Tatham Koala Fence Project

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The Tatham Koala Exclusion Fence is designed to reduce the number of koala deaths and injury, on the corner of Tatham Road and Bruxner Highway, Tatham. This area was identified as a blackspot in the Wildlife Roadkill Mitigation Report 2019. Lismore City Council has received funding from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to deliver this project for the community.

Feedback Provided

The project team have been discussing with landowners, neighbouring properties and specified stakeholders to complete the final design of the fence.

A letter was sent to landowners/residents on properties that the koala fence will be constructed on, to provide feedback and invite further discussion to ensure the success of this project for the Tatham community.

If you are a landowner or resident in this group who would still like further information or to provide feedback, please contact Jack Herington via council@lismore.nsw.gov.au

As the consultation has now finalised for this project, project updates will be posted moving forward on the 'Current Projects' webpage, on the Council website: https://www.lismore.nsw.gov.au/Council/Projects/Current-projects-1/Tatham-Koala-Fence-Project

Project Details

Lismore City Council plans to construct a koala exclusion fence along a section of the Bruxner Highway at South Gundarimba on the corner of Tatham Road, approximately 12 km west of Lismore.

The works will involve the installation of the following key components:

• 1.7km of fencing along both sides of the Bruxner Highway, including Tatham Road intersection

• 1.5km of fencing along Bruxner Highway, commencing at the Pelican Creek Bridge and including the intersection and 120m of Tatham Road.

• Safe crossing point under Pelican Creek Bridge

• Koala grids (similar to cattle grid) across three driveways

• Koala connectivity structures (fence crossing poles and escape structures)

A map of the location will be shared upon completion of the 90% design.

The feasibility of constructing an additional underpass at the western end of the fence is currently being investigated. This will facilitate the safe passage of koalas across the highway and help to mitigate the fragmentation effects to local koala populations caused by the fence. This would involve the construction of either a box or round culvert.

Koala-proof fencing helps direct koalas away from major road traffic and funnel them towards safe crossing points. A number of one-way escape poles will also be installed to allow koalas that accidentally enter the road side to escape.

Project Stakeholders

The project has brought together a range of stakeholders and specialists from Lismore City Council, Friends of the Koala, Transport for NSW and NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to deliver this important project for conserving our local koala population.

Project Timeline

The Tatham Koala Fence Project has officially commenced, following the appointment of Ecoteam, a local engineering and project management firm. Further updates on the project, will be shared moving forward on the 'Current Projects' webpage, on the Council website: https://www.lismore.nsw.gov.au/Council/Projects/Current-projects-1/Tatham-Koala-Fence-Project

The Tatham Koala Exclusion Fence is designed to reduce the number of koala deaths and injury, on the corner of Tatham Road and Bruxner Highway, Tatham. This area was identified as a blackspot in the Wildlife Roadkill Mitigation Report 2019. Lismore City Council has received funding from the NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to deliver this project for the community.

Feedback Provided

The project team have been discussing with landowners, neighbouring properties and specified stakeholders to complete the final design of the fence.

A letter was sent to landowners/residents on properties that the koala fence will be constructed on, to provide feedback and invite further discussion to ensure the success of this project for the Tatham community.

If you are a landowner or resident in this group who would still like further information or to provide feedback, please contact Jack Herington via council@lismore.nsw.gov.au

As the consultation has now finalised for this project, project updates will be posted moving forward on the 'Current Projects' webpage, on the Council website: https://www.lismore.nsw.gov.au/Council/Projects/Current-projects-1/Tatham-Koala-Fence-Project

Project Details

Lismore City Council plans to construct a koala exclusion fence along a section of the Bruxner Highway at South Gundarimba on the corner of Tatham Road, approximately 12 km west of Lismore.

The works will involve the installation of the following key components:

• 1.7km of fencing along both sides of the Bruxner Highway, including Tatham Road intersection

• 1.5km of fencing along Bruxner Highway, commencing at the Pelican Creek Bridge and including the intersection and 120m of Tatham Road.

• Safe crossing point under Pelican Creek Bridge

• Koala grids (similar to cattle grid) across three driveways

• Koala connectivity structures (fence crossing poles and escape structures)

A map of the location will be shared upon completion of the 90% design.

The feasibility of constructing an additional underpass at the western end of the fence is currently being investigated. This will facilitate the safe passage of koalas across the highway and help to mitigate the fragmentation effects to local koala populations caused by the fence. This would involve the construction of either a box or round culvert.

Koala-proof fencing helps direct koalas away from major road traffic and funnel them towards safe crossing points. A number of one-way escape poles will also be installed to allow koalas that accidentally enter the road side to escape.

Project Stakeholders

The project has brought together a range of stakeholders and specialists from Lismore City Council, Friends of the Koala, Transport for NSW and NSW Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment and Water (DCCEEW) to deliver this important project for conserving our local koala population.

Project Timeline

The Tatham Koala Fence Project has officially commenced, following the appointment of Ecoteam, a local engineering and project management firm. Further updates on the project, will be shared moving forward on the 'Current Projects' webpage, on the Council website: https://www.lismore.nsw.gov.au/Council/Projects/Current-projects-1/Tatham-Koala-Fence-Project

  • August 2024 - Project Update

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    This project has been on hold following the 2022 natural disaster. The recovery of this flooding event has caused further delays due to project management constraints and availability, with Council now advertising for external project managers who can urgently take on this project. The announcement of a new project manager is expected to be made in September 2024, with an update on the scope and timeline of the project.

    Council has been conversing with Friends of The Koala and Transport for NSW to lower the speed limit for this section of road, to reduce koala strikes.

    Council is committed to the completion of this project, and are putting measures in place to minimise any future delays in conjunction with project partners.

Page last updated: 05 Nov 2024, 09:46 AM