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

The Queensland Department of Transport and Main Roads provide Fauna Sensitive
Road Design technical manuals for road infrastructure.




Soft infrastructure

Car strike is one of leading causes of death and injury for koalas in Noosa Shire in
developed areas (see Chart 1 next page). Between 1995-1999, the Queensland
National Parks and Wildlife Service, the Queensland Department of Main Roads and
Redland City Council undertook a trial of speed limit reductions from 80km/hr to
60km/hr between 7pm and 5am, in August and December when koalas are most
active. 1407 koalas were hit by cars during the trial period and most died. Results
indicated that there was no significant reduction in speed by motorists, and no
evidence that low speed zones cause a reduction in koalas being hit by cars. QPWS
suggested that speed limits would have to be reduced below 60 km to have any affect.
To implement a Noosa shire wide road speed reduction from 80-100km/hr to say
40km/hr, similar to school zones, would require significant community support and
substantial police regulation. Efforts would be better directed to improved koala
infrastructure to facilitate safe road crossings or exclusion fencing at key sites.

Similarly the effectiveness of koala signs or markings along roads needs to be
reviewed as motorists often do not notice signs/markings and improved lighting will
only assist in ‘go slow zones’.


1.2.6     Wild and domestic dog control

Domestic and wild dogs can significantly impact on koala populations. Records
indicate that the greatest cause of injury and mortality to koalas in Noosa Shire is from
disease and car strike (see Chart 1). However, the majority of records come from
areas that are actively used by humans (roads and residential areas). Within the
Noosa records there are a small number of records of mortality from dog attack, but
these are likely to be domestic dog.


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