Koalas have been sighted in Dharug National Park
VIDEO: A ranger who has worked in a Central Coast park for 22 years and has never seen a koala was shocked to disocover one of the marsupials in night vision camera footage.
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CENTRAL COAST National Parks and Wildlife Service staff are rejoicing after the first confirmed koala sighting in Dharug National Park in decades.
Two koalas have been spotted on night-vision cameras in the remote and rugged park which lies between the Hawkesbury River and Mangrove Creek west of Gosford.
National Parks and Wildlife Service Ranger Sarah Brookes has been working in the park for 22 years and said she had never seen a koala.
“I always knew they should be there - I saw tracks ten years ago” she said.
“A neighbouring land owner has also shared an audio recording with us which we were able to identify as the call of a female koala.
“But until now, I’d never actually sighted one.”
The night vision cameras are part of ongoing routine monitoring in the park.
Ms Brookes said it was more usual to see wombats and wallabies and sometimes performances by lyre birds.
It was during the somewhat tedious process of looking through the footage each month that she discovered the koalas.
“I was just going through all the footage - and I said out loud - oh my goodness - there’s koalas,” she said.
Monitoring will continue and Ms Brooks said she hoped to see more koalas. She said there were known populations in the region in Yengo National Park, around Bucketty and Kulnura and in Parr State Conservation area.
“This time of year marks the mating season for koalas which begins in August and lasts until February.
“This is a time of increased movement for koalas as they leave their trees and disperse, running the risk of crossing paths with cars and dogs.
“If you see a koala in the wild, please leave it alone and provide us with details of where you saw it so it can be recorded.”
Park visitors are urged to report any koala sightings to the local NPWS office on 4320 4200.
Report injured koalas to WIRES or WildlifeArc.
NSW Government Koala conservation projects across the state will receive another $800,000 as part of this year’s NSW Government budget.