Better protecting Queensland koalas

The Albanese Government is investing $12.4 million in five projects to better protect Queensland’s koalas.

With koalas sadly listed as endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT, acting to prevent disease and care for koalas is more important than ever.

That’s why the Government is investing in upgrading and building new health facilities to better protect koalas from key threats, and ensure we have adequate care for them in times of crisis.

The projects include:

• $3.5 million for the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital to support the establishment of a new infectious disease ward for koalas and conduct research into koala disease, as well as plant koala food tree orchards to feed koalas while in care and upgrade the hospital’s computer network and community education facilities.
• $5 million to support RSPCA Queensland to construct a new state-of-the-art Wildlife Hospital and Centre for Excellence at Capalaba in southeast Queensland, to deliver best practice wildlife care and rehabilitation.
• $2.39 million to support Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary to establish a new koala intensive care unit and a new rehabilitation and exercise enclosure to better support the recovery of sick and injured koalas. This funding will also support planting of a koala food tree orchard for feeding sick and injured koalas, purchasing a new wildlife ambulance, conducting research into koala disease, and training internal and external veterinary professionals and wildlife carers in better koala care techniques.
• $750,000 for the University of Sunshine Coast to support development of a vaccine to fight chlamydia in koalas.
• $750,000 to be provided to the Queensland University of Technology to develop and trial an implant for the delivery of the second shot of their two dose koala chlamydia vaccine.

The investment is part of the Government’s more than $500 million investment to better protect threatened plants and animals and tackle invasive species.

Quotes attributable to the Minister for the Environment and Water, the Hon Tanya Plibersek:

“No-one wants to imagine an Australia without koalas. The Australian Government is making sure our kids and grandkids will still be able to see koalas in the wild.

“Investing in koala health projects, like a new infectious disease ward for koalas and developing a vaccine to fight koala disease, will play a crucial role in protecting and conserving this beloved animal.

“Through our Saving Koalas Fund, we are investing in projects that will help koalas not only survive— but thrive.”