New research from the Central Queensland University shows that one third of the land covered by applications for new coal mining leases in QLD provides habitat for the endangered koala and identifies 42,500 hectares of koala habitat within the 123,000 hectares of proposed new coal mining leases in Central Queensland.
Read and download the report here
The research found that large areas of koala habitat are directly located on mining leases for some of the largest coal mine expansions now proposed in Queensland, including:
- An estimated 2,108 hectares of koala habitat on proposed mining leases for BMA’s Peak Downs Coal Mine Continuation.
- An estimated 2,026 hectares of koala habitat on proposed mining leases for BMA’s Saraji Coal mine expansions.
- An estimated 909 hectares of koala habitat on proposed mining leases for Whitehaven’s Winchester South Coal project
- An estimated 2,853 hectares of koala habitat on the Vulcan and Vulcan South coal mining lease.
Read and download the report here
Despite more than half of the Bowen Basin (58%) being cleared since colonisation, the region is home to almost one fifth of the estimated remaining koala population of QLD, making it extremely important for koala conservation.
The analysis shows how Central Queensland’s poorly understood yet already declining koala population is directly threatened by habitat loss from coal mines but is also facing severe threats from climate change, heat waves and droughts made worse due to the burning of fossil fuels like coal.
