© ROSOCHODSKI Lesley 
© WOODS Emily & TGTA
© ROWAN Sarah
Koalas – what now after the fires?
The Conversation By Kevin Markwell (extracts from a post)
Koalas are the face of Australian tourism. What now after the fires?
… Up to 30 per cent of the koala population from the NSW mid-north coast is expected to have been lost in the fires, alongside 50 per cent from Kangaroo Island — the last remaining wild population not infected by deadly chlamydia.
Eighty-four years on from the Rockhampton Evening News’ story [see article which talked about saving koalas from extinction in 1936], we are still talking about the possible extinction of koalas, our national tourism icon.
The loss of a tourism icon: A 2014 study suggests koala tourism could now be worth as much as $3.2 billion to the Australian economy and account for up to 30,000 jobs. In 2020, Australia has 68 zoos and wildlife parks exhibiting just under 900 koalas. A photograph with a koala is a must-have souvenir for many international tourists.
These catastrophic fires have compounded the threatening processes that already affect koala populations: habitat destruction and fragmentation, disease, car accidents and dog attack.
Recent research has shown koalas are also vulnerable to climate change through changes in the nutritional status of eucalyptus leaves, excessively hot temperatures and these canopy-destroying wildfires. The long term survival of the koala ultimately rests with governments and their policies on forest clearing, fire management and climate change.
If future tourists to Australia are to experience the koala in the wild, it is imperative that governments act now to strengthen the protection of the species and most crucially, its habitat.
Kevin Markwell is a professor in tourism at Southern Cross University. This article originally appeared in The Conversation.
Koala Conservation – Port Macquarie
From Port Macquarie Hastings Council website 15.8.19 & 8.8.19
Koala Conservation
From Port Macquarie Hastings Council website 15.8.19 & 8.8.19
“Koalas have been roaming Australia for millions of years, becoming known as one of our most iconic marsupials, and arguably one of the biggest drawcards for local tourism.
At more than 2,000 our local koala population is one of the largest in NSW, however there are a number of threatening factors that require hard work and collaboration between all levels of government and passionate community groups to ensure these little guys continue to be a part of our identity for many years to come.More recently, koala crossing zones have been signposted on Ocean Drive, and a world-first ‘koalas living with dogs’ pilot training program has delivered great success, desensitising 19 dogs from attacking koalas…“ read more
07 August 2019
New signage for Koala awareness
“Due to the increased road strike statistics for Koalas along sections of Ocean Drive, a new temporary digital signage board has been erected between Elkhorn Grove and Matthew Flinders Drive…
read more
Nearly half of Coomera koalas die after Gold Coast relocation
From abc.net.au By Tom Forbes and Chris O’Brien
The Queensland Government is reviewing its koala “translocation” policy after more than 40 per cent of animals removed from the booming northern Gold Coast suburb of Coomera died within five years.
The koalas were moved about 40 kilometres from their habitat and into the Gold Coast Hinterland.
Queensland Environment Minister Leeanne Enoch said in a statement that they fared better than the population that remained in Coomera.
“The 180 koalas that were translocated from the East Coomera site between 2009-2014 had a better survival rate compared to those that remained at the site,” she said.
“Over the five years, koala losses due to disease, predation or road trauma totalled 50 per cent for the resident group that remained at East Coomera, compared to only 42 per cent for the relocation group.”
Koalas can’t be listed as endangered
Berejiklian government changes the law so koalas in Port Stephens can’t be listed as endangered
Extract from a report written by Damon Cronshaw for the Newcastle Herald posted 19th December 2017
“The Berejiklian government has destroyed the chances of the Port Stephens koala population being listed as endangered,” Kate Washington says. Ms Washington, the Port Stephens MP, asserted that reclassifying Port Stephens koalas from vulnerable to endangered would have enabled these iconic Australian marsupials to receive more support and funding… Koalas are listed as vulnerable in NSW. However, the independent NSW Scientific Committee made a preliminary finding that the koala population near Port Stephens was endangered because it was “facing a very high risk of extinction in the near future”… The scientific committee estimated the number of mature koalas in Port Stephens at about 800, but said it could be fewer given recent fire history…People were working hard in Port Stephens to “bring our local koala population back from the brink of extinction”.
“In contrast, the NSW government has sold off prime koala habitat to a developer and legislated against higher protections for our local koala population,” she said Ms Washington.
[The koala population in the Port Macquarie / Hasting LGA on the mid-north coast is thought to be a low as 2,000 with the prospect of extinction with 25 years. While Koala politiKs are being played out the koala is slipping ever closer to extinction.]
read the full article
Koala Hospital, Port Macquarie and Living with Koalas
KOALA POLITIKS
LIVING WITH KOALAS and the KOALA HOSPITAL, PORT MACQUARIE reply sent to the EDITOR
It was extraordinary to see a Public Notice ad (paid for?) in the Camden Haven Courier (Dec 13th 2017) from the Koala Hospital proclaiming that they had no association with me (G Henshaw) founder of LIVING with KOALAS. I am assuming that only the staff of the Hospital and misinformed volunteers needed to clarify that. Since the launch of the LIVING with KOALAS initiative on World Threatened Species Day (7th September 2017) I have had meetings and correspondence with the Port Macquarie Mayor, councillors, state and federal politicians, local media, businesses, school principals and hundreds of concerned individuals who are all very clear that LIVING with KOALAS is not part of the Koala Hospital. I am so supportive of the great work the Hospital does and we may indeed raise funds to donate to their charity. We particularly promote the fantastic work of Landcare and guide people to their websites if anyone wants to make a charitable donation. LIVING with KOALAS is not a charity or a Government Organisation. We are a social enterprise. We are utilising business, marketing and creative skills to raise awareness and money to help with the plight of koalas in the wild. And, as I now live in the Camden Haven, we are focussing at launch (with a planned national roll out) on the plight of the the local Port Macquarie/Hastings koala population now thought by the Koala Hospital and Council to be few as 2,000, with the real threat of extinction within 25 years. Clearly more voices are needed for this vulnerable species. Full details of our work can be found on www.lwk.net.au
G Henshaw
Lake Cathie
*In an interview with Cheyne Flanagan in Focus Magazine, Port Macquarie Sep 2016 edition and later repeated in the Koala Hospital publication Gum Tips she said:
“When G approached me with the concept, I thought it was a great idea and loved the writing and illustrations he was proposing. The only stipulation I made was the facts had to be accurate. It’s great to have an accurate informative book about koalas… although written with humour, it highlights the real dangers facing this sadly threatened species. Raising awareness of the plight of koalas can only be … a Good Thing.”
[Cheyne Flanagan and other members of the Koala Hospital read through the first draft of The Good Thing About… Koalas and suggested some minor corrections. The book was also read by a number of Zoo keepers and university students studying koalas. All factual information about Koalas – K Facts – was taken from the websites and books of reputable organisations and authors.
FURTHER POSTS click this link KOALA POLITIKS we will be using this space to comment on other reported koala politikal activities including a visit and request to Bookface in Port Macquarie not to stock The Good Thing About… Koalas book; telephone call to Dr David Gillespie’s office; plus a few affidavits… human action, never surprising, often disappointing.
Living with Koalas – a Social Enterprise
Using the power of the marketplace to solve the most pressing societal problems, social enterprises are commercially viable businesses existing to benefit the public and the community, rather than shareholders and owners.
….we define social enterprise as organisations that: Are driven by a public or community cause, be it social, environmental, [conservation], cultural or economic
Derive most of their income from trade, not donations or grants
Use the majority (at least 50%) of their profits to work towards their social mission