After the devastation of the Black Summer bushfires decimated the Port Macquarie koala population, local conservationists and landholders are banding together to create habitat and food trees on private property.

• Spokespersons from Hastings Landcare and Port Macquarie Koala Hospital available
• Landowner also available for interview

Funded through the WIRES Landcare Australia Wildlife Relief and Recovery Grants, Hastings Landcare are seeking to work with local landowners in the region to expand koala habitat by 5 hectares and see 5000 food trees planted.

And these revegetation sites will be available to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital as food collection points for the rehabilitating koalas.

“Sites will be approved based on koala suitability – soil, proximity to key areas, moist, fertile areas,” explained Stephen Allwood of Hastings Landcare. 

“This means approved revegetation sites will result in maximum benefit for local koalas. And these rehabilitating koalas at the hospital need a constant source of fresh leaves from suitable species. 

“These animals won’t stand a chance if there is nothing done to re-establish their habitat. Their numbers will never recover and this is why this grant program between WIRES and Landcare Australia is so important. It’s as much about preservation and regenerating the habitat as it is about rehabilitating and protecting the animals. You can’t have one without the other.” 

This project will connect landholders to Landcare and the Koala Hospital (KH) for an ongoing partnership vital to the survival of the koalas.

Hastings Landcare will support participating landholders in their endeavours to help koalas by creating habitat. The group will assist with the running of their projects, educating landholders and provide general support. 

Launched in April 2020, the WIRES Landcare Australia Wildlife Relief and Recovery Grants is a pioneering alliance between two not-for-profits that have been part of the fabric of local communities for over 30 years. 

64 environmental groups across the country will benefit from the landmark $1.185 million grants partnership supporting recovery of wildlife habitats impacted by bushfire and drought.

Made possible due to the unprecedented volume of donations to WIRES from within Australia and around the world following the Black Summer bushfires, this grants program will support wide-ranging regeneration projects focused on restoring habitat impacted by the bushfires.

Projects include rainforest revegetation, installation of nest boxes to replace destroyed tree hollows for decimated native species, feeding programs for endangered wildlife, management of invasive weeds, erosion control and protection of our waterways and aquatic habitat.

*As the largest wildlife rescue organisation in the country, WIRES rescues, rehabilitates and releases native animals and partners on projects that improve long-term outcomes for native animals and help preserve vulnerable Australian wildlife populations.

*Carrying on the legacy of Bob Hawke, who launched National Landcare in 1989, Landcare Australia supports the Landcare grassroots movement of individuals and groups who have a shared vision to restore and protect the environment in local communities through sustainable land management and conservation activities.