Thursday, November 7, 2024

Gold Coast to mitigate wildlife collisions

New mitigation measures will be launched by City of Gold Coast Council after latest data revealed the extent of wildlife-vehicle collisions on roads in the region.

Council says the new report identified a high density of collision hotspots between koalas and vehicles concentrated along several key roads within Currumbin Waters and Currumbin Valley, Elanora, Tallebudgera and Burleigh Heads areas.  

Major roads within the northern suburbs also pose a risk to wildlife, with further hotspots in Parkwood, Arundel, Coombabah as well as Helensvale.

Mayor Tom Tate said most collision hotspot roads would require a suite of mitigation measures to change both driver and wildlife behaviour. 

“We currently undertake a range of measures to reduce strikes such as fauna exclusion fencing, fauna underpasses, static wildlife signage, koala speed awareness devices, variable messaging signs as well as community education and awareness messaging,” he said.

“We will build on what we already do to hopefully reduce wildlife fatalities on City-controlled roads.  

“The City will also explore a feasibility trial of a koala crossing at Napper Road.

“We will continue to analyse and assess the best ways to prevent wildlife-vehicle collisions on the Gold Coast and work with State Government on how best to manage these instances on State-controlled roads.”

More than 13,000 records of wildlife-vehicle collisions (all native species) have been reported on Gold Coast roads in the last decade.

Koalas make up 12.5% of these records, with 1,625 animals being hit by a car on Gold Coast roads from 2010-2020.

New mitigation measures to be explored by City of Gold Coast Council include:

  • Additional signage (static as well as vehicle activated);
  • New fauna fencing;
  • Modifying existing fencing;
  • Installing fauna culverts;
  • Retrofitting existing culverts with fauna furniture;
  • Vegetation management;
  • Vehicle calming devices such as speed humps, rumble strips and chicanes);
  • Koala grids (to restrict access to roads);
  • Koala ladders (to enable escape from roads).

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