Motorists cautioned to be on the lookout for koalas

The City of Ballarat is urging motorists to be vigilant when it comes to local wildlife, particularly as koala breeding season is now in full swing.

During breeding season, which is generally between September and February, koalas are more active, especially between dusk and dawn, seeking food, shelter or a new mate, and often spend more time on the ground where they are vulnerable to being struck by motorists as they attempt to move across roads.

Koalas are known to live in the Canadian Corridor from Warrenheip to Buninyong, with Woowookarung Regional Park and Union Jack Reserve being key habitats.

The City of Ballarat and Moorabool Shire Council are investigating adding special roadside signage to the east of Ballarat to highlight koala movement.  

City of Ballarat Director Infrastructure and Environment Bridget Wetherall said the seasonal signage could be removed in February at the end of the breeding season and reinstalled again in September, urging drivers to be cautious of the heightened movements.

“We thank local community members for raising concerns about koala protection,” she said.

“We are committed to working with the community to improve koala safety in important habitat corridors by highlighting the risk of vehicle strikes.

“This new signage would be designed to raise awareness of the seasonally increased risks for motorists during the breeding season as koalas search for a mate.”

While the current koala population in Ballarat and Moorabool is unclear, data is being collated by the CSIRO's National Koala Monitoring Program to estimate the koala population in the region.  

While wildlife rescuers do their best to help injured wildlife, many koalas are killed as a result of being hit by a vehicle.  

If you come across a sick, injured or dead koala, you can contact Wildlife Victoria on 8400 7300 or follow guidance from the Australian Koala Foundation.  

The signage trial aligns with Action 25 of the Ballarat Biodiversity Strategy - Healing Country Together - Investigate avenues to minimise the effect of domestic pets and human interactions on local wildlife and support local wildlife carers in their efforts.

Working in partnership with the Australian Koala Foundation, the City of Ballarat also has a Koala Plan of Management for Ballarat which includes a control locally known as the Environmental Significance Overlay (ESO5) - Koala and Koala Protection Overlay in the Ballarat Planning Scheme, aimed at safeguarding the long-term survival of the koala.