The Hawkesbury region is home to the most genetically diverse koala population in Australia, a distinction that underscores the area's ecological importance. However, as the Hawkesbury Post has reported many times these iconic marsupials are now classified as endangered, facing an uncertain future. The primary threat to their survival is habitat loss, driven by ongoing development, and by the application of the Rural Boundary Clearing Code in the Hawkesbury. Despite this, the Hawkesbury Council has yet to implement a Koala Plan of Management (KPoM) to safeguard these vulnerable animals from further habitat destruction.

The absence of a KPoM is alarming, considering the increasing pressure on koala habitats, according to the Hawkesbury Environment Network. “As urban development encroaches on the natural environment, koalas are left with fewer places to live, breed, and thrive. Without immediate action to protect and preserve these critical habitats, the survival of Hawkesbury’s koalas hangs in the balance,” Nick Soudakoff, Secretary of the Hawkesbury Environment Network said.

Environmental advocates and concerned residents are calling on the Hawkesbury Council to take decisive action. A petition has been launched, urging the Council to fund the KPoM, which would establish guidelines and protections for koala habitats within the region. The petition highlights the situation's urgency, noting that without a KPoM, koala populations could continue to decline, potentially leading to their extinction in the area.

“Now is the time to implement the KPoM given that over next few years we are going to see more and more pressure for suburban development in the Hawkesbury,” Soudakoff said.

“Housing development often fragments Koala habitat and brings noise, dogs, light, and vehicles close to habitat, threatening the established koala populations. The knock-on effect of development can extend far beyond the immediate area,” he said.

The petition will be presented to the Hawkesbury Council on Tuesday, August 13, at 6:30 PM. Organizers are hoping for a strong show of community support, both in the number of signatures gathered and in attendance at the Council meeting. The message is clear: Hawkesbury’s koalas need protection now more than ever, and it is up to the community to ensure that their voices are heard.

The petition can be accessed here: :

https://www.hen.org.au/fund-the-koala-plan-of-management/