Document ID: chunk:federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00555:body:0:p14
Version: federal_register_of_legislation:F2022L00555
Segment Type: other
Provision Reference: 
Character Range: 37099–40747

1999                                                      Endangered
Phascolarctos cinereus (combined populations in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory)
Nature Conservation Act 1992 (Qld)                                                                                 Vulnerable
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
Biodiversity Conservation ACT 2016 (NSW)                                                                           Vulnerable
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
Nature Conservation Act 2014 (ACT)                                                                                 Vulnerable
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
Flora and Fauna Guarantee Act 1988 (VIC)                                                                           Not listed
Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
National Parks and Wildlife Act 1972 (SA)                                                                          Not listed
 Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)
IUCN Red List of Threatened Species Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus)                                                 Vulnerable

A young Koala in care rescued in the 2019–2020 summer bushfires. Image: © Marta Yebra.

3. Purpose of the recovery plan
Across the distribution of the listed Koala many policies and plans exist. Individuals, networks of community groups, Indigenous Australians, research institutions, and all levels of government, are working to protect and recover the listed Koala. Research in ecology, biology, genetics, health and disease is taking place, community groups are monitoring their local Koala populations, and revegetation projects are occurring.
Some of these activities are fragmented, uncoordinated, occur in isolation and lack a national-level focus.
This recovery plan sets out the road map for a national integrated recovery effort.
A recovery plan under the EPBC Act must provide for the research and management actions to stop the decline of, and support the recovery of, a listed threatened species so that its chances of long-term survival in nature are maximised.
This recovery plan for the listed Koala replaces the National Koala Conservation and Management Strategy (2009–2014) (NRM Ministerial Council 2009). It has been developed with relevant state and territory governments to provide an overarching national conservation framework for the listed Koala that aligns with local, state and territory government plans, programs and strategies. It does not replace these pre-existing plans, programs and strategies but aims to complement them. It is the first recovery plan for the nationally listed Koala.
The Australian Government acknowledges that to appropriately manage the listed Koala a national approach is required that considers the listed Koala in the context of its relationship with unlisted Koala populations in Victoria and South Australia. The implementation of the recovery plan will consider the management and populations status of Koalas across Victoria and South Australia through cooperation and collaboration, national governance, and monitoring. It is envisioned that all respective Koala plans and strategies will mutually inform conservation effort at a national scale.
Prior to the 2019–2020 summer bushfires, Victorian and South Australian populations were considered overall to be stable or increasing, although in some places there are local declines (Menkhorst 2008). Nevertheless, these populations are susceptible to the direct threats and threatening ecological processes outlined in this recovery plan. For example, some of the unlisted Koala populations have low genetic diversity and display evidence