ENVIRONMENTALISTS are hoping that 60 wildlife ladders will help to prevent koala deaths on the Pacific Highway in the Myall area.

The timber ladders have been built over tall fences erected on a large pastoral property on the eastern side of the highway near Nerong.

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They enable koalas to move between bushland on the eastern side to the National Park on the western side of the highway.

Previously koalas were being trapped behind the fence or forced back onto the highway.

In 2019, the Myall Koala and Environment Group (MKEG) began to hear of koalas being killed on the highway near Nerong, after properties there changed hands and fences were built around a forested area.

Around 8-10 koalas were reportedly killed over the following 18 months on the highway beside the property.

MKEG Secretary Ian Morphett said the group approached a representative of the landowner to ask that they install inexpensive koala ladders at various points along his fencing to enable koalas to climb over them and connect with an existing corridor of bushland.

A koala ladder consists of pine poles erected either side of a fence with a short piece of timber across the top.

“The landowner agreed to our request and there are now 60 ladders along the fencing,” Mr Morphett said.