Cold Country Koalas

Learn all about koalas with Dr Sally Miller, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment & Water (DCCEEW) and NSW Koala Strategy - Southern Tablelands and Kirrily Gould, South East Local Land Services. Hear how to find them and how to protect and restore their habitat across our local Queanbeyan-Palerang and Southern Tablelands region! It will feature an introduction to looking for koalas for research and pleasure. Our special guest speakers will discuss the several different techniques employed by researchers and landholders, and what they have found out about the koalas in Southern NSW by using these techniques. This will include an introduction to their citizen science program, Koala Karaoke, as well as learning all about the field equipment researchers use for koala surveys, including audio recorders, drones and thermal night surveys. Come along to learn more about our local Cold Country Koalas! Dr Sally Miller Sally completed her PhD on koalas about 20 years ago on koalas in a timber production forest near Coff Harbour. The species wormed their way into her heart and she's been passionate about them ever since. She's worked with National Parks and Wildlife Service and Saving our Species, but moved into the Koala Strategy team and has represented the Southern Tablelands region for over 5 years. This includes working in partnership with South East Local Land Services and Kirrily Gould. They collaborated with Upper Murrumbidgee and Upper Snowy Landcare in a 4-way partnership on the Cold Country Koalas Project, which recognizes the extensive work undertaken prior to the start of the current NSW Koala Strategy. Kirrily Gould Following the 2020 bushfires, Kirrily worked on a Local Land Services Koala habitat and bushfire recovery project. This work led to the regional Partnership being formed with the NSW Koala Strategy. Over the years Kirrily has enjoyed working in the Partnership with Landcare, and showing landholders how to look for signs of koalas, as well as carrying out habitat restoration projects. As a trained drone pilot, Kirrily brings the skills and equipment used for population mapping and koala drone surveys. Cost: FREE