In February 2020, the Queensland Government released new koala habitat mapping for South East Queensland to support implementation of amended koala conservation protections within the planning framework. This mapping replaces previous koala assessable development area mapping.
This new mapping comprises:
Koala priority areas - large, connected areas that will focus habitat protection, habitat restoration and threat mitigation to areas that have the highest likelihood of safeguarding koala populations in South East Queensland.
Koala habitat areas – the best quality koala habitat, based on modelling of biophysical measures, suitable vegetation (for food and shelter) and koala occurrence records, that are subject to new koala conservation protections in South East Queensland.
Koala districts map – establishes what requirements of the Nature Conservation (Koala) Conservation Plan 2017 apply to each area of Queensland.
The Queensland Government has also mapped koala habitat restoration areas which identify land that could be restored and established as koala habitat. These areas have low threats or constraints and high conservation opportunities. The restoration layer is a non-regulatory map.
