The koala priority population monitoring program is an important long-term initiative focused on 20 priority koala populations identified in the NSW Koala Strategy. This program will enhance our understanding of long-term trends and changes in koala distributions at both regional and statewide levels.

The program began in 2023 and is designed to analyse patterns of koala occupancy and habitat suitability. It uses acoustic recorders to detect koala calls during the spring mating season and will assess environmental variables including soil and vegetation type, land usage and soil composition to understand patterns of occupancy.

Koala priority population monitoring areas have been chosen to provide insights into occupancy trends. These areas overlap with recognised regions of significance for koalas and represent the known geographic range of koalas in New South Wales. By focusing on stronghold populations, the program aims to detect meaningful changes in local koala populations.