Council was represented in a workshop held earlier this month organised by ecologist Wendy Hawes, with researchers from the Office of Environment and Heritage, the University of New England, representatives from Local Land Services, National Parks and Wildlife, and Landcare attending.

The aim of the workshop was to collate information about koala populations and movements to assist in the development of the Northern Tablelands Recover Strategy 2015-2025 for the vulnerable species.

Council has been playing an important role in monitoring koalas and their habitat since 2009. 

Community members are actively participating in registering koala sightings through Council’s online sightings register. 

Since its inception, 265 koala sightings have been registered of those, 34 were in 2015.

Council’s Civic and Recreation Services senior officer Richard Morsley said attendees at the workshop were impressed with Council’s online koala register.

“Attendees were interested in utilising the experience Council has gained in engaging the community to provide information to develop similar approaches for data collection in other areas,” Mr Morsley said.

“The register on our website is very simple to use. 

“The Armidale community have embraced the online register and must be thanked for their commitment to the preservation of koalas in our region.”

View the sightings on the register at www.armidale.nsw.com.au under the menu “Environment”.