Our region is lucky to be home to wild koala populations, with several important koala corridors connecting key habitat areas.
These corridors help koalas travel more safely between bushland areas, reducing the risks they face in urban environments. As part of ongoing conservation efforts, new ‘Living with Koalas’ education signs have been installed along five of these key corridors to raise awareness of the biggest threats to koalas and how we can all play a role in protecting them.
What's on each sign?
- A beautiful image
- Focus threat information
- Did you know? section
- Interactive element
- A koala corridor map detail where you are in the series
Five areas of focus
Each of the signs highlights a key issue impacting koalas and offers practical steps we can take to help:
- Keep dogs on a leash – Even friendly dogs can startle or harm koalas. Keeping dogs on a leash in koala areas helps keep our wildlife safe.
- Koala-proof pools – Koalas searching for water can fall into backyard pools and struggle to escape. Simple measures like floating rope or a ramp can be lifesaving.
- Disease monitoring – Chlamydia and other illnesses threaten koala populations. Reporting sick koalas early improves their chances of receiving treatment.
- Road safety – Koalas often cross roads at dawn and dusk. Watching for signs and slowing down in koala zones can prevent accidents.
- Habitat preservation – Protecting and restoring koala habitat ensures these iconic animals have safe places to live, feed, and breed.
Where Can You See the Signs?
These eye-catching and informative signs can be found along five koala corridors:
- Thrumster (area 13) – Three sets of signs have been installed along key koala movement links in this area.
- Bonny Hills / Lake Cathie (area 14) – Two additional corridors now feature the signage, providing important education along well-used pathways.
The signs are spaced along the paths, making them easy to read as you walk, ride, or jog through these beautiful natural spaces.
You can find the trails at Lake Cathie/Bonny Hills and Thrumster, with exact locations and interactive maps available via the Koala Plan of Management page.
A Step Towards a Koala-Friendly Future
These signs are just one part of a broader Koala Plan of Management, which aims to protect local koala populations by conserving their habitat and reducing threats. Education is a key part of this plan, and by taking small actions—like keeping dogs on leashes, driving carefully, and reporting sick koalas—we can all help ensure koalas continue to thrive in our region.
Next time you’re out and about in Bonny Hills, Lake Cathie, or Thrumster, keep an eye out for the ‘Living with Koalas’ signs and take a moment to learn how you can make a difference!
Drive with car Be Koala Aware
Dog Lover's Care Quiz
Take our local koala aware road safety pledge to make your promise to be alert and aware when driving on our roads to ensure we keep koalas and wildlife safe.
Take the pledge to ‘drive with care, be koala aware‘ and receive your free pledge pack.
Answer 5 questions to learn some interesting facts and understand how dog owners can help protect koalas in our region with our Dog Lovers Care quiz
Complete the quiz to receive a free hi vis dog leash.
