Many koala populations are found in the Central Coast Koala Management Area (KMA 2), which extends from Newcastle in the north to Wollongong/Shellharbour in the south.
Koala populations are located around Campbelltown, the Blue Mountains, Lower Hunter Valley, Brisbane Water National Park, Gosford, Woy Woy, Wollemi National Park, the Colo River area, Yengo National Park, the Canyonleigh area, and the Wingecarribee and Wollondilly River areas. Scattered populations also occur in other areas.
Koalas occur in the extremely varied habitat types of this KMA, from coastal lowlands to the Blue Mountains hinterland and the Southern Highlands. It includes a high diversity of koala feed tree species.
Koalas in this KMA often prefer moist valleys and gullies, but they also move along cliff edges, and use drier ridges, slopes, and rock caves on hot days.
Image: Map showing the extent of the Central Coast Koala Management Area (KMA),
with national parks, state forests, major waterways and roads.
Threats
Koalas and koala habitat in KMA 2 are threatened by:
- habitat clearing and fragmentation due to development along the coast
- vehicle strike and domestic dog attack
- high-intensity or high-frequency fires cause koala mortality and temporarily eliminate food sources
- competition from rainforest species into eucalypt-dominated koala habitat, which can excessively shade eucalypts and inhibit growth of seedlings
- dense growth of weeds, such as lantana, which can inhibit koala movement
- diseases such as chlamydia and koala retrovirus
- dieback across a range of plant species due to climate changes, bell miners and insects
- potential negative impact of myrtle rust on eucalypts
- potential impact of sea level rise.
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.
