Narrandera's koala population is contributing to a major scientific study, with researchers from the Koala Sentinel Program back in the Riverina for its final round of fieldwork.
The Riverina is one of six Sentinel sites being studied across NSW as part of the most comprehensive assessment of koala health ever undertaken.
Narrandera was chosen because of its unique history. After severe population declines caused by hunting and habitat clearing in the early 1900s, koalas were reestablished in the area in the 1970s. Today, the region supports one of the densest koala populations in NSW, within rare river redgum habitat.
Researchers are investigating factors such as health, disease, genetics, nutrition, habitat, and ecology across six very different landscapes, from the subtropical Northern Rivers to the semi-arid Riverina.
Specialist teams are building on two years of detailed field surveys, using heat-sensing drones to locate koalas before dawn and conducting health checks in a mobile veterinary field unit. Each koala is safely returned to the same tree after samples are collected, measurements taken and GPS collars fitted to track movement.
Findings from Narrandera will be compared with results from the five other Sentinel populations to help build the first statewide picture of what supports healthy koala populations in the wild. The research is led by the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, in partnership with the Taronga Conservation Society Australia, and major universities including the University of Sydney, Western Sydney University and the Australian National University. An initial statewide report is due in mid-2026.
Quotes attributable to NSW DCCEEW Team Leader, Tim Jessop:
"We know that to better protect koalas, we need better information about where they are and how they're surviving in the wild.
"This landmark study is the largest and most comprehensive of its kind. The findings from this intensive program will provide the evidence we need to guide future koala population management and inform the next phase of conservation action across NSW."
Quotes attributable to Senior Veterinarian Larry Vogelnest, Taronga Conservation Society Australia:
"Having an expert team and a field veterinary unit has taken this work to the next level - we can safely test and sample up to four to six koalas a day, releasing them safely back to the tree they were found in.
"Being able to ultrasound koalas in the field gives us a quicker and more complete picture of their health and putting together year-on-year data will provide a depth of information we've never had before."
Quotes attributable to Professor Carolyn Hogg of the University of Sydney and the Australasian Wildlife Genomics Group:
"Maintaining genetic diversity is essential for any species to be able to adapt to a changing environment. Understanding genetic diversity and how it affects the overall health of koala populations is vital to their future health in the wild."
Quotes attributable to the University of Sydney's Koala Health Hub, Professor Mark Krockenberger:
"Disease is a major threatening process for koalas in the wild, the Koala Sentinel Program is providing a unique opportunity to collect disease data for a range of populations. This will be critical to our understanding of disease in the wild."
What is the Sentinel Koala Program?
The Koala Sentinel Program is a long-term scientific study examining koala health across six key populations in NSW.
By collecting consistent data on genetics, disease, habitat and movement, scientists can better understand why some koala populations are thriving while others are under pressure.
Early findings highlight the need to assess koala health at a population level, rather than individual animals.
The findings will help guide future koala population management and conservation action across NSW.
