September is Save the Koala Month, and in Port Stephens, it offers an opportunity to promote efforts aimed at improving local koala habitats.
Mayor Leah Anderson stated that protecting koala habitats in Port Stephens for future generations is a top priority for Council.
"Koalas play an important role in our region's identity, economy and environment, so it's incredibly important we work together to safeguard them for the benefit of our community," Mayor Anderson said.
Save the Koala Month coincides with the start of the koala breeding season, and aims to raise awareness about the many threats facing koalas in Port Stephens.
"In exciting news, our 'Koala Cam' has already spotted the first koala of the season, safely moving through the underpass at Taylors Beach, which was a project we completed in 2023 thanks to funding from the NSW Koala Strategy," Mayor Anderson said.
Under current funding provided by the NSW Koala Strategy, Council's Environmental Strategy Team is preparing an updated koala habitat map for the region using innovative survey techniques.
Mayor Anderson shared that Council's using thermal drones and sniffer dogs to confirm koala locations and map critical habitat across more than 200 sites in Port Stephens.
"Collaborating with our landholders and using these survey methods has enabled us to access previously unsurveyed or difficult to access areas, with incredible results," Mayor Anderson said.
"The team are now a third of the way through the surveys, with 56 koalas identified across the 74 sites surveyed so far – giving us an excellent idea of where koalas are residing and possibly moving through the community.
"We're very thankful to the many landholders who've partnered with us and allowed us to enter their property to undertake these surveys – it's a crucial step in securing the future of the region's koala population.
"Koalas in Port Stephens face a lot of dangers, such as getting hit by cars, being attacked by dogs, and losing their homes. It's really important that we all work together to help keep them safe," concluded Mayor Anderson.
