Campbelltown Koalas on Track for Extinction unless Govt Acts: Greens
Newly released data revealing that at least 25 koalas have been killed in the Campbelltown LGA over the past twelve months, 16 of them on Appin Road, must be the wake up call the government needs to act to save Sydney’s koalas, said Greens MP and transport spokesperson Cate Faehrmann.
The data released to the Sydney Morning Herald, on koala deaths and injuries over the past 10 years, has been released by wildlife rescue organisation WIRES.
“It’s totally unacceptable that the future of this iconic and critically important koala population is at risk because of an apparent stalemate between government and Lendlease over building underpasses and overpasses. It just cannot be that hard to act, especially considering that the alternative is sitting back and doing nothing and signing off on the extinction of Campbelltown’s koala,” said Cate Faehrmann.
Ms Faehrmann chaired the NSW Upper House Inquiry into Koala Populations and their Habitat in NSW which recommended that the NSW Government urgently incorporate an underpass and overpass on Appin Road suitable for koalas and other wildlife with appropriate wildlife corridors at both entrance points.
“You don’t have to be a scientist to work out that the deaths of at least 20 koalas a year in a population of around 300 is literally an extinction trajectory. What’s even more concerning is that these are the ones we know about.
“The Chief Scientist released a report into what was needed to save Campbelltown’s koalas more than three years ago now, yet since then the number of rescue call-outs has increased dramatically.
40,000 new dwellings have been earmarked between Appin and Campbelltown as part of the Macarthur Growth region.
“The Premier has said he wants to protect koalas, and he’s said that he wants to put a stop to urban sprawl in western Sydney. Well here’s an opportunity for him to do both these things.
“Make no mistake, that if they can’t protect Sydney’s koalas from existing activities, they really don’t stand a chance with 40,000 new dwellings and thousands more cars on the road.
“The Government must also ensure all necessary koala protection measures are put in place on Appin Road as a matter of urgency, or their legacy will be the extinction of this iconic koala population.
“The Government has known for years that Appin Road is a death trap for koalas. Honestly, you have to wonder whether this delay in making Appin Road safer for koalas is deliberate. Is the government actually trying to wipe out the Campbelltown koala population so that they don’t have to take all these steps to protect it from new housing developments?” said Ms Faehrmann.