Calls for Change After Koala Hit on Rural Road in Victoria
A recent incident involving a driver hitting a koala in Victoria has prompted wildlife advocates to call for reduced speed limits and better protections for vulnerable wildlife on rural roads.
A driver's act on a notorious rural road in Victoria, described by wildlife rescuer Jessica Robertson as "despicable", has renewed calls for change from exhausted rescuers and horrified locals.
A man and his child were travelling in their car when they spotted a black Toyota Landcruiser heading in the opposite direction, which slammed into a young female koala trying to reach bushland. According to Robertson, the witnesses were taken aback when the driver failed to stop and check on the injured animal.
"The witnesses said it could have been intentional because the car didn't even slow down and it was broad daylight," Robertson stated. "The koala was severely smashed — it made a horrible sound, and the koala flew metres into the air, so he knew it was there and just kept driving. It's inconceivable that someone could do that."
Robertson found the young animal's body just 20 metres away from a koala crossing sign she had installed to warn drivers to slow down. Yankee Flat Road, where the incident occurred, is a collision hotspot located near a plantation housing a significant portion of the local koala population.
Frustrated by the ongoing fatalities, Robertson urged the City of Ballarat to lower the speed limit on these roads to 60km/h and to install cameras. Currently, the speed limit is 80 km/h, yet cars frequently travel at 100 km/h.
"It may seem like a one-off, but this has been going on a long time," she explained, noting the declining habitat for koalas. "All it takes is a few mongrels and we wipe out a population. Unless these mongrels can be held to account, the problem will continue."
While Ballarat announced it would install signs to caution motorists to look out for koalas during mating season, Robertson claimed the signs are ineffective. "The signs aren't helping because the thing that really needs to change is the speed limits," she insisted.
Bridget Wetherall, City of Ballarat Director of Infrastructure and Environment, confirmed that roadside signage was installed on Gear Avenue and Yankee Flat Road, and they are planning to collaborate with Ballarat Wildlife Rehabilitation & Conservation on virtual fencing designed to prevent animals from venturing onto roads.
Koalas face significant challenges, including habitat loss and disease, with their numbers declining. In Victoria, Robertson noted there are individuals who regard wildlife as nuisances: "There are some people who have no respect for them."
The Victorian government estimates approximately 459,865 koalas are located throughout the state, though they are not designated as endangered like their counterparts in NSW, Queensland, and ACT due to differing protections under federal law.
