Koala protection projects
Port Stephens Drive Koala Vehicle Strike Project
The Port Stephens Drive Koala Vehicle Strike Project delivered in partnership with the NSW Koala Program, aims to reduce Koala fatalities along one of the worst Koala road-strike locations in NSW. During a 10 year period between 2010-2020 a total of 89 Koalas fatalities were reported along Port Stephens Drive.
The area was identified as a blackspot under the NSW Koala Program with this project initiated to reduce the number of Koala deaths and injuries.
MidCoast and Port Stephens Koala Conservation Partnership
The NSW Government is funding a Regional Koala Conservation Partnership under the NSW Koala Strategy, with funding being provided to the MidCoast and Port Stephens region for Koala habitat restoration, vehicle strike mitigation, and to develop Koala habitat maps and Koala monitoring. Find out more about the partnership through the video link below:
Koala Habitat Map
Council has heard the suggestions of the communtity and a simplified Koala Habitat map has recently been completed. The new map consolidates Council's Koala Habitat Maps into one layer, and features different colours to identify what type of habitat you're viewing. The interactive map will allow ease of investigation alongside other development constraints, and the ability to zoom into parcels.
University of Newcastle Drone Project
Council is currently working with conservation scientists from the University of Newcastle who are using heat-detecting drones to capture data on Koala populations in Port Stephens LGA. The data will assist scientists in creating a model to better predict Koala numbers across vast landscape and provide clues on how to best manage koala populations.
For more details on this project, view the University of Newcastle's latest media release: