Pre-Construction Work on Section 10 of the Pacific Highway Is Well Under Way and for Us

Pre-construction work on Section 10 of the Pacific Highway is well under way and for us involvesengaging with RMS and Pacific Complete in aconstantly-improving process to try to achieve Koala Zero Harm. So far the following have occurred:

• The speed on Bagotville Road has been reduced to 80 km, andWatch Out Koalas Aboutsigns continue to operate. There will also be further temporary speed reductions in some areas during construction.The use of six permanent vehicle-activated koala speed signs with flashing lights has been approved to support speed reduction in these areas.
• A50km speed zone was applied for all RMS, Pacific Complete and their contractors’ vehicles in the area to reduce dust. Any breaches over the 50km/hr limit will have to be explained and justified by the driver. In addition, Pacific Complete will encourage changes to driver behaviour to ensure that if dust is still being raised over 1 m that drivers slow down further.

• Koala Zero Harm trainingcontinues to be rolled out for all staff, contractors and sub-contractors, with over 2000now inducted. This seems to be working as already a koala on the Pacific Highway between Woodburn and Broadwater reported by a member of the public to Maria Mathes had been sighted by workers and was dealt with appropriately. However, this occurred because a gate at a National Parks and Wildlife Service Road had been left open. Signs have already been ordered reminding people to keep gates shut and that koalas are in the area. All-in-all it was excellent to see the process in action and working well. The RMS has never stopped Highway traffic for a koala before sothis first was a demonstration of the induction working and contractors taking their responsibility to Zero Harm seriously.
• Koala food trees are being collared and ringbarked(phased resource reduction) prior to clearing, andmonitoring by Sandpiper Ecological commenced in March. As this is one of our major concerns with the approval of Section 10 we will be looking forward to regular updates.RMS are also undertaking a scat stress study in an effort to detect any adverse reactions by koalas to the collaring, ringbarking and clearing of trees, on and adjacent to the alignment. Dr Christine Hobbs of Sydney University will be heading up this project, and Jet, the koala detection dog, will be used in the tree clearing stage. This has led to some further work being undertaken, including the use of wildlife cameras, possibly expanding the monitoring area and effort, and an assessment of thetree resource available outside the alignment.
• Monitoring has also resulted in the identification of three sick koalas, two around Wardell Road and one at Law’s Point. On visiting the Law’s Point area another sick koala was located. Friends of the Koala has been rescuing, and will continue to rescue, these koalas. Pacific Complete is working with us to provide escorts and support into and out of the construction area.
• GMC Environmental Consulting Pty Ltd is responsible for the koala habitat revegetation.Site preparation has been completed for much of the first stage of the 130 ha of koala habitat revegetation. The areas have been slashed and marked out, planting has commenced in some of the areas, and overall the plants are doing well. There were minimal losses from the recent wet weather. Planting will be continuing over the next few months.
• The wild dog control program has begun, with remote cameras set up and dog tracking to monitor feral animal movements and determine the best place to locate traps. There has been great support from local landholders enabling the trapping to extend beyond the Highway alignment. Traps have been set where there is evidence of recent activity, and so far, one female dog and a fox have been trapped. Cameras and dog tracking have revealed a number of wild dogs in a couple of areas wheresome of Ballina’s koalas live.
• Temporary and permanent fencing of the existing Pacific Highway, Wardell Road and Old Bagotville Road has commenced with escape structures and gridsto stop koalas getting onto the roads. After voicing our concerns with the overall design, additional escape structures are planned, and cameras will be put on the grids to understand how they are affecting wildlife. There are still some outstanding issues around the local road fencing, such as removal of, and loss of access to, some koala food trees, the timing of connectivity structures, and how to improve the exit of animals from the escape structures.These will be discussed at the next Koala Interest Group meeting.

If you would like to know more or have any issues to raise at the next KIG, contact Maria on 0467 855 990.