VOLUNTEERS on the Myall Koala and Environment Group (MKEG) stall at this year’s Seniors Expo in Hawks Nest got a pleasant surprise with an unexpected koala sighting locally.

MKEG was using the stall to promote their environmental work, raise funds and give away koala food tree seedlings.

“It’s a great way to engage with people who might care about our environment, but don’t know how to help,” says volunteer Adrienne Ingram.

“We always get new members, but this year a resident from Bundabah dropped by to tell us about a koala he’d seen along Pindimar Road.

“We urge people to report whenever they see a koala as it helps us and researchers track how koalas are doing,” she added.

MKEG Secretary Ian Morphett says koala sightings are becoming less common, especially in their traditional habitats in Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens.

“That’s why it’s important everyone contacts us whenever they see a koala, whether it’s in town or elsewhere in our area,” he said.

“Koalas can be a measure of the health of the environment, especially when it is under threat from things like land clearing, traffic, dog attacks and global heating.

“We all need to do our bit now and for future generations,” Ian added.