Koala Nature Refuges Program
What is the Koala Nature Refuges Program?
The Koala Nature Refuges Program is a key component of the Queensland Government’s commitment—‘Investing to protect our koalas’. It provides targeted landholders with the opportunity to partner with the Queensland Government to restore and manage koala habitat on their land.
Through a comprehensive analysis of spatial data, the program will target suitable properties by identifying koala values and determining the viability and cost-effectiveness of undertaking a revegetation project on the land. Landholders identified through this process will then be contacted directly by the Queensland Government asking if they wish to be considered for participation in the program. A final assessment is then required to determine the suitability of a habitat restoration project on the land. Delivery of a project is conditional upon entering into a nature refuge agreement over all or part of the property, including the restored habitat. The nature refuge agreement is registered on the land title and is binding on future landholders, protecting the land in perpetuity for future generations.
Property eligibility
A comprehensive assessment is undertaken to determine if your property is eligible and suitable for a habitat restoration project. When suitable properties are identified, landholders will be contacted directly and asked if they would like to participate. Factors the Queensland Government considers when assessing a property for a project include
- location (the property must be within one of the 10 eligible local government areas—Sunshine Coast, Moreton Bay, Brisbane, Logan, Redland, Ipswich, Gold Coast, Scenic Rim, Somerset or Lockyer Valley)
- the potential koala habitat value of the land
- the contribution to connectivity or consolidation of koala habitat
- the size and cost-effectiveness of the project.
What type of activities will be considered?
The program will primarily fund projects to restore koala habitat through revegetation and assisted natural regeneration of suitable areas. Projects will be coordinated and managed by a nature refuge officer and delivered by an experienced habitat restoration provider. Other activities to enhance koala conservation, such as weed control measures and wildlife-friendly fencing to project the restoration project from stock, may be considered.
Want to know more about Nature Refuges?
Delivery of a Koala Nature Refuge project is conditional upon entering into a binding, perpetual nature refuge agreement to establish a nature refuge over all or part of your property, including the restored habitat.
A nature refuge is a voluntary covenant established through negotiation of a nature refuge agreement with the Queensland Government. Each agreement is negotiated directly with the landholder, and is tailored to suit their management needs and the protection of the conservation values of their property—in this case koalas and their habitat.