Fence makes life bear-able for koalas

A booming koala population on Brisbane’s southside will be protected from cars and trucks by a new fence.

Koalas in Toohey Forest will now be protected from cars by a fauna fence.

The State Government will build exclusion fencing along the M3 to protect Toohey forest’s booming koala population.

Unofficial surveys by resident Brad Lambert have shown marsupial numbers have risen significantly, with some tagged animals apparently being dropped there by carers from other areas.

Other residents have spotted koalas, which appear to have come from Toohey Forest, in surrounding parks and, in one case, even on a living room sofa.

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The local Labor MP and Main Roads Minister, Mark Bailey, made the announcement on Monday.

He said it would extend the existing exclusion barrier from the Mount Gravatt Cemetery, along Mains Rd and along the boundary of the forest adjacent to the M3.

Mr Bailey said the fencing would play an important role alongside efforts by local koala groups to ensure Toohey Forest thrived.

“We want to create a safer habitat to protect our local koalas,” he said.

“Having been involved in the process of securing land for the Toohey Forest more than 20 years ago, it’s great to be able to continue to protect this important sanctuary.

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“Unfortunately, we’ve seen strikes within the area of the Pacific Mwy, Mains Rd, Klumpp Rd and the University Rd interchange.

“New fencing will keep koalas safe and away from passing vehicles.”

Mr Lambert, who has spearheaded a remarkable community campaign to raise awareness of the forest’s marsupials, thanked Mr Bailey for listening to residents.

“As everyone knows, this area is a vehicle strike hotspot for koalas and is at the southern end of the aptly named the ‘Triangle of Death’,” he said.

“Koalas continue to make their way into this area, running back and forth along the roads, and this new fence should go some way into moving them away from these areas where the traffic is moving at speed.

“Just in the last three weeks I have recorded 38 sightings of koalas in the broader area including three mums with joeys.

“With any luck the koala population in Toohey Forest will continue to grow and with the continued support of the state government we will be able to make Toohey Forest an even more vibrant patch of bushland into the future.”

Mr Bailey said qualified fauna spotter catchers would be on site to look out for wildlife while fencing was installed and the area was made safer for koalas.

Mr Lambert also called on Brisbane City Council to buy a block at 128 Monash Rd under its bushland acquisition levy after it recently came on the market.

Brad Lambert admires a Tallowood eucalypt in Toohey Forest Park during a Koala watching expedition. Picture: Glenn Hunt/The Australian

He said while a koala detection dog search and scat (faeces) survey had found no activity on the block, there were now obvious signs including tree trunk scratchings, scats and an RSCPA-tagged animal he spotted asleep in a grey gum.

“I also have video evidence highlighting (The koala’s) location in relation to monash Rd,’’ Mr Lambert said.

“The koala is suspected to be “Banjo’’, who was last identified on the Tallowood Track in Toohey Forest a few months ago.’’

Mr Lambert said he was happy to take Council officers out to view the block, 400m from Toohey Forest, which contained significant eucalyptus food trees.

Transport and Main Roads Minister Mark Bailey (third from left) at the fencing.