer based at Friends of the Koala, working in close collaboration with our local regional officer, to coordinate koala conservation actions across the region. These actions, carried out by Friends of the Koala and local councils include:
- coordinating habitat restoration on public and private land
- vehicle strike mitigation
- supporting the development and implementation of the Northern Rivers Regional Koala Conservation Strategy
- engaging with Traditional Owners
- supporting the local koala carer community
- running the Regional Partnership Steering Group
- coordinating regional communications
- coordinating regional communities
- community engagement and education
- delivering school education programs.
Additional support is being provided to protect koalas and their habitat across the region. This includes:
- over $700,000 in funding to Clarence Valley Council to support koala conservation initiatives, including vehicle strike reduction, population surveys and monitoring, habitat mapping and habitat restoration
- a collaborative project on private land with WWF Australia and NSW Biodiversity Conservation Trust.
This brings the total investment in koalas in the Northern Rivers to more than $4 million under the NSW Koala Strategy.