Koalas: New research from Southern Cross University shows koalas moving up to 16.6km across northern NSW

Researchers have made a stunning discovery about the behaviour of koalas in northern NSW which could have major implications for development on the Gold Coast.

New data shows that koalas are capable of travelling much further than originally thought, according to research released by Southern Cross University.

And it could have an impact on development across the Gold Coast.

The research shows that contrary to their long-held sleepy reputation, almost a quarter of the koalas in the northern NSW region travel up to 16.6km in their search for new habitat.

The research is led by the university’s Senior Research Fellow Dr Janette Norman, who with her team used DNA to map koala locations throughout northern NSW.

“From this we were able to determine if young koalas had settled in areas close to where they were born, or dispersed into other habitats,” she said.

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This furry friend was spotting at a Brisbane university campus.

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“We found long-distance dispersal of up to 16.6km in around 20 per cent of the population, and also found the average dispersal distance, at 5.6km, was much longer than the 3km previously estimated for this population using mark-recapture techniques.

“Koalas are generally considered to be sedentary animals but our research shows that long-distance movements are common and are essential in maintaining connectivity in fragmented landscapes, which have been impacted through human development.”

Dr Norman said the extra distance koalas were travelling meant it could be an adaptation in response to changes in their habitat, such as land clearing, development and climate change.

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Koala joey Tallow from Paradise Country might not be travelling that far. Picture: Tourism Australia

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It would also mean larger areas needed to be managed through local authorities to ensure the survival of the species.

Dr Norman said while the exact amount koalas would travel had to do with the quality of their current home range, it was likely other koala populations across Australia were also travelling further than originally thought.

The news comes weeks after residents lodged more than 100 submissions against an Elanora development on Guineas Creek Road, which is set to see 96 new dwellings built on the large property considered “prime” koala habitat.

New research shows almost a quarter of the koalas in northern NSW travel up to 16.6km in their search for new habitats.

The homes are to be divided across two precincts, leaving a corridor about 30m wide in between for fauna to traverse.

Dr Norman said when it came to development, the research suggested that connectivity between patches of suitable habitat could be more successful in koala conservation than saving just one small, good quality forest remnant.

However she said that like other species, koalas did not do well being relocated to strange new areas.

In 2018 it was revealed almost half of the 260 koalas relocated from Coomera to protect them from development had died.

Dr Norman now hopes to see better understanding of the factors causing the long distance moves and to see the information applied to maintain populations.

“This will require co-ordination between local government areas who have responsibility for implementing Koala Management Plans,” she said.

“Koalas don’t recognise political boundaries and are moving between management areas.”