The first private properties to be established as koala nature refuges have been approved by the Acting Climate Change and Sustainability Minister, Annastacia Palaszczuk.
Presenting the signed Conservation Agreement to landholder Christine Hosking, the Acting Minister said the four-hectare bushland property would be known as Kuta Koala Nature Refuge.
“Koala nature refuges, run in parallel with our program to acquire properties in south east Queensland, offer financial incentives to private landholders to rehabilitate and maintain the properties as safe koala habitat,” Ms Palaszczuk said.
Private properties are refuges
Ms Hosking’s nature refuge adjoins Mt Coot-tha forest and provides a continuation of the remnant eucalypt forest dominant across the majority of the property.
“It’s hard to say how many koalas call Kuta home,” Ms Palaszczuk said, “as koalas do not reside in one place but frequently move across and through large areas.”
Ms Palaszczuk also presented Ms Hosking – who is currently completing her PhD on modeling priority koala habitat areas in Queensland under future climate change – with a Certificate of Conservation Achievement.
“I congratulate Ms Hosking on her enormous contribution and commitment to the conservation of koalas by establishing a nature refuge on her property,” the Acting Minister said.
“In addition to koalas, Kuta Koala Nature Refuge is habitat for the tusked frog, powerful owl and the near-threatened grey goshawk.”
She also signed a Conservation Agreement with Justin Bowman who has made almost half of his 22 hectare cattle stud property at Grandchester, west of Ipswich, available for a Koala nature refuge.
Ms Palaszczuk said that under voluntary agreements the Koala Nature Refuges Program would be recruiting other properties of key strategic value for koalas.
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