09/10/2026
Beyond sad. A reminder our calls for lower speed limits at these known hotspots in Sydney were dismissed by Transport for NSW
🐨💔 ANOTHER KOALA KILLED ON HEATHCOTE ROAD — HOW MANY MORE LIVES MUST BE LOST BEFORE SOMETHING IS DONE? 💔🐨
🚨 HEATHCOTE ROAD — INTERSECTION OF PLEASURE POINT ROAD 🚨
Early this morning, we received a call about a koala that had been hit and killed on Heathcote Road, near the intersection of Pleasure Point Road.
Ricardo attended the location and discovered the deceased koala lying in the long grass beside the road. Someone had already removed the koala from the roadway, but the bloodstain left on the road clearly indicated where this tragic incident had occurred.
Another koala has lost its life. Another preventable wildlife tragedy has occurred on a road where we have repeatedly raised concerns about the dangers facing our precious wildlife.
💔 HOW MANY MORE KOALAS HAVE TO DIE BEFORE TRANSPORT NSW TAKES THIS PROBLEM SERIOUSLY?
🐨 TRANSPORT NSW — WE NEED ANSWERS!
Transport NSW, you have a lot of explaining to do.
I have said it time and time again: if we are going to protect our wildlife, we need to do the job properly — not simply put a bit of fencing here and there and hope for the best.
Patchwork fencing is not a long-term solution to a problem that requires proper planning, a coordinated approach and a genuine commitment to protecting wildlife.
If we are serious about reducing koala deaths on our roads, then we need:
✅ Continuous wildlife fencing along the appropriate sections of Heathcote Road to prevent koalas from wandering onto the roadway.
✅ Properly designed and strategically located wildlife underpasses that allow koalas to move safely between bushland areas on both sides of the road.
✅ Effective wildlife exclusion fencing that guides koalas towards safe crossing points rather than leaving them stranded against barriers.
✅ Clear wildlife warning signage to alert motorists that they are travelling through a known wildlife area.
✅ Ongoing monitoring and maintenance to identify fencing failures, gaps and locations where koalas continue to enter dangerous road sections.
These measures must work together. Fencing without safe crossing points can create barriers to movement, while underpasses without effective fencing may fail to guide wildlife towards them.
We need a complete, properly planned solution — not temporary fixes after another animal has died.
🚧 THE WILDLIFE SIGNS ARE THERE FOR A REASON!
Yes, there was a koala warning sign near the location where this koala was killed.
But let me ask an important question: how many koalas might have been spared because a motorist saw that sign, slowed down and had enough time to react?
Wildlife warning signs are not decorations. They are there to remind drivers that animals live in these areas and may enter the road unexpectedly.
A sign cannot physically stop a vehicle. It cannot guarantee that a driver will slow down. And it cannot replace the need for safe wildlife infrastructure.
However, it can make a difference when motorists pay attention and drive responsibly.
If you see a wildlife warning sign, slow down. Stay alert. Watch the road edges, especially in the early morning, at dusk and throughout the night.
A few seconds of caution could make the difference between life and death.
🌿 HOW DID THIS KOALA END UP ON THE ROAD?
Based on the location and the surrounding landscape, one possibility is that this koala came from the Pleasure Point side of Heathcote Road and attempted to move across towards the bushland on the Army side.
If that was the case, it may have crossed the road once, encountered a barrier or fencing that prevented it from continuing safely, and then attempted to cross back again.
We cannot confirm the koala’s movements without further evidence. However, this possibility raises serious questions about whether the existing fencing and crossing arrangements are allowing koalas to move safely through this area.
Imagine being a koala trying to find food, shelter, a mate or a route through your natural habitat, only to encounter a major road cutting through your home.
The animal does not understand traffic. It does not understand road barriers. It simply tries to navigate the landscape it has always depended on.
When safe passage is not available, koalas can be forced into dangerous situations, potentially exposing themselves to traffic more than once.
Wildlife should not have to risk its life simply to move between areas of suitable habitat.
🛑 TRANSPORT NSW — THE COMMUNITY DESERVES ACTION!
Our concerns are not new. Wildlife rescuers and community members have repeatedly raised the dangers facing koalas and other wildlife on roads throughout our region.
Every time another koala is killed, we are left asking the same questions.
Could better fencing have prevented this?
Could a properly positioned underpass have provided a safer alternative?
Are the existing measures working as intended?
And what is being done to address the remaining risks?
These are reasonable questions that deserve clear answers.
Transport NSW must take a serious look at the effectiveness of the current arrangements on Heathcote Road and identify what additional measures are needed to reduce wildlife deaths.
We need transparent communication, proper planning and action that addresses the underlying problem.
Please stop putting the burden on wildlife rescuers and concerned community members to keep raising the same issues while animals continue to die.
Prevention must be a priority, not an afterthought.
🚗 A MESSAGE TO EVERY MOTORIST
Responsibility does not rest with government agencies alone.
Every driver travelling through known wildlife areas has a responsibility to drive carefully and remain alert.
Please:
● Slow down when travelling through bushland and wildlife corridors.
● Pay attention to wildlife warning signs.
● Watch for animals approaching the road from either side.
● Avoid distractions and keep your eyes on the road.
● Remember that a koala or other animal may appear suddenly, even when you cannot see one ahead.
You may be travelling home from work, heading to an appointment or simply going about your day. But for the wildlife living alongside these roads, every journey across the landscape can be a matter of survival.
💔 ANOTHER LIFE LOST — ANOTHER REASON TO ACT
As a wildlife rescuer, it is heartbreaking to attend these incidents and find another koala that will never return to the trees.
Behind every wildlife death is a living animal that was simply trying to survive.
We cannot bring this koala back. But we can demand that lessons are learned, that the risks are properly investigated and that meaningful improvements are made to prevent future tragedies.
Transport NSW, the time for action is now.
Proper wildlife fencing. Safe underpasses. Effective signage. Ongoing monitoring. And a genuine commitment to protecting the wildlife that shares our landscape.
We should not have to keep attending these incidents and asking why more was not done.
🐨 HOW MANY MORE KOALAS MUST DIE BEFORE WE GET A PROPER, LONG-TERM SOLUTION ON HEATHCOTE ROAD?
Please share this post and help raise awareness. Our wildlife needs a voice, and the community deserves to see meaningful action.
