Ian will bring decades of knowledge about koalas, habitat and other wildlife issues to MidCoast Council Koala Reference Group, which will provide input to the development of a Koala Plan of Management that will highlight key projects in priority koala habitat areas of the MidCoast, under the NSW Koala Strategy.

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Comprising Council and state officials, conservation bodies, environment experts and local representatives, the reference group will hold its first meeting in Taree on 5 June.

Ian and his wife Gail have been well-known for many years as coordinators of the Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens koala surveys and rescues.

Ian has held several official positions in the Myall Koala and Environment Group (MKEG).

He recently stepped down as Secretary but retains an active role in the group as vice-president.

“Ian has been a role model for us all,” said MKEG’s current president, Richard Streamer.

“He has been a tireless and very effective voice for nature conservation in our area and he will take all this experience to the reference group, so our local interests will also be well represented.”

Ian’s experience and knowledge about koalas, habitat and other wildlife issues gained over his twenty years with MKEG will be invaluable.

Ian and Gail set up the Koala Hotline and kept records over twenty years of koala sightings on the Myall Coast, which are vital in understanding koala population trends as well as key koala locations and movements.

Ian also wrote many submissions to MidCoast Council on behalf of the group about environmental and development issues to local, state and federal governments.

He also organised the Wildside Festival for MKEG, drove the placement of koala signage around town, the speed signage on the Hawks Nest side of the bridge and the road paintings of koalas.

By Adrienne INGRAM