The Darling Downs Environment Council (DDEC) is committed to protecting and caring for Koalas on the Darling Downs. Through advocacy, direct action, and collaboration with local groups, we strive to ensure these iconic marsupials have a future in our region. Below are some of the key initiatives we are undertaking to support Koalas and their habitat.
Withcott Fodder Forest: Planting & Maintenance
The Withcott Fodder Forest was designed to assist our hardworking Koala carers. It is a coppiced forest that allows carers to prune leaf for sick or injured Koalas while they recover in care. Toowoomba Wilderness Society and the Lockyer Regional Council are key partners in this long-term project, ensuring ongoing support for Koalas in need.
Koala Tea Stall
From time to time, DDEC will hold stalls selling tea, coffee, and delicious cakes and quiches at local markets. All profits go directly to Koala support, whether through the purchase of Koala tree stock or helping other groups with vital Koala infrastructure, such as Koala bridges to cross high barbed-wire fences on known movement pathways.
Networking Across the Downs
DDEC’s networking efforts extend broadly, connecting with conservationists and groups from Esk, Stanthorpe, Brisbane, Sunshine Coast, Warwick, and Allora. We recognize the critical need to support the western corridor of food trees, which is being decimated by open cropping. This has left once-healthy Koala populations stranded on hillocks across the Downs, facing immense stress when forced to traverse open cotton and grain fields.
Supporting Koala Groups
We actively support various Koala-focused groups across the Darling Downs, providing advocacy, collaboration, and resources to strengthen their efforts. This includes working with organizations involved in rescue, rehabilitation, and habitat preservation.
Advocacy for Koala Strategy and Mapping
Loss of connectivity and the deterioration of former habitat areas are major concerns for DDEC. We have developed complementary campaigns to retain native vegetation and protect mature and old trees. DDEC is prepared to organize local protests, media outreach, and political lobbying when developments or land use changes threaten Koala habitat. Native wildlife are protected by law, and as a flagship species, Koalas play a vital role in confirming a healthy ecosystem where other species also thrive. Alarmingly, Koala leaf is now in very short supply, which places Koalas under extreme stress, leading to malnutrition, dehydration, and disease vulnerability.
Specifically we are advocating to the Environment Minister Andrew Powell for the Downs region to be included in the Koala Strategy and Mapping for SEQ. We shared a detailed policy brief, which you can access here.
As part of our case, Lana Bradshaw helped in a recent meeting with the Minister by presenting findings from Pittsworth Landcare-initiated research into the Koala population of the Pittsworth District. This report, which is available here, presents results from a citizen-science-based study on Koalas in the Toowoomba Regional Council Local Government Area.
The research used non-invasive scat sampling and DNA analysis to gain insights into the genetic health, disease status, and diet of Koalas in the region. Importantly, this data provides critical information to improve conservation strategies.
Historical Perspective & Future Goals
Koalas were once abundant throughout SEQ and all over the Darling Downs, but they have been largely overlooked in planning decisions. Extensive land clearing for housing and export has continually removed vital Blue Gum forests without consideration for resident species. Despite the much-loved status of Koalas, their habitat has been steadily eroded over time.
DDEC is working to reverse this trend by raising both local and statewide awareness, supporting carers and rescue groups with practical assistance, and ensuring that Koalas are central to future planning and conservation actions—counteracting the past careless mentality of clearing at all costs.
How You Can Help
- Report Sightings: If you see a Koala, even a deceased one, please photograph and record it on iNaturalist—a free app that helps with mapping and proving their existence to government authorities.
- Look for Signs of Distress: A Koala low in a tree, on the ground, or with a brown bottom (a symptom of chlamydia) needs immediate help. Chlamydia is an extremely painful condition that, if untreated, leads to a slow and cruel death. However, early intervention can save them.
- Call for Help: Contact the RSPCA, which will direct you to your local Koala care group. A rescuer will visit the Koala to assess its health and provide treatment if needed.
- Get Involved in the Toowoomba Region Koala Habitat Project Annual Koala Count. Find out more information here.
- Get in touch with DDEC to buy a Koala T-Shirt that lists the names of places in the Downs where Koala’s can be found.
By taking these simple steps, the public can play a crucial role in helping to document, protect, and save our local Koalas. Every report on iNaturalist contributes to future mapping and funding justification for Koala conservation.
We appreciate the community’s ongoing support in helping to protect our local Koalas. If you’d like to get involved, join our volunteer efforts, visit our market stall, or support our advocacy work today!
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