Alongside the Total Environment Centre and the Sydney Basin Koala Network called for independent oversight of Transport NSW’s Koala management practices which are consistently falling short of their own published standards, contributing to record Koala road deaths in South West Sydney. 

Jeff Angel, Director of the Total Environment Centre said: ‘’The Department says it is genuinely concerned about Koalas but it appears to us to be a strategy of tokenism carried out in an incompetent manner. Just today, a so-called protection fence along Picton Road was revealed to be falling down. Killing Koalas, for them, is a cost of doing business.  They clearly have a conflict of interest and in such a situation, you need external and expert independent oversight that reports publicly.’’    

This koala, hit on Picton Road, is one of the 50 koala deaths in South West Sydney, Source: Help Save the Wildlife and Bushlands in Campbelltown.

Stephanie Carrick, Project Manager of the Sydney Basin Koala Network said: ‘’Since Jan 1 2024 50 koalas have been killed on the roads of South West Sydney, with state roads such as Appin Road (21), Heathcote Road (11), Hume Highway (3) and Picton Road (2) responsible for the majority of these deaths, risking sending this vital disease free population into decline (Bionet 2024). This is well over double the numbers in 2022.’’

The situation is substantially worse for Koalas since the Minns Government took office, and they must implement the original advice of the Chief Scientist report (2020) to save this vital population.

The failing $1 million dollar fence that has been broken for too long, Source: Help Save the Wildlife and Bushlands in Campbelltown.

Key failings of Transport NSW during this time include:

• A cluster of five Koala deaths at Holsworthy on Heathcote Road this year (Bionet 2024), created by roadworks in the area (there were zero deaths at this spot the year prior).
• Koala road strikes have tripled (Bionet 2024) in the area where the Appin Road upgrade is taking place (1 to 3) with many more reports of Koalas being displaced and trapped on the road by poorly implemented fencing. 
• Deadmans Creek project on Heathcote Road falling short, with issues including inadequate crossings and open fence end.
• The Picton Road upgrade has no additional connectivity provisions for Koalas, despite clear evidence of Koalas on either side of the upgrade area. 
• Ongoing fence maintenance issues on Picton Road resulting in Koala deaths despite claims this area is fixed.
• The lack of provision for an underpass at Mallaty Creek in Campbelltown, despite this being identified as the most direct Koala corridor from the Nepean to Georges Rivers and the only corridor with a direct link to the Dharawal National Park. 

Mallaty Corridor (circled in red) is mapped as a Cumberland Biodiversity Corridor of Regional Significance and there are Koala Sightings and road strikes clustered where this corridor crosses Appin Road

The Minns government is notably continuing with the previous Liberal Planning Minister’s (Anthony Roberts) appalling developer plan to cut off Mallaty Creek in Campbelltown (the most direct Koala corridor from the Nepean to Georges Rivers, and Dharawal National Park).

Campbelltown Council this week voted unanimously to write the State Government to reverse this decision, as Mallaty is a key migratory corridor identified in Campbelltown’s Koala Plan of Management, they will also call for lowering the speed limit on Appin Road which has been consistently ignored by Transport for NSW despite calls from advocacy groups across NSW calling for this over a year ago.