Council representatives visit Port Macquarie Koala Hospital

Mayor Peta Pinson, deputy mayor Lisa Intemann and councillors Peter Alley and Lee Dixon visited the koala hospital on March 13.

They were joined by three members of Port Macquarie-Hastings Council’s environmental services team.

The group heard from Port Macquarie Koala Hospital clinical director Cheyne Flanagan about the koala hospital’s work.

Council’s ecologist Rebecca Montague-Drake and council’s natural resources officer Thor Aaso spoke about the council’s koala-related projects.

The group also toured the koala hospital.

The council and the koala hospital have been associated since the koala hospital started 45 years ago. 

The two organisations are today working together on several projects to improve and restore koala habitat and improve survival of koalas in the region.

Cr Pinson said the visit had great educational value, especially for the elected members of the council to hear some of the great work that council staff were doing behind the scenes.

The mayor said she was impressed with the koala hospital’s work.

She said koala-related projects in Port Macquarie were cutting edge.

Ms Flanagan said the visit showcased the koala hospital’s work to the mayor and councillors.

“This has been a golden opportunity and really worthwhile,” she said.

Ms Flanagan said the koala hospital and the council had an excellent working relationship.

“We have a very good partnership,” she said.

“We sit on expert panels for council in an advisory capacity and we do everything we can to help where needed and the reverse.”