Koala poles have been installed along a notorious stretch of Gold Coast road after years of community calls for better wildlife protection.
Five purpose-built koala escape poles will be installed along Tallebudgera Connection Rd to give the animals a passage to move away from the busy roads and into nearby bushland.
Wildlife representatives and locals have been pleading for improved safety measures in the koala habitat zone for years.
In November 2022, research koala Hernando Halfpenny, who was returned to the wild from Currumbin Wildlife Hospital so he could breed, was hit by a car and killed along a stretch Tallebudgera Connection Rd known as ‘devil’s elbow’.
The transport department trialled lowering the speed limit from 60km/h to 50km/h along the 2.7km stretch, from Valley Drive to Currumbin Creek Rd, during daylight hours when koalas were most active.
They also installed new warning signs and vehicle-activated flashing LED boards to remind drivers to slow down.
The state government said the initiative would better protect the marsupials and improve wildlife connectivity in one of the city’s key koala habitats.
The poles are an alternative to traditional koala ropes and ladders and were designed by Gold Coast-based company Habitec.
They were trialled at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary for a year and found to be effective in helping koalas safely escape busy road areas.
Currumbin MP Laura Gerber said the new project would help to protect the under-siege locals.
“The new escape poles will give koalas a safer way to move between habitats along
Tallebudgera Connection Rd, especially during breeding season from August to
April,” she said.
“Our community knows too well the risks koalas face on this busy corridor, following
the heartbreaking loss of Hernando in 2022.
“The Tallebudgera community has long called for stronger protections for native
wildlife along this stretch of road and we are delivering a practical solution.
“This investment will improve safety for both koalas and motorists and help protect
our native wildlife for generations to come.”
Currumbin Wildlife Hospital’s head of veterinary science Dr Michael Pyne said Tallebudgera Connection Rd was a hotspot for vehicles hitting koalas.
“This is the time of year when koalas are on the move, and we typically see more
koalas hit by cars as a result of the earlier evenings,” he said.
“We’re encouraging motorists to take extra care during the winter months,
particularly when travelling through key koala habitats like Tallebudgera Connection
Rd.”