Tree homes for koalas

Gunnedah Shire Council has approved the transfer of $20,000 in funds for tree planting to promote koala habitat.

The council was approved in 2013 to dredge, widen and realign a 2km section of Blackjack Creek Gunnedah.

This came with conditions outlined by the Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act.

One of the requirements was for council to plant a minimum of 500 koala habitat trees in an offset area.

The offset area is along Wandobah Road, starting at the intersection of Oxley Highway to the intersection of Lincoln Street.

The trees have already been purchased from a local nursery and council staff have sourced the initial costs.

Council will be required by October 2027 to provide a report written by an expert about the offset area, such as the general observations of the inhabitants and management of the land.

The $20,000 will be transferred from unspent Strategic Planning Salaries 2024/25 to the Wandobah Reserve Offset Area Tree Planting project.

Cr Linda Newell spoke in support of the budget transfer at the April council meeting.

“Given that we are the ‘Koala Capital’ of the world, it is nice to put more trees there,” Cr Newell said.

“I am really excited about that and I will even volunteer to plant some.”

Cr McArthur asked the relevant director if planting the trees could affect the area, given it is in a flood zone.

“These trees are going to be planted outside of the Blackjack Creek corridor … we don’t anticipate, unless we have quite a significant flood, that there will be any issues with those trees,” director community and development Andrew Johns said.

“If we get a major flood shortly after they are planted it could be an issue but we have to start at some point.”

Cr McArthur asked if there was evidence koalas were using the area and further noted it was close to the dog p ark and residential areas.

“I am all for more koalas, don’t get me wrong, but I also do not want to see koala deaths on the road around either,” she said.

Mr Johns clarified; “back when the consultation was done … there was absolutely evidence of koalas.”

“As for if there are any koalas there in more recent times, I do not have that information.

“I do not think I would be able to get that information without commissioning some sort of a study, but historically that has been a corridor for koalas.”

It was also clarified the trees will be for the environment and are not planned to be used as feed trees for the new koala hospital under construction in Gunnedah.