Koala-kill hotspot: Federal government urged to re-think funding for road project

Conservation experts have urged the federal government to ensure proper assessment and mitigation measures to protect koalas are in place before it provides funding for a controversial road upgrade in Sydney’s southwest.   

“If the road is constructed as planned, there is a very real risk of extinction for this critically important koala population,” International Fund for Animal Welfare (IFAW) Wildlife Campaign Manager Josey Sharrad said.  

“Given Environment Minister Tanya Plibersek’s pledge to ‘turn the Titanic around’ and protect koalas, Commonwealth-funded infrastructure should not contribute to the koala’s further decline. 

“If appropriate measures are not taken, the Federal Government will be funding the road to koala extinction.”  

IFAW and Save Sydney’s Koalas have for years fought to make housing development in Sydney’s southwest koala-friendly. 

A key concern surrounds the upgrade of a main road — a notorious koala-kill hotspot that is being widened to facilitate the development.  

Independent scientific advice from koala ecologist Dr Steve Phillips found the Appin Rd upgrade would create a “formidable barrier” to koala movement, will have a “significant impact” on koalas, and result in an “increase in koala mortality, not a reduction”. [1] 

Dr Phillips, who was briefed by the Environmental Defenders Office (EDO) on behalf of IFAW, advises the area is critically important for long-term koala recovery and sustainable koala management. 

While Transport for NSW (TfNSW) is responsible for the road upgrade, the Federal Government is contributing $72 million towards funding the project.  

EDO, on behalf of IFAW, has written to the Australian environment and infrastructure ministers asking them to require measures to make the road safer for koalas as a condition of federal funding.  

These measures, recommended by Dr Phillips, include: 

1. a minimum of three strategically located over- and under-passes, 
2. koala exclusion fencing on both sides of the road to guide koalas to use crossings, and 
3. koala grids on driveways and intersections. 

All these measures have been proven to reduce koala vehicle strikes. In addition, EDO is asking for the project to be “called in” by Minister Plibersek to be assessed under the commonwealth Environmental Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act. 

EDO Special Counsel, Natalie Vella said: “Expert advice from Dr Phillips makes clear that the Appin Rd upgrade as currently designed will have a significant impact on a matter of national environmental significance — the endangered koala. 

“Transport for NSW has not sought federal approval for the project and is attempting to hide behind an irrelevant exemption under federal environmental law. 

“This is unlawful, given the project’s likely impact on the koala, which was devastated by the Black Summer bushfires, and whose threat status was recently upgraded to endangered. 

“The federal Environment Department’s Referral guidance for the endangered koala states that any project likely to impact the koala or its habitat should be referred for consideration under the EPBC Act. 

“We are therefore asking Minister Plibersek to require that Transport for NSW refer the Appin Rd upgrade for assessment under the EPBC Act.” 

Ms Sharrad said the current plan included three underpasses supposedly to help koalas cross safely, but these are not in the right locations, and not the right designs for koalas to actually use. 

“As it stands, the proposed works would be as useless as putting a school crossing 500 metres away from a school. We are simply asking for the right type of crossings in the right places to provide safe passage for koalas,” Ms Sharrad said.  

“These are easy fixes to avoid significant impact and make the road safer for people and wildlife. The government’s priority should be saving this flagship species instead of saving money. You can’t put a price on saving an international icon.”  

The area is home to a significant koala population – the Campbelltown colony which is one of the few in New South Wales which is growing and healthy and which escaped the Black Summer bushfires. The population could therefore hold the key to the future survival of the species – made even more significant as koalas have been up-listed to endangered both federally and statewide.  

“There have been more than 20 koalas killed just this year on this road. It’s already a death trap for koalas which will be made significantly worse unless these measures are put into place,” Save Sydney’s Koalas Barry Durman said.  

“This koala population narrowly escaped the bushfires. It would be a tragedy for this road to drive them to extinction.” 

References

[1] Made up of three overlapping projects: the Appin Road Upgrade, the Appin Road Safety Improvements and the Brian Road Intersection Upgrade. See https://www.transport.nsw.gov.au/projects/current-projects/project-documents-appin-road-improvements. 

Media contact

IFAW Australia | Dominica Mack| 0460 432 901 | dmack@ifaw.org