Restoring koala habitat – Far West and South-west Koala Management Area

The Far West and South-west Koala Management Area (KMA 7) extends west from the Hay, Ivanhoe and Wilcannia districts to encompass the western-most part of New South Wales. Most of this region is unsuitable for koalas.

Koala populations that do exist in the far west are small, scattered, low-density and mostly restricted to riparian zones and floodplains. A population is known to live in the Murray Valley National Park in the Riverina, and historical records exist for koalas around Wilcannia and Ivanhoe.

Threats

The most likely threats to the little-studied koala populations and their habitat in KMA 7 are:

• climate change, drought and heatwaves that lead to dehydration, heat stress and increased vulnerability to disease and death
• tree die-back and changes in leaf chemistry linked to climate change
• vehicle strike
• habitat clearing and fragmentation
• almost complete lack of information on koala distribution, abundance, tree use and threats across this KMA.

Restoration of habitat

Habitat restoration aims to reduce threats to koalas, increase habitat and help conserve koala populations.

Read our Koala habitat restoration guidelines (the guidelines) for evidence-based recommendations and best-practice methods for restoring koala habitat.

Choosing an approach

Before you choose a restoration approach, such as natural regeneration, assisted regeneration, reintroductions or a combination of these, carefully assess your site and identify:

• which plant community you aim to reinstate
• whether the site has existing native vegetation on it. If native vegetation exists, try to facilitate natural regeneration before planting or direct seeding. The guidelines have more information.

Plant spacing

Plant spacing can vary depending on the vegetation community you aim to establish (for example, woodland, open forest). Trees should be planted far enough apart to have good tree form or lateral branches.

Some tips for planting:

• Plant a mixture of trees and shrubs about 6 metres apart, 7 metres between rows (200 stems/hectare).
• Spacing for groundcover varies and can be anywhere from one to 6 plants per square metre.
• Plant near waterways as koala populations in this KMA are almost entirely restricted to riparian zones.

Trees koalas prefer

Koalas use a broad range of tree species for food, shelter, rest and socialising.

Koalas usually feed within trees of the Eucalyptus genus, but they use many non-eucalypt species for shelter and sometimes feed on trees from genera such as:

• Lophostemon – swamp box, swamp turpentine
• Melaleuca – paperbark/tea tree
• Acacia – wattle
• Allocasuarina – she oak
• Callitris – conifer/cypress.

We recommend you plant a range of high-, significant- and occasional-use tree species from our recommended tree species list.

Not all species will be relevant for all sites.

When you choose trees to plant, consider whether:

• species are locally native
• species are suitable for your site in terms of landscape position, such as near a creek, on a slope or ridge
• you have chosen a mix of species that koalas will use for food, shelter and social activities
• you have included shrubs and groundcover species as well as tree species.

Tree species lists

These tree lists contain recommended tree species for koala habitat within KMA 7. The lists align with local government areas located within this KMA:

Central and Southern Tablelands

• Albury City

Far West

• Balranald
• Broken Hill
• Central Darling
• Greater Hume Shire
• Lockhart
• Unincorporated
• Wentworth

Far West and Riverina

• Federation
• Hay

Riverina

• Berrigan
• Edward River
• Murray River
• Murrumbidgee

Useful resources

These resources provide further information about koala food trees across New South Wales, management plans and strategies local councils have in place to help conserve koala populations.

Koala tree-use information

• Department of Planning, Industry and Environment – Environment, Energy and Science 2019, Koala Habitat Information Base Technical Guide, Appendix 8.2, p. 50–59.
• Mitchell D 2015, Australian Koala Foundation National Koala Tree Planting List, Australian Koala Foundation. This list includes important koala food trees by council or local government area.
• Office of Environment and Heritage (OEH) 2018, A review of koala tree-use across New South Wales, OEH. This review identifies important koala food trees across the state by koala management area (KMA).
• State Environmental Planning Policy (Koala Habitat Protection) 2019 – Schedule 2 Feed tree species. This schedule lists tree species by KMA that are recommended for protection to support and provide habitat for koalas.
• Contact your local Landcare Group, Local Land Services or local council staff for more information or opportunities.