That is the focus of the newly released documentary “The Koalas” from director Gregory Miller and producer Georgia Wallace-Crabbe.

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On Sunday, 29 September, Scotty’s Cinema at Raymond Terrace hosted a special screening of the film, organised by the Koala Koalition, a branch of the Port Stephens EcoNetwork.

Those in attendance were alerted to the plight facing Australia’s iconic marsupial, whose status in NSW, Queensland and the ACT was officially upgraded to endangered in 2022.

The documentary was filmed over the course of a year and intersperses interviews featuring numerous experts on Australia’s environmental issues, with footage of a number of specific koalas during their veterinary care, recovery and, for some, release back into their dwindling natural habitat.

It is the continuing loss of habitat due to property development and tree-harvesting for timber industries that is highlighted as the chief cause of the declining population along Australia’s east coast.

Some scenes presented in the film portray the confronting and heartbreaking devastation left after developers clear known koala habitat.

The filmmakers argue that legislative protections do not go far enough, and are not being adequately enforced.

As habitat is reduced, koalas are forced into areas where they are placed in danger from cars, predators or starvation.

One particularly upsetting sequence recounts an incident that occurred in 2021, when the harvesting of a plantation area at Cape Bridgewater was conducted without relocating the koalas living there.

At least 70 koalas were killed in this event, and while those responsible faced 250 charges of animal cruelty, the end result was a fine that amounted to little more than a slap on the wrist.

The experts interviewed agree that without significant changes to legislation and government bodies willing to ardently enforce stricter environmental protections, Australia will lose its most vulnerable and gentle native species.

Following the screening, Caitlin Spiller of the Koala Koalition hosted a panel discussion, inviting newly elected Port Stephens Mayor Leah Anderson, James Ryan, a lawyer with extensive experience in advocating for the environment, and Sharon Egan, who represented Port Stephens Koala Hospital.

While acknowledging the dire situation faced by koalas and groups dedicated to their protection, the panel emphasised that there is hope, so long as ordinary people grow in awareness and vigilance.

Ms Anderson acknowledged that, historically, Port Stephens Council has perhaps been more focused on development that has not adequately accounted for conservation, but pledged that will not be the case as she commences her term as Mayor.

“One thing that you can do as residents of Port Stephens is hold your Council members to account,” she said.

James Ryan highlighted the difficulty faced when developers appeal to the Land and Environment Court against a local council decision.

“Often these big corporations with deep pockets want to bring the matter to court and councils are unwilling to pursue the matter because they might be perceived by residents as wasting council money and resources” Mr Ryan said.

“One of the ways we can help is simply to get behind our councils when they have the opportunity to fight these matters.”

Sharon Egan gave the crowd some encouraging facts, pointing out that when action is taken it is possible to track the benefits.

“Since the development along Port Stephens Drive (along Taylor’s Beach) installed fences… and created passages beneath the road… we have not recorded any koala accidents [there].”

“We have the chance to make a real difference and turn this around if we are willing to put in the effort.”

By Lindsay HALL