FAQs
- Protect and improve koala habitat
- Manage the threats affecting koalas and their habitat in our area
- Build community awareness and shared responsibility for their conservation
- Ensure we are considering koalas when we assess development applications and make planning decisions.
What is the Koala Management Plan?
The Koala Management Plan provides a coordinated, evidence‑based approach to conserve and enhance the Shire’s endangered koala population. It will help to:
Why has a draft Koala Management Plan been prepared?
Council has recently discovered that we have a healthy population of koalas living in Sutherland Shire.
While Sutherland Shire is not listed under the Koala State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP) and is not required to take any action, Council recognises that koalas are facing increasing threats in our area and is dedicated to protecting them.
The Koala Management Plan provides an opportunity to formalise the protection of koalas and their habitat in the Shire.
How does the Plan address major threats to koalas?
The Plan proposes a range of actions for Council and the community to take to help protect our koala population. The actions include:
• Conserving existing koala habitat and locating new developments away from key koala habitat, where possible
• Reducing speeds and installing signs and traffic calming measures at known hotspots of koala and vehicle collisions
• Improving koala habitats by planting and retaining trees that provide food and shelter for koalas
• Implementing controls for dogs near koala habitats, including providing guidance for residents on fencing/yard design and enforcing on-leash areas
• Developing criteria for development applications (DAs) around fencing, pool safety and traffic management
• Delivering community education and citizen science programs to build stewardship
• Advocating for Sutherland Shire Council to be included in the Koala State Environmental Planning Policy and pursuing further funding
• Collecting and maintaining data on local koalas and their habitat
Why are collisions between koalas and vehicles so common?
Collisions with vehicles are a key threat to koalas. Most collisions happen between July and February, during koala breeding season. Koalas are most active at dawn and dusk and often cross the road during times of low light, making it hard for drivers to see them.
Between 2020 and 2025, 40 koala vehicle collisions were reported in the Shire, with 25 koala deaths. Hotspots include Heathcote Road and the Princes Highway near the Royal National Park.
Council has installed electronic signage with rotating messaging along local roads in koala vehicle-strike hotspots and plans to install more vehicle-activated signs in key hotspots in the Shire to raise driver awareness. Other mitigation measures that Council is exploring include traffic calming measures, wildlife exclusion fencing and koala crossings.
Council has already begun to install vehicle-activated electronic signage at key hotspots in the Shire to raise driver awareness. Other mitigation measures that Council is exploring include traffic calming measures, wildlife exclusion fencing and koala crossings. Council is not responsible for installing signs along Heathcote Road, or other State roads, but will continue to advocate for this.
Will this affect my private property or development rights?
The Plan does not automatically restrict development. However, if a development proposal is located in a known or likely koala habitat area, it may require a habitat assessment, retention of important trees, impact mitigation and offsets where impacts cannot be avoided.
How will this affect future development and rezoning?
Council will integrate habitat mapping into the Local Environmental Plans and Development Control Plan. Future development may require more detailed ecological assessments, habitat retention, koala‑sensitive road design and controls to maintain connectivity for koalas travelling through Sutherland Shire.
I'm a dog owner, how does this impact me?
New developments in koala habitat areas may require secure yards, fencing layouts that separate dogs from habitat or Wildlife Protection Areas where dogs are not permitted.
What is a Wildlife Protection Area?
Wildlife Protection Areas are areas designated under the NSW Companion Animals Act 1998 for the purpose of protecting native wildlife. Companion animals like dogs and cats are not allowed in Wildlife Protection Areas. This includes dogs on leash. Council officers are able to issue penalty notices to owners of companion animals found in Wildlife Protection Areas and/or seize unattended companion animals.
Sutherland Shire Council is currently finalising its Invasive Species and Wildlife Protection Area Policy following a period of community consultation. The draft policy can be found here.
Do I have to change my existing fences?
No changes are required for existing fences. New developments must ensure koala‑friendly or koala‑exclusion fencing is installed, depending on the location and risk.
Do I need to modify my swimming pool?
Do I need to modify my swimming pool?
No changes are required for existing swimming pools. New swimming pools in key koala habitat areas must include koala escape features and fencing that prevents koala entry.
What consultation has informed the draft plan?
Consultation to inform the draft Koala Management Plan occurred through the Southern Sydney Koala Steering Committee, Aboriginal representatives, State agencies and neighbouring councils. The draft Plan is now on public exhibition for community and further stakeholder feedback.
What is koala habitat and how is it mapped?
Koala habitat includes Likely habitat (areas containing 15% or more koala food trees) and occupied habitat.
Occupied habitat are areas where koalas have been identified as living, based on recent verified koala records or occupancy modelling.
You can view an interactive map of these areas in Shire Maps here.
How will implementation of the Koala Management Plan be funded?
Implementation of the Plan relies on Council resources supported by partnerships with NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water, Transport for NSW, Rural Fire Service, wildlife carers and universities.
Through the work on the Plan to date, Council has been able to access State Government funding for vehicle‑activated signage, as well as habitat mapping.
Council will continue to actively pursue new grants.
Is this plan the same as a statutory Koala Plan of Management?
No, Sutherland Shire is not listed in the Koala State Environmental Planning Policy (SEPP). Because of this, the SEPP koala provisions do not apply and Council cannot prepare a statutory Koala Plan of Management (KPoM). However, Council is dedicated to protecting the koalas and this Koala Management Plan provides an opportunity to formalise the protection of koalas and their habitat in the Shire.