The Northern Rivers’ koala populations are amongst the State’s most significant. Many are highly visible, surviving in urban and closely settled rural areas such as Dunoon and Modanville. Unfortunately koala numbers in the Lismore area are diminishing.
The Friends of the Koala Care Centre is now admitting an average of 5.5 koalas from across the Northern Rivers every week of the year, more than anywhere else in New South Wales. During the Spring and Summer months there are regularly over 20 koalas in care (some in home-care) at any one time. Disease is by far the most frequent reason for admittance. Vehicle impact is also high on the list. Over the past two months seven dog attacks have been reported, just over the same number for the whole of 2007-8.

While we welcome the focus that Save the Koala month provides, the most important thing any of us can do this year for the koalas is to be vigilant as individuals.  We should be grateful that we have elected candidates to Northern Rivers’ councils who are sensitive to their plight and who will make more effort to protect koala habitat.
It was fitting that Koala month coincided with the initiation of our radio-tracking programme. With the support of Southern Cross University and Lismore City Council, and the Australian Wildlife Hospital, we have embarked on a first – radio-tracking koalas in Lismore’s urban area. The project’s aim is to research the movements of urban koalas and how animals which have been brought into care cope when released back into an urban situation.
Dr Ross Goldingay, Senior Lecturer in Wildlife Ecology at Southern Cross University is the project’s scientific supervisor. Lismore City Council has purchased radio-tracking collars. The Australian Wildlife Hospital is providing veterinary support and will fit the collars and tracking will be undertaken by trained Friends of the Koala volunteers. The project’s aim is to research the movements of urban koalas and how animals which have been brought into care cope when released back into an urban situation.
Our first collared koala is ‘Mathew’, who was recently treated at the Friends of the Koala Care Centre for conjunctivitis caused by Chlamydia. At 5-6 years of age he is in the prime of his life. Being an urban koala, he has had to face the challenges of cars, dogs and a limited food supply, yet he managed until disease took its toll. Without treatment, which extended beyond two months and involved daily medications and care, Mathew would have died.  Prior to release Mathew was given a thorough veterinary examination by Australia’s koala specialists at the Australian Wildlife Hospital in Beerwah. During the check a collar was fitted so his movements and health can be monitored back in the wild.
Tracking in the areas outside Lismore remains a case of sightings by individuals.  To those residents that have an interest in ‘George’, a Dunoon koala that has undergone Chlamydia treatment…he was seen fit and healthy asleep in a macadamia tree, close to his feed trees.  Young Bounty continues to thrive and although I have not seen Jesse for a while she has been sighted, in close proximity to a healthy young male
Fundraising to extend the Koala Care Centre, which is located in a koala corridor in East Lismore, is underway. A full-scale campaign is being planned for 2009 which is the 20th anniversary of Friends of the Koala being licensed to rescue, rehabilitate and release koalas. If you can help in any way please contact the 24 hr hotline 02 66221233 and don’t forget to check the website
 www.friendsofthekala.org
or email us
info@friendsofthekoala.org.
Karen - Friends of the Koala