It is with a heavy heart that I write this letter but it is with hope my community will respond with compassion and action to help save the precious koalas who live among us, but who are fast disappearing.
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Since January last year, volunteer wildlife rescuers have responded to 27 koala rescues in our region and only a small percentage have survived.
Wildlife rescuers in the region are well placed to understand the extent of the problems here and make no mistake- our koalas are in crisis.
Don't believe the abundance numbers quoted by government because there has been no proper research for decades and there is no way to know without empirical data.
Ineffective conservation and wildlife protection policies have allowed for the rampant destruction of koala habitat across the country and Ballarat is no exception.
Despite there being a Koala Plan designed by the City of Ballarat, planning rules seem to have been ignored in favour of development.
Habitat destruction drives koalas into urban areas and onto roads where they are getting hit by cars and attacked by dogs, some dying from stress.
There is nowhere for rescuers to take koalas for treatment if they do survive. Koalas require specialist medical care and the nearest suitable care facility is 150km away at Werribee Zoo.
So we, wildlife rescue volunteers, are calling on the community for help because we have no power to stop this. All we can do is pick up the pieces and minimise the suffering.
Adding to the woes of Ballarat koalas, Central Highlands Water (CHW) now plans to tree-fell a 16-hectare blue gum plantation in Gordon that is known koala habitat.
Although this plantation was never intended for koalas, naturally, they moved in and made it their home. Bluegum is a koala favourite and in this case, likely to be their staple diet.
It is not a simple case of relocating these koalas to another location. Koalas become tolerant to specific eucalypt species and the moment you take that species away, there is a risk of starvation.
CHW conducted a survey last year and found there were three koalas living in the plantation. According to policy, they are only required to leave a strip of trees along the Western Freeway. This is not a viable solution.
Not only is this unsustainable habitat for three koalas but there could be many more living there at the time of harvest.
Currently, koalas have safe passage from the plantation into Gordon across the Cartons Road overpass but once the plantation is gone koalas are more likely to cross the busy freeway to the remaining trees -a definite death sentence.
No matter which way you look at it, there will be more koala casualties when this plantation is felled.
Keep in mind, all of this is perfectly legal according to the Wildlife Act 1974 and thus supported by the Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning (the regulators of wildlife).
Despite this 50-year-old policy being completely out of touch with contemporary issues, it remains the guide to protect wildlife.
Midway Pty Ltd, the leaseholder, planted the gums 20 years ago. CHW have now requested they clear the plantation.
Media reports say Midway was contracted to clearfell a bluegum plantation in Cape Bridgewater in 2019 where a horrific koala massacre occurred.
At the time they said the koalas died after they had finished.
Handover documents completed by the forestry contractors stated there were 72 koalas living on that plantation at the time but we now know there were 200.
This clearfell ultimately led to the deaths of 70 koalas, who experienced horrific injuries, while many of the survivors died from starvation.
The owner of the property and two companies have since been charged with 253 animal cruelty offences for their alleged involvement in clearing the property.
How do we know this won't happen again in Gordon?
We are not the only region losing our koalas. There are serious problems in Portland where hundreds of koalas are dying every year.
Rescuers there reported over 100 rescues last year and this doesn't include mortality rates associated with clearing plantations. It's the same in South Gippsland.
All Australian koalas are facing the same issues but they are not listed as "vulnerable" in Victoria.
This is a massive failure of the government in their duty to protect koalas.
What we are now seeing is the tragic consequences of years of habitat destruction, poor policy and zero political will to protect koalas.
HOW CAN YOU HELP?
Please sign and share our government petitions.
In our first national petition, we ask the federal government to address this crisis by enacting a National Koala Protection Act.
https://www.aph.gov.au/e-petitions/petition/EN3804
In our second petition, we ask the state government to prevent further decline of the region's koalas and halt the clear-fell of the Gordon blue gum plantation.
https://www.parliament.vic.gov.au/council/petitions/electronic-petitions/view-e-petitions/details/12/433
You can also contact our local MPs and the Victorian environment minister to ask for better protections for koalas.
An election is approaching and we need to ensure better protection for wildlife. Make this an election promise!
- Jessica Robertson (wildlife rescuer and carer)