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To: PM Albanese, Premiers of NSW, Queensland, Victoria
A Great Koala National Park in every koala state
A Great Koala National Park needs to be created in every koala state, providing a refuge from climate impacts and a safe home for our koalas.
After decades of community pressure, the NSW government has just stepped up, proposing to create a Great Koala National Park. The park would protect 176,000 hectares of state forest and link it to existing parks – creating a 476,000-hectare reserve, one of the largest in NSW.
After decades of community pressure, the NSW government has just stepped up, proposing to create a Great Koala National Park. The park would protect 176,000 hectares of state forest and link it to existing parks – creating a 476,000-hectare reserve, one of the largest in NSW.
Koala habitat secured. Jobs for local towns. One of Australia's most biodiverse landscapes, kept intact.
But no other koala state is doing the same. Victoria had its chance – conservation groups proposed a 525,000-hectare Great Forest National Park in the Central Highlands, backed by David Attenborough and Jane Goodall, and in 2025 the Victorian Government ruled it out. Its own review then recommended much of that forest become "forest park" instead, a designation that still permits logging-style operations, hunting and mining. Queensland has the largest koala populations in the country, where koalas are listed as endangered, and no park proposal at all – its draft koala strategy would create a new exemption letting landholders clear more habitat without approval. One state is finally acting. The rest are going backwards.
But no other koala state is doing the same. Victoria had its chance – conservation groups proposed a 525,000-hectare Great Forest National Park in the Central Highlands, backed by David Attenborough and Jane Goodall, and in 2025 the Victorian Government ruled it out. Its own review then recommended much of that forest become "forest park" instead, a designation that still permits logging-style operations, hunting and mining. Queensland has the largest koala populations in the country, where koalas are listed as endangered, and no park proposal at all – its draft koala strategy would create a new exemption letting landholders clear more habitat without approval. One state is finally acting. The rest are going backwards.
Across Australia, Koalas are dying from preventable causes. They are dying of neglect and mistreatment, a lack of habitat protection, and ever-increasing climate impacts. Approvals for logging given by successive governments have created the conditions for the ongoing destruction of koalas' feed and shelter trees, their territories needed for future populations to survive.
But everyday Australians have spoken out, loudly. More than $100 million was donated to help koalas survive the catastrophic 2019-2020 wildfires. Literally hundreds of thousands of Australians are battling in their communities trying to save koala habitat from destruction. People are demonstrating against developments, fossil fuel projects, forestry operations, working tirelessly to save this precious irreplaceable species. While we front the money and put in the long volunteer hours, governments that should be responsible for protecting our biodiversity are missing in action.
Governments need to listen to a deeply concerned and distressed public who want to ensure our koalas survive into the future.
That's why we need a Great Koala Park in every state where koalas live. Properly funded and big enough to matter, staffed by people with secure jobs looking after them. We have one chance at this, and we are running out of time to take it.
Why is this important?
Habitat loss causes major stress for koalas. As a result their immune system is diminished resulting in koalas suffering from anaemia, leukemia-lymphoma, a raft of cancers including bone cancer, metastatic carcinoma, blood and mammary cancers. They suffer from acute respiratory illness, impaired lung function, twisting of the intestine causing anorexia, lethargy, abdominal distension and death. Sarcoptic mange, causing intense itching, skin lesions, chlamydia which causes infertility, wet bottom, eye diseases, blindness and incredible pain.
All of this is preventable if we take seriously the task of ensuring koalas have a safe and sustainable natural habitat to live and thrive in.
If we can demonstrate to the government that millions of us want a fair go for Koalas, the government will have to act.
Communities fighting to protect the koala are demonstrating the true Aussie spirit. When we stand together to protect nature, we're safeguarding our own life support system. And strengthening public citizens' rights to protect nature is strengthening our democracy.
When it comes to the koalas, we the people should have the final say, not absent governments or greedy corporations.
All of this is preventable if we take seriously the task of ensuring koalas have a safe and sustainable natural habitat to live and thrive in.
If we can demonstrate to the government that millions of us want a fair go for Koalas, the government will have to act.
Communities fighting to protect the koala are demonstrating the true Aussie spirit. When we stand together to protect nature, we're safeguarding our own life support system. And strengthening public citizens' rights to protect nature is strengthening our democracy.
When it comes to the koalas, we the people should have the final say, not absent governments or greedy corporations.