This article relates to the ongoing discussion on Australian Rural & Regional News: Open for Debate: Koalas
International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW), Koala Clancy Foundation, Joint Media Release, 10 June 2024
For the first time in decades, koalas have been spotted on a historic sheep-grazing property in Victoria which had thousands of trees planted on it to bring the species back.
The International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) is teaming up with Koala Clancy Foundation on June 15 and 16 to plant more than 8,100 trees on the property, which sits along the Moorabool River in Victoria. This is in addition to 3,618 trees planted in June 2023.
The region was once some of the best koala habitat in Victoria but was cleared for farming years ago – leaving koalas with 20 per cent of what they used to have. This is compounded by climate change which is pushing koalas further south as they try to escape the heat and dryness.
Early signs of koalas returning to the area were confirmed when, in early June, a koala was spotted on the property – the second sighting since trees were first planted in 2023. Audio recordings have also picked up sounds of koalas on the property in the past year.
“Hearing and seeing koalas so soon after we planted the first trees is such a promising sign. It’s proof that if you build it, they will come,” IFAW Wildlife Campaign Manager Josey Sharrad said.
“Every tree planted is a lifeline for koalas and other wildlife. To see individuals dedicating pockets of their land to this iconic species gives us hope for the future of Australian wildlife.”
Koala Clancy Foundation President Janine Duffy said it had been 100 years since koalas had habitat on this riverbank, and these 11,718 trees would be the first step in giving the land back to wildlife.
“After years of no koala sightings, we were so heartened to hear koalas nearby after our 2023 planting, and then to find two on the property was icing on the cake,” Ms Duffy said.
“We’ve now increased the planting area to give these two koalas and, hopefully others, more habitat.”
The owners of the 459-hectare property are former farmers passionate about restoring koala habitat. Liz and Ross Wilkie are hopeful the recent sightings are just the beginning.
“We wanted to dedicate part of our property to koalas because there has been a marked decline of koalas here in the past 20 years. Knowing koalas have already been spotted since last year’s planting gives us even more hope the population will bounce back while also improving the surrounding ecosystem for other native wildlife,” Ms Wilkie said.
