Koala Retrofit Works Program: Evaluation Monitoring for Koala-Specific Overpass Structure Final Report

Abstract

In response to evidence that populations of koalas in south-east Queensland had undergone an unprecedented decline over a short period of time, the Queensland Government produced the SEQ Koala Response Strategy. A significant component of this approach was to address the impact of roads and traffic on the species. The responsible agency, the Department of Transport and Main Roads (DTMR), working with the Department of Environment and Heritage Protection (then DERM), developed a trial entitled the Koala Retrofit Works Program that aimed to assess the effectiveness of a range of mitigation structures in reducing koala road mortality and enhancing the species’ capacity to move through the landscape. This work was executed through collaboration between DTMR, DEHP and Applied Road Ecology (ARE) from the Environmental Futures Centre, Griffith University.