South-west Sydney

The NSW Government is investing $600,000 under the NSW Koala Strategy to fund a new Regional Koala Conservation Partnership with the Greater Sydney Landcare.

This funding supports the appointment of a dedicated Koala Officer to work directly with the local community, Campbelltown and Wollondilly Councils, and other local councils in southwest Sydney. The funding helps these stakeholders and partners to undertake actions aligned with the Koala Strategy to help conserve koalas in this area.

Other agencies and organisations that will be involved include the National Parks and Wildlife Service, Local Land Services, WaterNSW, University of Sydney Koala Health Hub, Biodiversity Conservation Trust, WIRES and Sydney Metropolitan Wildlife Service.
 

Greater Sydney Landcare will implement a range of on-ground actions, informed by community and scientific expertise, to protect local koala populations and their habitat under the 4 pillars of the Koala Strategy:

• koala habitat conservation and restoration
• supporting local communities to conserve koalas
• improving the safety and health of koalas
• building our knowledge of koalas.

A Koala Officer, based at Greater Sydney Landcare, will work to achieve the goals of the partnership, and implement koala conservation actions, including:

• coordinating koala habitat restoration on private land
• supporting the local koala carer community
• community engagement and education
• supporting the koala conservation work of Campbelltown and Wollondilly Councils
• acting as a conduit between the NSW Government and the people of south-west Sydney
• engaging with Traditional Owners
• making sure that the community is included at every step in our efforts to save koalas and their habitat across this region.

Additional funding is also being provided to tackle key koala threats and secure more habitat across the region, bringing the NSW Government's total investment in south-west Sydney’s koalas to almost $1.7 million. This includes:

• a chlamydia vaccine trial led by the University of Sydney and a rapid chlamydia testing machine
• koala habitat restoration
• vehicle strike mitigation works, including an underpass on Heathcote Road
• monitoring koalas and mapping their habitat and corridors in Wollondilly local government area.
   

Koalas of south-west Sydney are one of 19 populations across New South Wales that are a priority for immediate investment under the Koala Strategy.

South-west Sydney is home to a thriving population of koalas that face considerable pressure as they increasingly come into contact with urban development.

Other regional partnerships have been established across the state, backed by a total investment of $15.7 million, to ensure community expertise and local knowledge are informing on-ground actions.