''Pittwater once had koalas in our trees and we are heartbroken to see koala signs on our roads, knowing the local population is now extinct.''
More in this week's history feature: Pittwater's Koalas Driven to Extinction: Some History
''I’m calling on the NSW Government to urgently follow through on their election commitment to establish this park to protect not only our endangered koalas, but to also allow other threatened species like greater gliders and spotted-tailed quolls to thrive. The time is now, let's make it happen!''
Pittwater MP Jacqui Scruby at the GKNP site, April 2025 - the destruction is continuing. Photo; via FB
Wakehurst MP Michael Regan, who has been pressing for the conservation of native forests since being elected to state representation, has stated:
‘’We can and must do better! If we want koalas in the wild in NSW we need to follow Victoria and WA and end native forest logging whilst supporting communities to transition to a sustainable plantation based sector.’’
Sydney MP Alex Greenwich said:
''The time is now to protect the Koala, deliver on this election commitment, and deliver a legacy for for future generations.''
In her first week in office, the MP for Pittwater joined fellow independent MPs asking Premier Chris Minns to act immediately, with the NSW Forestry Corporation intensifying logging within the proposed boundaries before they lose access.
'This activity is a real threat to the integrity of the park,' their joint letter stated.
'The planned Great Koala National Park will significantly expand the protection for high biodiversity value native forests in the Coffs Harbour region, including some of the best koala habitat in the state. It's been an electoral promise from Labor for the past three elections, but after twenty months in power, it has still not been finalised.
'We share many in the community's eagerness to see the park protected before the end of the year.
'Once old trees are gone, these logged forests will take decades to recover, if they ever do. Their ecological integrity is significantly diminished and they become more vulnerable to fire and infestation by invasive weeds.
The letter, co-signed by independent MP's Jacqui Scruby, Alex Greenwich MP, Member for Sydney, Michael Regan MP, Member for Wakehurst, Judy Hannan MP, Member for Wollondilly, and Greg Piper MP, Member for Lake Macquarie, states:
'Native state forests are public assets belonging to everyone in our state',
'NSW Forestry Corporation is a public state-owned corporation, which the government controls. There is a clear public interest case to conserve these forests for current and future generations, as well as for carbon storage. We all have a stake in this, but only your government has the power to make it happen.'
In their letter the independent MPs urged Chris Minns to declare the Great Koala National Park as a matter of urgency and 'deliver a legacy all of NSW can be proud of' and committed to work with the government to fulfil its election promise to exit entirely from logging in the NSW public native forest estate.
‘A NSW inquiry warned that Koalas would be extinct by 2050 unless something done, so it is imperative that we act before it is too late. The clock is ticking, and the fate of one of Australia’s most iconic species may hinge on swift and bold action from the NSW Government,’ Ms Scruby said earlier this year.
On Monday May 5 2025 the Half Yearly Report of Forestry Corporation of NSW for the period ended 31 December 2024 was tabled in the Parliament of NSW.
The report states:
'Total comprehensive income for the six months to 31 December 2024 was $2.0 million. Normalised earnings (Earnings before interest and tax, or EBIT) showed a profit of $0.4 million, which was $0.6 million above the Statement of Corporate Intent (SCI) target of -$0.2 million for the half year.'
'The Softwood Plantations Division posted normalised earnings of $14.4 million, which was $7.5 million above budget target. Timber revenue is ($2.0) million behind budget mainly from ongoing suppression of customer demand for domestic sawlog on the back of a depressed housing market. This revenue loss was slightly offset by larger than expected log sizes....'
The report also states in the six months to December 31, 2024:
'the Hardwood Forests Division posted an earnings loss of ($14.9) million'
NSW Greens spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson said:
''It’s cost you $14.9 million for just 6 months of the Forestry Corporation to destroy our forests and drive extinction. How much longer will NSW Labor this happen? If you are as furious as me that we are funding the extinction crisis and the destruction of our precious forests, send a message to the Premier and Ministers now.''
On Thursday May 8 Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson joined renowned conservationist, former Executive Director of the Wilderness Society, Alec Marr, along with business leaders Kevin Doye and Lindy Davis, to deliver an open letter from over 100 businesses across the NSW Mid-North Coast calling for the immediate establishment of the whole 176,000 hectares of the Great Koala National Park.
In the letter, business proprietors recognise that the Great Koala National Park will improve and sustain the economy and people, and secure a future for different industries across the Mid North Coast region. They also express their deep concern about the threat that continuous logging will have on these industries.
The letter also details how businesses in the Mid-North Coast are depending on the establishment of the Great Koala National Park, and provides an extensive list of reasons for the cost, benefits and opportunities that it would provide.
See February 2021 report: Australia’s first national park for koalas projected to generate $1.2 billion in economic output and 9,800+ jobs
Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment Sue Higginson said “So many in the community have had enough of waiting for the Great Koala National Park. It's clearly taking too long and it matters because every day of delay is another day that the forests within the Park are destroyed. Now 100 businesses in the region have stepped up to tell the Minns Labor Government that they need to make good on their promise and establish the Great Koala National Park, in full and now,”
“It's no surprise these business leaders recognise the immense benefits of establishing the Great Koala National Park. There is an abundance of evidence showing the economic returns that the Great Koala National Park will bring, generating thousands of jobs and adding over a billion dollars to the NSW economy,”
“This is a moment of critical importance for the NSW Labor Party. I truly hope they will not continue to build a legacy of environmental destruction and broken promises, and listen to the NSW community to establish the whole Great Koala National Park and finally end native forest logging,”
“Ultimately, this letter is a strong message from those in the community who are being financially harmed by the Government’s delay. It is a strong endorsement for the Government to get on with what they promised and to establish the Great Koala National Park in full. Premier Chris Minns would be foolish not to listen now, it’s time to act.”
The letter points out, among other matters, that:
Negative Cost Burdens & Imposts of Logging
[The] Logging and clearing (as well as burning and poisoning) being done by Forestry Corporation across large swathes of our local public forest estate is directly impacting on the entire economy by removing and degrading our most valuable tourism asset. This causes major compounding losses for all in our region.
Imminent Clearfell Logging at Never Never, Pine Creek & Tuckers Nob State Forests
''We are very concerned about proposals to imminently clearfell large areas of existing forest cover between Bellingen and Coffs Harbour at Pine Creek and Tuckers Nob State Forests and around the Promised Land that are contained within the boundary of the GKNP. These areas sustain amongst our most popular, valuable and cherished community assets and tourist drawcard places at the Never Never. Maintaining all existing forest cover in this landscape is essential.
All publicly owned forest cover and Koala habitats in these areas must be protected from logging to ensure maintenance of their tourism drawcard value, to protect water quality and to prevent any harm to the biggest coastal Koala colony in NSW that we know depends on these public forests remaining standing.''
Our 110 businesses come from the following areas surrounding the GKNP:
Bellingen, Sawtell, Billys Creek, Bonville, Bowraville, Brierfield, Coffs Coast, Coffs Harbour, Coramba, Dorrigo, Dorrigo Plateau, Emerald Beach, Eungai Creek, Grafton, Grassy Head, Kalang, Kempsey, Korora, Lowanna, Macksville, Moonee, Mylestom, Nambucca Heads, Nambucca Valley, Nana Glen, North Coast, Thora, Promised Land, Raleigh, Repton, Sandy Beach, Sapphire, Sawtell, Scotts Head, Thora, Upper Orara, Urunga and Valla.
Photo: Sue Higginson MLC, Greens MP and spokesperson for the environment with two Signatories: Kevin Doye, Kombu Wholefoods, Bellingen and Lindy Davis, Mountains to Sea, Eastern Dorrigo. Photo supplied
Sydney’s Koalas are fighting to survive
Meanwhile, Sydney Basin's Koalas are still being assailed by habitat removal, urban development and road strikes. Those living near them, along with groups like Save Sydney Koalas continue to call for a package of protections to stop their precipitous decline. Despite Koalas being recognised as a matter of National Environmental Significance, removal of their habitat has been approved by the Federal Government.
On Friday May 9 Save Sydney's Koalas sent out the following update:
Cate Faehrmann will be putting up this Motion in the NSW Upper House
Ms Faehrmann to move—
(1) That this House notes that:
(a) koala deaths on Appin Road continue to increase with 17 recorded fatalities in 2024 alone, with the 2024 Biolink report titled "Vehicle Strike and Koala Populations in the Sydney Basin Bioregion" identifying a rising trend in koala vehicle strike deaths on this road since 2019,
(b) in December 2022, the Department of Environment and Heritage committed to three koala crossings, which was reiterated in Supplementary Questions put to the Department of Planning on 6 March 2025,
(c) koala experts and conservation groups have warned that the number and type of crossings are insufficient, with only one crossing, the Noorumba Reserve underpass, currently under construction,
(d) the delivery of koala fencing along Appin Road is significantly behind schedule, with only 75 per cent completed despite government commitments for completion by mid 2025, and
(e) locals are concerned that sections of the East side of the fencing have gaps and that sections of the West side of the fencing are forcing koalas onto the road corridor.
(2) That this House acknowledges:
(a) koalas are continuing to be killed along Appin Road due to incomplete fencing and insufficient wildlife crossings, and
(b) the current pace of infrastructure delivery is inadequate given the urgent and escalating risk to this significant New South Wales koala population.
(3) That this House calls on the Government to:
(a) commit to immediately building a minimum of six strategically located koala crossings corresponding to the corridors identified by the Chief Scientist,
(b) prioritise the urgent improvement of koala fencing along Appin Road to minimise trapping of koalas in the road corridor, and
(c) prioritise the urgent completion of 100 per cent of planned koala fencing along Appin Road.