Ballarat Koala Protection Project

Ngaambulmum is the local indigenous word for koala.

During September 2024, there were four Ngaambulmums (koala) rescued and came into care in a very short space of time. Of those four Ngaambulmums, one spent considerable time in intensive care, one has been released and the other two humanely euthanised.

Motorists need to change their driving attitudes: they should be telling themselves that there more than likely will be wildlife on or close to the road, and not, jeeeee I was surprised that I saw or hit wildlife. They should be expecting to encounter wildlife, and drive accordingly, slow down even just a bit.

Ngaambulmums (koala) in the Ballarat area are facing huge challenges due to habitat loss and fragmentation, and the danger that this brings to them, ie dog encounters and car strikes.

With our Ngaambulmums research project; of the 11 Ngaambulmums that came in for treatment during the past 12 months, we have only had 4 koalas that could be rehabilitated (and tracked), because the rest had to be humanely euthanised due to their injuries.

Ngaambulmums face an uphill battle due to the pressures put on them and their habitat, especially with increased need for housing.

Ngaambulmums need all the help we can give them, if they are to avoid being added to the extinction list.

We need to know if the virtual fencing will work in our environment for the benefit of the Ngaambulmums. There are constraints around the ‘best’ environment or situation for the virtual fencing, so we will need to evaluate the effectiveness of the product to determine if it is successful.

This is not just our problem (as a wildlife charity), this is everyone’s problem, the entire community. If you ‘expect’ to have Ngaambulmums as part of our future, and the future of your kids, then everyone needs to come together and help find a workable solution to help save the Ngaambulmums, and we need to do that now, because time is running out.

We are excited to be collaborating with Max and the Wadawurrung – together each organisation will bring knowledge to the table and be able to share this and hopefully see an important outcome for this project.

We are grateful to Georgie Purcell and the AJP for the invitation to submit a Ngaambulmums protection proposal and to the state government for funding it.