ALL the furry residents of the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital and Guulabaa Visitor Centre are safe after last week’s deluge.
“Despite the extreme weather, our dedicated koala care team has been onsite every day to ensure they’re protected, well-fed with fresh leaves, and closely monitored,” a spokesperson from Koala Conservation Australia told News Of The Area.
“We’re incredibly grateful for their commitment during such challenging conditions.”
The hospital’s food tree giveaway is still going ahead.
Now in its seventh year, the campaign helps to raise awareness of koalas, their habitat and the importance of eucalypts.
The giveaway runs until the end of June and, for the first time, trees can be collected from Guulabaa – Place of Koala, in the Cowarra State Forest.
The joint initiative between Koala Conservation Australia (KCA) and Forestry Corporation of NSW has seen more than 215,000 koala food trees given to local landholders to re-establish habitat for koalas and other wildlife.
Scott Castle, KCA’s Conservation Manager, said, “This year’s Koala Tree Giveaway aims to go some way to regenerating and connecting existing habitats.
“Landholders can take up to 80 trees in each of four different species, and we’ll provide advice on how to plant and care for [them].
“This year’s 25,000 trees consist of four different species to suit different soil and habitat types.”
They are tallowwood, grey gum, forest red gum and swamp mahogany.
Trees can be ordered through the website koalaconservationaustralia.org.au/pages/events.
By Sue STEPHENSON
