2016-04-19 P&E Committee - Item 4, Attachment 1 - Draft Koala Conservation Management Plan

1.2.5     Informed infrastructure decisions

National and State legislation, The Noosa Plan, and Council policy, guide Council
infrastructure decisions.

Best practice design and construction is to be applied to existing or planned
infrastructure that impacts on koalas in mapped Koala Habitat Areas. Measures to
mitigate may include hard infrastructure (exclusion and guiding fences, bridges,
underpasses and culverts, koala ladders) or soft measures (speed limit reductions,
signs, road markings, improved street lighting).

Hard infrastructure

In 2008, the Australian Government conducted a study titled ‘Review of mitigation
measures used to deal with the issues of habitat fragmentation’. The researchers
concluded that there was strong evidence that mitigation structures such as wildlife
crossings were effective for individual fauna (koalas utilising bridge underpasses and
culverts), but the long term impact of the habitat fragmentation (e.g. construction of
linear road through habitat) on fauna populations is unclear.

In discussion with wildlife rescue organisations and based on koala threat mapping the
following Noosa Shire roads are identified as being highest risk:

       Eumundi Road (Noosaville to Doonan)
       Noosa-Cooroy Road (Tewantin to Tinbeerwah)
       McKinnon Drive (Tewantin to Noosa Banks)
       Bruce Highway (Black Mountain)
       Yurol Forest Drive, Pomona
       Noosa Drive, Weyba Creek
       Jampot Creek Road, Pomona

Those roads that traverse known koala habitat areas (Map 3) are to be prioritised for
auditing of koala infrastructure. The process of identifying koala infrastructure needs
for these roads is as follows:

       Undertake an audit of existing wildlife structures in Known Koala Habitat Areas,
        including their location and condition
       Identify areas where there are ‘gaps’ in koala infrastructure
       Develop a feasibility report including cost to deliver and maintain koala
        infrastructure at priority sites during infrastructure upgrades

As there are no new major roads planned for Noosa Shire new koala structures are
proposed to be included at priority sites within koala habitat areas during infrastructure
renewal stages or when project funding is available.

Consultation with the Department of Transport and Main Roads will be required on
koala infrastructure needs identified on State Roads.

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