Koala Management Plans

What Is a Koala Management Plan?

A Koala Management Plan (KMP) is a specialised ecological document that outlines how koala habitat and koala populations will be managed during and after development in Queensland. Given the koala’s status as an endangered species under both Queensland and Commonwealth legislation, developments within mapped koala habitat areas are subject to specific planning and environmental requirements aimed at protecting koalas and their habitat.

A KMP provides a practical framework for minimising impacts on koalas throughout the development lifecycle - from pre-clearance surveys and sequential clearing protocols through to post-construction habitat restoration and long-term monitoring. It is typically required as a condition of development approval in areas identified as koala habitat under the State Development Assessment Provisions (SDAP) State Code 25, the SEQ Koala Conservation Strategy, and relevant local planning schemes.

Queensland Ecologists has extensive experience preparing Koala Management Plans across South East Queensland’s key koala habitat areas. Our ecologists understand the specific requirements of each local government area and the practical challenges of managing koala populations on active development sites.

When Do You Need a Koala Management Plan in Queensland?

A KMP is typically required in the following circumstances:

• Development in Koala Priority Area: Under SDAP State Code 25, development applications within a Koala Priority Area in the SEQ region must demonstrate compliance with koala habitat and movement corridor requirements. A KMP is a common condition of approval.
• Development in mapped koala habitat area: Properties mapped within a mapped koala habitat area that involve clearing, reconfiguration of lots, or material change of use may trigger koala management requirements through the state assessment process.
• DA Conditions Requiring Koala Management: Local councils - particularly Brisbane City Council, Logan City Council, Redland City Council, Moreton Bay Regional Council, City of Ipswich, and City of Gold Coast - frequently impose koala management conditions on development approvals within or adjacent to mapped koala habitat areas.
• EPBC Act Requirements: Where a development may have a significant impact on koala habitat, a referral under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 may be required, and koala management commitments form part of the approval conditions.
• Voluntary Koala Management: Some proponents choose to implement koala management measures as part of their environmental stewardship commitments, even where not strictly required by approval conditions.

The koala habitat mapping framework in SEQ is complex and regularly updated. If you are unsure whether your property falls within a koala assessable area, our team can undertake a desktop assessment and advise on your obligations.

What’s Included in a Koala Management Plan

A comprehensive KMP prepared by Queensland Ecologists typically addresses the following:

• Koala Habitat Mapping: Detailed mapping of koala habitat values across the site, including identification of koala habitat trees (primary, secondary, and non-habitat species), habitat condition assessment, and comparison with state mapping layers.
• Movement Corridor Identification: Assessment and mapping of koala movement corridors, connectivity linkages, and safe passage routes. The plan identifies how corridors will be maintained or enhanced to facilitate koala movement through and around the development.
• Habitat Retention and Enhancement: Specifications for retaining koala habitat trees and vegetation, including minimum retention areas, buffer zones, and habitat enhancement measures such as supplementary planting of koala food trees (e.g., Eucalyptus tereticornis, E. propinqua, Corymbia intermedia, Melaleuca quinquenervia).
• Sequential Clearing Protocols: Detailed clearing procedures designed to allow koalas to move safely out of the clearing area. This includes directional clearing towards retained habitat, minimum staging periods between clearing phases, and protocols for managing koalas found during clearing.
• Fauna Spotter-Catcher Requirements: Specifications for qualified fauna spotter-catchers during clearing operations, including pre-clearance survey requirements, supervision protocols, and koala handling and relocation procedures in accordance with relevant permits and guidelines.
• Threat Mitigation Measures: Management measures to reduce threats to koalas during and after development, including dog management (exclusion fencing, covenants), vehicle strike mitigation (speed limits, signage, fauna crossings), swimming pool safety measures, and vegetation management to reduce predation risk.
• Post-Construction Monitoring: A monitoring program to assess koala usage of retained habitat and movement corridors following development completion. This typically involves regular koala activity surveys (scat searches, spotlighting, camera trapping) over a defined period.
• Koala-Sensitive Design Measures: Design recommendations aligned with the Koala-sensitive Design Guideline, including fauna-friendly fencing, road design, lighting management, and landscaping with koala food trees.

Our Process

Our process for preparing a Koala Management Plan is tailored to the specific requirements of your site, council area, and approval conditions:

1. Desktop Assessment: We review the site’s koala habitat mapping under SDAP State Code 25, local planning scheme overlays, and any existing ecological reports. We identify the specific regulatory requirements and any council-specific koala management guidelines.
2. Field Survey: Our ecologists conduct a detailed on-site survey to ground-truth koala habitat mapping, assess habitat quality and condition, identify koala food trees and habitat trees, and search for evidence of koala activity (scats, scratches, sightings). Survey methods are aligned with best-practice guidelines.
3. Corridor and Connectivity Assessment: We assess the site’s connectivity to surrounding koala habitat, identify existing and potential movement corridors, and evaluate the site’s role within the broader landscape-scale koala habitat network.
4. Plan Preparation: We prepare the KMP addressing all relevant regulatory requirements, including SDAP State Code 25 compliance, local council conditions, and any EPBC Act requirements. The plan includes detailed mapping, practical management prescriptions, and clear performance criteria.
5. Regulatory Submission and Approval: We submit the KMP to the relevant authority (council or SARA) and manage the review process, including responding to information requests and negotiating practical outcomes where required.
6. Implementation Support: We provide fauna spotter-catcher services during clearing, supervise sequential clearing operations, and conduct post-construction koala monitoring in accordance with the approved plan.

Related Services

Koala Management Plans are frequently prepared in conjunction with the following services:

• Koala Habitat Assessments - detailed assessments of koala habitat values to inform development applications and koala management strategies.
• Fauna Surveys - comprehensive fauna surveys including targeted koala surveys using SAT (Spot Assessment Technique) and other recognised methods.
• Vegetation Management Plans - managing vegetation clearing and retention on sites with koala habitat values.
• Environmental Management Plans - broader construction-phase environmental management that integrates koala management requirements.

Get a Quote

If you need a Koala Management Plan for your development in South East Queensland, Queensland Ecologists can help. We have prepared KMPs across all major SEQ council areas - including Brisbane, Logan, Redlands, Moreton Bay, Ipswich, and the Gold Coast - and understand the specific requirements of each jurisdiction.

Request a quote online or call us on (07) 3018 7538 to discuss your koala management requirements.