Developing a new South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy

The koala is an iconic Australian species, treasured by Queenslanders and admired by visitors from around the world. However, their populations have been severely affected by a range of environmental, biological and human factors.

As a result, koalas are listed as endangered at both state and national levels, making conservation efforts increasingly urgent.

South East Queensland (SEQ) is home to the largest concentration of koalas in the state, making it a cornerstone for their survival.

At the same time, our population is growing rapidly, with SEQ expected to accommodate an additional 1.54 million residents by 2041. This places increasing pressure on koala habitats as land is also needed for housing and critical infrastructure.

Together with our partners, we are committed to safeguarding these iconic animals, ensuring their populations recover and remain an enduring symbol of Queensland’s unique environment for future generations to come.

That’s why we’re developing a new South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy for 2026–2036.

The new Strategy will succeed the now expired 2020–2025 Strategy and deliver a fresh start for koala conservation.

Consultation

Between 23 December 2025 and 15 March 2026, the A fresh start for SEQ koalas: Developing a new South East Queensland Koala Conservation Strategy 2026–2036 discussion paper was released for consultation and feedback.

The discussion paper presented four focus areas to help address the decline of this iconic species:

• Protecting and restoring habitat
• Reducing threats
• Working together
• Enhancing monitoring, reporting and mapping.

At the same time, feedback was also sought on how the current koala habitat regulations could be improved.

More information

For more information about the developing a new SEQ Koala Conservation Strategy, please contact us: SEQKoalaStrategy@detsi.qld.gov.au