Mike Stevens
Many people have been asking FOGG’s where have all the Koalas gone and why Koalas are not being released into the Grampians after the 2006 wildfire. We asked Mike Stevens to provide us with some background.
Koalas are considered a single species. However, various forms have been proposed with a northern (Queensland), southern (Victoria) and central (NSW) form with northern animals generally smaller with less fur than the southern animals yet with no genetic differentiation. The Koala is a non-threatened taxa which was unsuccessful in its nomination for national threatened species status and are not listed of conservation concern in Victoria as the species is widely distributed, not under direct and immediate conservation threat and has large population estimates.
However, there are many threats to the species such as vehicle collision, habitat fragmentation, predation and wildfire that can impact vulnerable populations. Additionally, there are certain areas nationally such as South East Queensland where the species is at significant risk of local extinction.
Background research by the Halls Gap Historic Society has discovered some conjecture whether Koalas naturally occurred widely in the Grampians pre-settlement or may have existed only in isolated gullies throughout the National Park. The society has found original documentation of Koala translocations occurring in the 1960’s on Lake Wartook’s Bear Island after a lobbying campaign and revegetation project from a local conservationist involving local primary schools. It is hypothosised that an additional translocation occurred in close proximity to Halls Gap that led to a boom in numbers in the late 1980’s and early 1990’s. In the early 2000’s de-sexed animals were moved from Mt Eccles to the Southern reaches of the Grampians National Park in a bid to halt the browsing damage occurring from over-population at Mt. Eccles.
Regarding questions of whether Koalas should be released into the Grampians? Translocations are essential in conserving various species. However, they require significant investment in resources to ensure they are successful and are reserved for the most threatened of species such as the Grampians Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby.
Ambitious landscape-scale conservation projects such as the Grampians and Glenelg Ark fox baiting projects or Habitat 141 are key to the long term success of a wide suite of fauna, including the Koala, in south-west Victoria to reduce predation pressure and improve dispersal opportunities and habitat connectivity.
Although Koalas are rarely seen in Halls Gap today, an adventure into the National Park can still be rewarded with sightings of the creatures. Park Rangers have recently spotted animals near Smiths Mill Campground at Wartook and Boreang Campground in the Victoria Valley with an animal even detected on a remote digital monitoring camera.
EDITOR’S NOTE: Can any FOGGS remember when the koalas from French Island (or was it Phillip Island ?) were released? I remember reading about it, in some newspaper, and clearly remember the days when we could count 8 koalas along the footpath from my place to the shops. Then I think I remember the shire planting the manna gums along the path to provide extra koala food. Which year? Then came the population crash, presumably chlamydia. There was a community group monitoring the numbers – Field Nats? Secondary school? Does anyone know?