Efforts to protect koalas stepped up across key Port Macquarie hotspots

A COMPREHENSIVE update of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s Koala Action Plan has detailed major progress on habitat mapping, road-strike mitigation and the monitoring of local koala populations.

The report covers the first full year of implementation since Council adopted the plan in February 2024, following years of legislative changes, fire-related habitat loss and the species’ statewide reclassification to endangered.

The document details 44 actions, of which 16 have been completed, 10 are underway, and 17 are ongoing operational tasks delivered annually.

The plan does not provide a current population estimate, with Council advising that a formal assessment will be completed once the NSW Koala Habitat Mapping project is finalised in 2026.

Key achievements include upgrades to fauna fencing, completion of a new underpass on Ocean Drive, installation of 20 vehicle-activated warning signs, updated pavement markings in known hotspots, and continued surveying by thermal drone and detection dog teams.

Council has also delivered school programs, dog-safety campaigns, and a koala-safe education initiative that installed 25 new signs.

These efforts earned Council a nomination in the Local Government NSW Environment Awards.

Survey work around Port Macquarie Airport confirmed ongoing koala presence on Council land, with results feeding directly into the statewide mapping project.

Of the 36 landowners who gave survey consent, koalas were detected on 16 priority sites.

The Geographic Information Systems team continues to update hotspot data, with a new risk location emerging at Lake Road and the Oxley Highway.

Transport for NSW has been notified and discussions are underway about fencing upgrades.

Council says the next stage of work includes finalising the state mapping project, reviewing corridors for inclusion in the Local Environmental Plan, and continued maintenance of fencing, underpasses and habitat linkages.

By Matt TAYLOR