Koalas found dead near harvested blue gum plantation in Gordon, Victoria

Wildlife rescuers are calling for an investigation into the policies of Victoria's Conservation Regulator after a second koala was found dead outside a blue gum harvesting site in the state's west.

The rescuers believe the koalas were hit by vehicles while attempting to cross one of the state's busiest roads — adjacent to the cleared plantation at Gordon, 25 kilometres east of Ballarat — in search of new habitat.

The plantation harvester Midway Limited had applied to the Conservation Regulator for the five koalas living at the 16-hectare plantation to be translocated before trees were removed, after years of lobbying from wildlife rescuers. 

But the regulator rejected that application, saying koalas could suffer stress, injury and potential death during the process of moving them to a new area.

The ABC understands the authority is standing by its decision not to move the koalas and the translocation of non-threatened species is generally not supported by the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action.

Koalas are not classed as a threatened species in Victoria but are listed as endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory. 

Habitat loss

The plantation was located between the Western Freeway and Cartons Road at Gordon and had been there for about 20 years before it was harvested in December 2023.

Ballarat wildlife rescuer and carer Jess Robertson said she was frustrated and angry to see the koalas die in two separate incidents in January. 

"We are calling on the environment minister to investigate the practices and decision making of the Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action around koala management in blue gum plantations," she said. 

"We want to know what the term management actually means. Does it mean eradication?

"We believe the decisions are not based on the unique circumstances of location of plantations." 

The Animal Justice Party and Victorian Greens have backed local wildlife rescuers' calls for an investigation into the Conservation Regulator's policies and decision making.

A Victorian government spokesperson said the government was working toward "the long-term protection and survival of Victoria's koalas" and its koala management strategy was key to understanding more about populations to better work with the plantation industry.

"The Allan Labor Government has invested over $3 million over two years to support the delivery of the strategy ... including on-ground koala management programs, a statewide survey to paint a clearer and more accurate picture of koala abundance, and research helping to conserve Victoria's koala populations well into the future," they said.

Buffer zones 

Plantation harvester Midway Limited left "buffer zones" for the koalas along Cartons Road, which was supported by wildlife rescuers to create a habitat corridor for crossing over the Western Freeway via an overpass.  

But Ms Robertson said she was gobsmacked the harvester left a second "buffer zone" of trees adjacent to the Western Freeway, metres from the harvesting site.

"Leaving a buffer of blue gums along a freeway opposite native habitat, of course they are going to cross the freeway, it just seems illogical.

"We believe that buffer was left because they didn't want the public to see the destruction behind it." 

Midway Limited has been contacted for comment. 

Temporary fencing was installed at the site at the request of wildlife rescuers, but Ms Robertson said it was inadequate, with big gaps and koalas able to climb straight over it. 

Melissa Morey from Ballarat Wildlife and Conservation Inc. said the group advocated for appropriate koala exclusion fencing at the site. 

"The regulator came back and said there was no basis under the wildlife act that would require koala fencing," she said. 

Greens MP Sarah Mansfield said native habitat restoration must be a state government priority to protect species like koalas.