Koala Relocation Disaster: NSW Government Ignored Experts' Warnings

In a concerning incident, the New South Wales government has been accused of disregarding expert advice and proceeding with a failed koala reintroduction project that led to the deaths of more than half the animals involved.

According to internal documents obtained by the media, an expert scientific panel had advised the state's environment department against moving endangered koalas from a forest near Wollongong to the South East Forest national park near Bega, a five-hour drive away. The panel had recommended conducting captive feeding trials to ensure the koalas' survival in the new habitat, but the department rejected this advice.

Tragically, 8 of the 13 koalas moved in March 2025 died over the following two months. Postmortems revealed the animals were malnourished and emaciated, suggesting they were unable to adapt to the new environment. The department initially claimed only 3 koalas had died, but the documents show the true toll was much higher.

The NSW Greens' environment spokesperson, Sue Higginson, has described the department's actions as a "reckless indifference to the welfare and fate of the individual animals." She has referred the matter to the RSPCA for a potential investigation into animal cruelty.

The failed koala translocation project was part of the state's conservation strategy for the endangered species. However, the documents indicate the department was more focused on meeting a target of eight koala translocation projects than on ensuring the animals' wellbeing.