With koalas now endangered across Queensland, NSW and the ACT, the government has launched an unprecedented effort to protect one of Australia's most iconic species. The $76 million Saving Koalas Fund brings together First Nations knowledge, scientific expertise, and community action in a coordinated program to reverse the species' decline.

The impact is already visible on the ground, with 5,000 hectares of koala habitat being restored and a quarter of a million trees planted through community-led projects. Healthcare for injured and sick koalas has been transformed through a $19 million investment in wildlife hospitals, including new facilities at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary and Australia Zoo.

For the first time, scientists are building a comprehensive picture of koala populations through the National Koala Monitoring Program. This $10 million partnership with CSIRO has surveyed over 335 sites across more than 1,200 kilometres, revealing an estimated 95,000 to 238,000 koalas in Queensland, NSW and the ACT, with additional populations in Victoria and South Australia.

The program is guided by the National Recovery Plan and overseen by the National Koala Recovery Team, which coordinates 37 specific recovery actions. This investment forms part of the government's broader $224.5 million Saving Native Species program.

[1] https://www.dcceew.gov.au/environment/biodiversity/threatened/species/koalas/saving-koalas-fund#:~:text=The%20Saving%20Koalas%20Fund%20provides,and%20the%20Natural%20Heritage%20Trust.