Koala Conversation Royalla

Royalla Landcare are hosting a Koala Conversation at the Royalla Community Hall, 6-7:30pm on Tuesday 17th November 2026, featuring some great special guest speakers:

• Dr Sally Miller, Department of Climate Change, Energy, the Environment & Water (DCCEEW) and NSW Koala Strategy - Southern Tablelands

• Kirrily Gould, South East Local Land Services

• Georgeanna Story, Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare Coordinator

This event is all about koalas - how to find them and how to protect and restore their habitat!

It will feature an introduction to looking for koalas for research and pleasure.  Our special guest speakers will discuss the several different techniques employed by researchers and landholders, and what they have found out about the koalas in Southern NSW by using these techniques. 

This will include an introduction to their citizen science program, Koala Karaoke, and an opportunity to participate in surveys this season.  The researchers are bringing a selection of their field equipment, so you can get up close and personal and learn how it's used.

Some of their techniques include audio recorders, drones and thermal night surveys!

Meet the Speakers

Dr Sally Miller

Sally completed her PhD on koalas about 20 years ago on koalas in a timber production forest near Coff Harbour.  The species wormed their way into her heart and she's been passionate about them ever since.  She's worked with National Parks and Wildlife Service and Saving our Species, but moved into the Koala Strategy team and has represented the Southern Tablelands region for over 4 years.  This includes working in partnership with South East Local Land Services and Kirrily Gould. They collaborated with Upper Murrumbidgee and Upper Snowy Landcare in a 4-way partnership on the Cold Country Koalas Project, which recognizes the extensive work undertaken prior to the start of the current NSW Koala Strategy.

Kirrily Gould

Following the 2020 bushfires, Kirrily worked on a Local Land Services Koala habitat, bushfire recovery project with Georgeanna Story. This early work led to the regional Partnership being formed with the NSW Koala Strategy, to follow on and expand on the great results with the bushfire recovery project. Over the years Kirrily has enjoyed working in the Partnership, and showing landholders how to look for signs of koalas, as well as carrying out habitat restoration projects. It gives her a real buzz when a landholder she's worked with sends a photo of a koala they've found on their property after working together!

Georgeanna Story

Georgeanna is the Local Landcare Coordinator for the Upper Murrumbidgee district and worked on the Cold Country Koalas Project after the black summer bushfires. She also undertakes koala field surveys, using methods like "Koala Karaoke" audio monitoring to detect koala vocalisations, as well as scat surveys to assess population presence. Through her Landcare role she also supports landholders in protecting koala habitat through actions like livestock exclusion fencing, revegetation planting, and weed and pest control.

Dr Sally Miller and Kirrily Gould presenting at the South East Landcare Biodiversity Muster on 8 November 2024 with drones on display.

Acknowledgement

We'd like to acknowledge the traditional lands bordering both the Ngunawal and Ngarigo Peoples where this workshop is being held.

These events are kindly supported by the NSW Koala Strategy, Royalla Landcare, and Upper Murrumbidgee Landcare Committee under the NSW Landcare Enabling Program.