Our latest analysis of Koala data in South West Sydney shows at least 207 Koalas have been struck by vehicles since Jan 1st 2021. And according to road kill data, Appin Road in South West Sydney is by far Sydney's most deadliest road for Koalas, with deaths from vehicle strikes growing year on year. Appin Road begins in Campbelltown, then heads south via Appin township, ending on the outskirts of Wollongong.

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Image: Location of all koalas hit by cars on Appin Road since 1st Jan 2021 

As stated most recently by NSW Roads Minister in Parliament “Kangaroos and wombats are the most reported species involved in animal strikes across New South Wales, but Koalas are the most impacted threatened species.” 25 September, 2024. 
Yet despite this known impact, housing development continues in South West Sydney at an excessive rate in the habitat of NSW's most healthy population of koalas pushing them onto Appin Road, both at the north end around Gilead, and the south around Appin Valley.

Despite expert advice given to the Minister for Roads by Koala ecologists that overpasses must be constructed BEFORE development began, no measures have been put in place to enable Koalas to safely cross the road, which they do so predictably via mapped habitat corridors each year.  And as foreshadowed by this advice, Koala deaths have continued to rise on Appin Road, with data downloaded on October 16th from the NSW Bionet database showing road deaths in 2024 have already exceeded the full year before with nearly a doubling of numbers since 2022. In total 46 koalas have been killed on Appin Road since January 1st 2022. 

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Image: Koala Deaths on Appin Road up to October 16th 2024 already exceeds 2023 total (2022 -11, 2023 -16, Oct 16 2024 -19)

The latest development is the widening of Appin Road around the Fig Tree Hill estate in Gilead which has required the further loss of hundreds of old growth Koala trees. There is currently no safe way for Koalas to cross road despite being displaced. 

The execution of the road widening on Appin Road has shown how poorly implemented fencing can lead to disaster. Despite fencing being erected, Koalas continue to access the road due to gaps under fencing, poorly secured gates, fence end issues and no alternative for crossing the road, leading to fatalities. There are ongoing issues with the fencing being blown over in high winds. Koalas can still get onto the road and are being trapped on the roadside and several koalas have been struck by cars or trapped on the road during this phase of construction (NSW Bionet 2024).

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What is most distressing is that deaths across hotspots on Appin Road could have been prevented had the advice of Koala ecologists Biolink, given to Campbelltown Council in early 2018, been followed. In it they called for a minimum of three overpasses located in Campbelltown LGA at Noorumba Reserve, Beulah, and Mallaty Creek, which is exactly where the majority of Koalas on Appin Road in Campbelltown LGA have now been hit. Promised yet underlivered wildlife crossings in Appin are also non-exsistent while developments, such as Appin Grove and Appin Precinct are pushed through and displace Koalas.

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Image: Overpasses recommended at Noorumba, Beulah, and Mallaty Creek in 2018.

The failure to implement these expert recommendations has seen a level of road kill that is far beyond the threshold before declines are expected, and places an endangered Koala population at serious risk. We strongly urge the NSW Roads Minister and Transport NSW to take immediate action by:

  • Reducing the speed limit on Appin Road until promised underpasses are built. 
  • Committing to the additional underpass at Mallaty Creek as a matter of urgency.
  • Delaying further development until safe crossings for Koalas are implemented.

You can help by signing our petition to Save Mallaty Creek and by emailing NSW Roads Minister John Graham at [email protected] asking for a speed limit reduction and an additional overpass at Mallaty Creek.