CFAs: Koala Habitat Restoration and Protection Program (Australia)

The program will offer advice, planning support and financial assistance to private and public land managers to achieve the described outcomes. This program is administered by Local Land Services and funded by Australian Government.

Program Objectives

• This program aims to improve the extent, quality and connectivity of the nationally listed koala habitats and reduce local threats.
• The program outcomes include:
  • goals to increase the area of revegetation to create future habitat for koalas
  • improving existing habitat through fencing to manage grazing
  • weed management
• The program also seeks to:
  • improve knowledge of koala populations via monitoring programs
  • increase landholder awareness and capacity to protect koala habitat through educational activities with community and landowners.

Funding Information

• The total remaining amount of funding available for the grant program in Round 2 includes: $818,528 from the Australian Government Koala Strategy, for projects in the Southern Highlands and Southern Tablelands ARKS. There is an expectation that 70% of funding will be invested in the Southern Highlands Area. There is potential for this allocation to be altered, depending on the applications received and approval from the funding partner.
• Funding is available to private and public land managers, with the maximum amount of the grant per applicant being $30,000 for private land managers and $50,000 for public land managers. The merit-based assessment, which is conducted after the site assessment stage, will determine the landholder’s capacity to spend the estimated budget allocated for their project proposal.

Eligible Projects

• Funding is available to private or public land managers for the completion of the following onground works (undertaken either by the landowner or contracted third party) including:
  • Revegetation with specific native trees and shrubs to enhance koala habitat and/or connectivity including site preparation, purchase of plants and tree guards, labour for planting and watering, up to $10,000 per ha depending on approved design of revegetation projects.
  • Stock proof fencing to protect revegetation areas and/or existing koala habitat from livestock including purchase of materials and contributions to fencing labour up to $20,000 per km (Southern Highlands) and $16,000 per km (Southern Tablelands) for approved fencing.
  • Weed control activities including purchase of chemicals and labour to reduce the impacts of weeds on Koala movement and growth of priority Koala habitat up to $3000 per ha of approved weed management activities.

Ineligible Projects

• Projects ineligible for funding include:
  • project sites that are not within or in close proximity to the Southern Highlands and Southern Tableland ARKS.
  • projects that are proposing ineligible activities.
  • projects that cannot demonstrate capacity to complete all works by 31 May 2025.
  • project submissions where the landowner is an employee or Board member of Local Land Services.

What can’t you apply for?

• You cannot apply for:
  • project administration costs
  • properties or landowners who have incomplete projects previously funded by Local Land Services or have a debt with Local Land Services that is outside of Local Land Services payment terms (LLS debt management framework)
  • boundary fences
  • work required by reason of legal obligations being placed on the property or landholder (such as regulation, consent conditions, covenants, compliance notices, court orders, set aside arrangements, or existing landholder agreements)
  • commercial plantings (such as timber for future harvest).

Who can apply?

• To be eligible for grant funding, an applicant must meet each of the following requirements:
  • have an Australian Business Number (ABN) or able to complete a statement by a supplier form be 1 of the following:
    • a company incorporated in Australia
    • a company incorporated by guarantee
    • an incorporated association or co-operative
    • a partnership
    • a sole trader
    • a local council
    • a joint organisation of councils;
    • an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Corporation registered under the Corporations (Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander) Act 2006.
    • a NSW Public Land manager.
    • an individual landholder and able to complete a statement by a supplier form to notify Local Land Services.
  • hold or commit to obtaining public liability insurance of not less than $10 million per occurrence or hold equivalent or better self-insurance to the satisfaction of the department, prior to executing a funding deed with the department.
  • be a landowner, or have the permission of the landowner, of property within or adjacent to the Southern Highlands or Southern Tablelands ARKS.
  • are not an employee or Board member of Local Land Services.
  • have no debt with Local Land Services that is outside of Local Land Services payment terms (LLS debt management framework).
  • Is based in NSW Snowy -Monaro or Wingecarribee, Wollondilly or Goulburn Mulwaree LGA.
  • be proposing eligible activities including fencing to manage livestock grazing from areas of koala habitat, revegetation or weed management to enhance koala habitat and connectivity of habitat.
  • have capacity for projects to be completed by 30 May 2025.
  • a minimum property size of 5 ha.

Eligibility Criteria

• The grant opportunity is an open and competitive grant.
• The opportunity is available to private and public land managers within and within close proximity of the target areas of the Southern Tablelands (20km) and Southern Highlands (10km) ARKS.

For more information, visit NSW Government.