Fencing can make a big difference to koalas being able to move safely through backyards and residential areas, according to the Gold Coast City Council.
Some fence designs can help them to get to where they need to go – help save koalas.
Other designs can trap them and leave them vulnerable to attack by domestic dogs, as well as restricting access to necessary food and shelter trees.
Use different types of fencing to:
- Help koalas move easily through areas where they will be safe – koala-friendly fencing or
- Keep them away from danger – koala exclusion fencing.
Gold Coast City Council suggests Koala friendly fence designs can:
Allow a koala an alternative route over the fence by:
- Planting or retaining trees or sturdy shrubs near the fence.
- Installation of timber posts or logs of at least 125mm diameter leaning against the top of the existing fence at an angle no greater than 60 degrees with the ground.
- Installation of koala bridge – timber logs of at least 125mm diameter on either side of the fence, connected between the two at the top with a shorter log so the koala can easily climb up one side and down the other (particularly good for barb wire topped security fences).
- Addition of a continuous series of flat boards at the top of the fence to allow a koala to walk along the fence without needing to come to the ground.
Allow a koala to climb over the fence by using:
- Posts with close horizontal rails that allow at least 20mm between rails or with open rails and closed vertical slats spaced at least 10 mm apart to allow room for koalas to grip.
- Fences made from materials that koalas can easily grip and climb, such as round timber posts or chain wire mesh.
Allow a koala to move under or through the fence by using:
- Posts and open horizontal rails with a gap of at least 300mm between rails.
- Solid fencing material that a koala is unable to climb but may pass under via a
- 300mm gap between the ground and the bottom of the fence.
Koala exclusion fences
Sometimes the best option is a fence that excludes koalas from entering your yard if you have dogs or need to keep koalas out of a dog confinement area.
Koala exclusion fences can be constructed using metal sheeting (such as smooth Colorbond steel) or rendered brick surfaces that do not provide grip for a koala to climb.
A strip of COLORBOND® steel or Perspex sheeting can be added to the top section of an existing fence to prevent a koala from climbing that side. The sheeting should be at least 900mm wide, with the top edge of the sheeting at least 1.5m above
ground level.
If you install koala exclusion fencing, it is vital to ensure the fence is at least 3m away from trees or sturdy shrubs from which a koala could jump to the fence top. A smooth metal tree guard can shield existing trees from koala access.
Remember that you only want to apply the exclusion features to the outside of the fence, ensuring a koala could easily climb out of the yard just in case it managed to find a way inside.