Revealed: how a koala left for dead on Gold Coast road caused council to act

This is Azaria, whose treatment by a Gold Coast motorist sparked an emotional debate at council which will see a major change implemented.

THIS is Azaria, the koala hit by a Gold Coast motorist and left to die, sparking an emotional debate at council which will see stronger measures to protect native wildlife.

Councillors at a meeting last week – and residents watching the live feed – were at first unsure why Councillor Peter Young, a leading environmentalist, struggled to speak.

In a Facebook post later, Cr Young included a photograph of Azaria from Wildcare Australia and explained how he had stopped at the accident at Kopps Road, Oxenford on his way to the council meeting.

Azaria the koala, saved but died in transport after Gold Coast road accident. Photograph from Wildcare Australia.

One of the agenda items was on virtual fencing – roadside technology which emits a sound to warn off animals – and after Cr Young spoke, the committee supported further research and a potential trial.

Cr Young found out about the koala’s fate during the meeting. All councillors will vote on the item at Thursday’s full council meeting.

“Oh my this did it. A local lady called in this accident after another driver heartlessly or cowardly hit the dear animal and kept going,” Cr Young wrote later.

A Wildcare volunteer from Pacific Pines had “the traumatic task of taking the badly injured female from the road and down to the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital.

“Bless you Amy. I spoke on the subject – not my finest hour due to my emotional state – but I was now driven to get a result,” Cr Young said.

“We see too much of this. They suffer too much. I’m extremely grateful to my colleagues for hearing me out and resolving to progress our evaluations of the technology and to implement it in a trial fashion in the coming year.”

Councillor Peter Young during a planning meeting. Picture: Richard Gosling.

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Wildcare Australia on its Facebook page later provided a backstory on Azaria, left critically injured in the middle of the road.

“Azaria was originally rescued in 2015 and prior to release, was microchipped and ear-tagged,” Wildlife Australia said.

“Our volunteers have been attending up to 12 koalas and kangaroos every day in the Gold Coast region in the past few weeks. Now that more people are heading back to work and driving further, more and more of our wildlife are being hit by cars. Please slow down.”

A new council report reveals almost three native animals are being killed by cars on Coast roads every day. Between 2017 and 2019 more than 3000 native animals were struck by a vehicle.

A council map showing the location of kangaroo and koalas deaths on Gold Coast roads.

A map shows koala kills are worse in the south, around the Currumbin Valley, while most kangaroo fatalities occur just further northwest of the Pacific Motorway.

Some residents have been critical of council development approvals, which see bushland on both sides of a road cut down for new housing, leaving koalas stranded.

“Maybe people need to be fined heavily for hitting animals on the road. That might make a bit of a difference and make people drive more carefully and think about their surroundings. They should have to face court if they kill and leave the poor animal in the middle of the road,” a resident wrote.

The Wildcare Hotline is 0755272444.