NSW Govt. announces over $200,000 to protect koalas on southwest Sydney roads
Over $200,000 and a thousand hectares of land have been put aside for koala conservation in Sydney’s southwest. Find the details here.
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A grant of $220,000 dollars has been announced for the installation of road signage to protect koalas in Sydney’s southwest.
Since mid-2022 the NSW Government recorded 63 koalas were struck by vehicles in the region – six of which took place this year.
NSW Environment Minister Penny Sharpe said the funding for Wollondilly and Liverpool councils will “make a real difference” in alerting drivers travelling through areas with koala activity.
“Too many of these precious animals are getting hurt on roads,” she said.
Ms Sharpe will host a roundtable discussion with community stakeholders at the South Western Sydney Koala Forum in Campbelltown on April 4, to discuss how to best protect koalas in the region.
Signage will be installed on roads identified as hotspots for koalas being hit, in areas including Appin, Bargo and Silverdale in Wollondilly Shire Council and Holsworthy, Wattle Grove and Moorebank in Liverpool Council.
Wollondilly Council’s $125,000 grant was welcomed by Mayor Matt Gould, which he said will help to limit the number of koalas hit by cars by warning drivers about “wildlife corridors” and urging them to “slow down.”
The $95,000 grant for Liverpool Council was also considered a “win for the conservation of the local koala population” by Liverpool MP Charishma Kaliyanda.
Ms Kaliyanda said “Liverpool is proud of our healthy koala population” and wants to see them “ thrive for generations to come.” She said she’s glad the state government took action by investing in road signage for the region.
Both Councils aim to deploy the signs in time for the start of the local koala breeding season in August, with koalas being especially active around this time as males search for new territory and mates.
Road collisions are a common cause of koala injury and death, increasing with greater development and traffic in the area. Koalas are most active in the early morning and evening, so are most likely to cross roads and be hit around these times.
The NSW government also secured almost 1000 hectares to establish the Koala National Park planned for Sydney’s southwest.
Following through on the government’s commitment to transfer all publicly owned land between Long Point and Appin, to the National Parks service by September 2026, and including bushland in Ingleburn, Minto, Kentlyn, Airds, St Helens Park, Gilead and Appin.
The Environment Minister said the transfer “will deliver long-lasting conservation benefits” for Sydney’s largest koala population.
She said koalas are in need of a connected habitat to “have a future in Sydney” and that the park is vital to ensure future generations will see “these incredible animals in the wild”.
The action is part of the government’s $80 million dollar investment plan to protect koalas in the region announced end of last year.
Once completed, over 1,800 hectares will have been transferred to NSW National Parks for a koala conservation park, and will include a north-south movement corridor.
The South Western Sydney Koala Forum is expected to have around 70 people attend to share their views on the government’s koala protection plans.
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