SKAT's inaugural Koalathon occurred on March 30 2025 in East Malvern. Over 50 people took part in the event, with $7,000 being raised. Donations to the Koalathon can still happen and the site will remain open for donations throughout April. We are hoping to raise up to $8,000. Thanks heaps to Anne Abbott and all the people who helped make the event a success. The Koalathon/Raisely site can be found here.
Half of the people involved in the SKAT koalathon yesterday. Kranky koala visited after living in South Gippsland over the past few months. Photo: David Abbott
SKAT's main organising collective after the Walkathon. Photo Yianni Banikos
SKAT intends to use the funds to continue our unique monitoring of koala habitat in South Gippsland. We also will use the funds to continue to pressure for our 3 main goals:
1. To maintain pressure on the Victorian State Government to keep their 2008 promise regarding the establishment of the 8,000 hectare Brataualung Forest Park along the ridges and rainforest catchments of the Strzelecki Ranges.
2. To establish an 18,000 hectare koala and glider reserve in Mullungdung State Forest
3. To get the Strzelecki koala listed under the Federal EPBC act. (Victorian legislation does not allow for protection of genetic diverse populations).
SKAT also maintains the Strzelecki Koala Map established through South Gippsland based ActionSkills.
Updates
The good news is that the Victorian State Government is close to announcing the reservation of 2,500 hectares of land in the Brataualung Forest Park. This will be added to the 2,400 hectares of the Park that was gazetted as Forest Park in 2018. We are expecting an announcement by June 30 at the latest. The land will include key rainforest catchments of Jeffrey Creek and the Jack River.
Also of interest will the the State Government's new report looking at the genetics of koalas throughout Victoria. This report should be published within the next couple of months and we are confident that it will confirm what we have been arguing for years that the Strzelecki koala is of the utmost importance for maintaining healthy genetics for Victorian and South Australian koala populations.
Anthony Amis also was given by a platform through 3CR's great 'Freedom of Species' show. You can hear the interview here.
Our Strzelecki Koala map is also being continually updated.
The sad map above highlights the key hotspots for koala road fatalities over the past few years. The key hotspot appears to be the Meeniyan area. The Friends of the Strzelecki Koala Facebook group is a means of local people reporting koala sightings including road fatalities. It is clear that road speeds need to be reduced in key areas to avoid koala fatalities.
The Koalathon/Raisely site can be found here.
SKAT meet online every two months or so. For more information contact [email protected]
Kranky giving a motivational 'rev up' before heading back to the FoE office for some down time. Photo by David Abbott.
SKAT's main organising team. Photo Yianni Banikos
Anda educating an interested punter. Photo Yianni Banikos
Anne congratulates a participant. Photo Yianni Banikos
Fish Creek juvenile. Photo Yianni Banikos