8 NATIVE TREES YOU CAN PLANT TO HELP KOALAS IN THE NORTHERN RIVERS

Add your voice to save our trees and our future.

Did you know the daily schedule of a koala centres around two main events? Sleeping and eating! Both activities have a common need - the right kind of tree.

Koalas are record holders when it comes to sleeping, but spending up to 18 hours a day dozing doesn’t require just any kind of tree to perch on. Adult male koalas can weigh up to 14kg, so branches need to be sturdy enough to comfortably hold their weight and close enough to food, so they need only leap across when foraging. In saying that, of the 800 native species of eucalypt trees found in Australia, less than 50 are included in a koalas diet. These fussy eaters can feed on up to 1kg of eucalyptus leaves in 24 hours, so finding enough food to forage on can be tricky when you’re that picky. 

The destruction of koalas’ homes is a major contributor to koalas being uplisted to Endangered on Australia’s east coast. Planting native trees is essential to help bring them back from the brink, so if you live near koalas, you can help! From growing a single tree in your backyard, to scattering seeds and building a new home for wildlife on your property, you can make a difference for koalas.

Here are eight native trees you can plant to help koalas in the Northern Rivers region. If you live elsewhere, ask your local tree nursery for species suitable to your local habitat:

Primary koala food and habitat trees in the Northern Rivers:

Forest red gum (Eucalyptus tereticornis)

Tallowwood (Eucalyptus microcorys)

Swamp mahogany (Eucalyptus robusta)

Secondary koala food and habitat trees in the Northern Rivers:

Narrow-leaved red gum (Eucalyptus seeana)  

Grey gum (Eucalyptus biturbinata)

Grey box (Eucalyptus moluccana)

Yellow box (Eucalyptus melliodora)

Craven grey box (Eucalyptus largeana)

Northern Rivers residents can find these trees at nurseries such as the Eastern Forest Nursery and Friends of the Koala. If you live elsewhere, look up your local nursery to find trees to plant for koalas around your area.

Want to do more to help koalas? Here’s how you can get involved:

Our well-being. Our communities. Our wildlife. Our planet. We all need trees to survive. Please add your voice to save our trees and our future.