Be-leaf us, everyone will love the city’s first Koala Food Forest

Image: Students from Koonawarra Primary School helped Wollongong City Council and Symbio plant hundreds of eucalyptus trees.

We’re branching out our Urban Greening Strategy to look after a much-loved Australian marsupial – the koala.

Wollongong City Council has partnered with Symbio Wildlife Park to plant a new Koala Food Forest that will feed their growing family of koalas!

On Tuesday 17 October, students from Koonawarra Primary School joined Wollongong City Council and Symbio in planting around 700 specially selected local eucalyptus trees within Eleebana Reserve in Koonawarra.

It’s a long-term project as it will take roughly 18-24 months before leaves off the newly planted trees can be harvested. But, once the trees have established roots, the leaves will be harvested regularly to feed the koalas that live at Symbio.

In the event of large-scale natural disasters, such as the 2019-20 bushfires, leaves from this Koala Food Forest can be used as an emergency food source for koalas in emergency care.

Image: Greg Fikkers [Left], Natural Areas Coordinator at Wollongong City Council, demonstrates how to plant a tree.

Wollongong City Lord Mayor Councillor Gordon Bradbery AM said that the students’ hard work planting the new forest would fill many hungry koala bellies.

“It’s not every day we get to launch a project that helps care of one of Australia’s national symbols,’’ Cr Bradbery said.

“It’s fantastic that we’re able to use our open spaces and the staff’s knowledge and expertise to grow much-need eucalyptus trees that will feed the local koalas at Symbio and provide shade and oxygen for the local community.”

The new Koala Food Forest in Koonawarra was planted with a variety of specially selected local eucalyptus species. Symbio’s staff selected these species as they offer the tastiest leaves for koala tastebuds.

Once the trees have been established in the first 18-24 months, Symbio will sustainably harvest 25 to 100 small branches (around a ute-load) every few weeks, depending on growth rate.

Image: Meet the koala family who live at Symbio Wildlife Park.

Symbio Wildlife Park Managing Director Matt Radnidge said:

"Sustainable koala plantations are critical to the long-term preservation of our most iconic species, the Koala. We thank Wollongong City Council, and Wild Conservation for their support and partnership in helping create the first public space koala feed forest in our region."

The extra trees will provide more shade, help cool the area, restore local biodiversity and absorb harmful emissions. It is estimated that each mature tree planted on this site will offset 21 kgs of CO2 per year.

“We’re pleased to be able to work with Symbio to grow a Koala Food Forest here in the City of Wollongong. It’s this kind of collaboration and innovation that we need to embrace if we’re going to protect Australia’s vulnerable species into the future,” Cr Bradbery said.

“Wollongong City Council is committed to greening our suburbs as we know that it will help build more climate resilient communities. Trees are one of the best tools at our disposal to cool our suburbs, they also provide habitats for native flora and fauna, and help reduce greenhouse gas emissions.”

This project is proudly supported by Wild Conservation.

Wollongong City Council isn’t only planting trees for koalas. Wollongong Local Government Area (LGA) residents can request Council to plant a street tree on the public verge in front of their home.

The Adopt A Tree program is free and you can apply for a tree online today. All you have to do is promise to take care of your new tree by giving it plenty of water while it settles in so that it has the best chance to thrive.