Australia building Koala exclusion fences on the Pacific Highway
The Australian and NSW governments are jointly funding the Aus $4.36 billion Woolgoolga to Ballina Pacific Highway upgrade. Roads and Maritime Services Pacific Highway Office and Pacific Complete are working together to deliver the project.
As part of the project, they are building permanent koala exclusion fences in a number of key locations near Wardell. The map below shows the locations for the fencing.
The koala exclusion fences are being delivered in line with the Conditions of Approval for the Woolgoolga to Ballina upgrade, as part of the project’s Koala Management Plan.
A community information session was held with individual residents and stakeholders offering feedback to help inform the design and location of koala exclusion fences that share boundaries with private properties. The project team thanked landowners and stakeholders for their input and support and will continue to work closely with landowners to minimise impact and inconvenience while the fences are being installed.
The work started in May, and it will take about four months to complete. Activities include:
- Removing isolated pockets of vegetation along Wardell Road and the existing Pacific Highway.
- Establishing work areas at each fence location.
- Installing environmental controls.
- Removing existing fences as agreed with landowners.
- Installing koala exclusion fences.
- Installing koala grids at identified locations.
- Reinstating work areas as agreed with landowners and stakeholders.
All work for the upgrade is carried out in alignment with the project’s Construction Environmental Management Plan (CEMP) which is approved by the Department of Planning and Environment. The CEMP has strict conditions about managing the project’s construction impact on the environment.
Work will be carried out on both sides of Wardell Road, from Lumleys Lane to the project boundary (between Hillside and Thurgates lanes). The koala exclusion fence will be about four kilometres long, with grids installed at driveways as arranged with landowners and at the Thurgates Lane intersection.
Koala exclusion fences will also be built along the existing Pacific Highway, from Carlisle Street, Wardell, north to Coolgardie. The fence will be about 5.5 kilometres long, and will be located within the Pacific Highway road reserve.
