Port Macquarie Koala Hospital's successful tree giveaway

The koala food trees went to properties from the Camden Haven to the Kempsey area.

The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital gave the trees away after receiving the donated trees from the Forestry Corporation of NSW and Port Macquarie-Hastings Council.

Port Macquarie Koala Hospital clinical director Cheyne Flanagan said a lot of genuine people were keen to get the trees in the ground.

“Most went onto farming country which is exactly what we want,” she said.

Ms Flanagan said they were trying to avoid planting trees in town in a bid to stop encouraging koalas into urban areas.

Koalas being hit by cars is a problem in urban areas.

“It’s becoming too busy and developed right on the coast,” Ms Flanagan said.

The majority of the free trees went to properties west of the Pacific Highway.

Ms Flanagan said she hoped that would increase the koala population.

“We know there are isolated pockets of koalas everywhere out west,” she said.

“We are hoping the more trees, the more they [koalas] will start breeding.”

The koala hospital kept a record of where the trees were planted.

Most people took between 50 and 100 trees.

It is hoped there will be more tree giveaways in the future.

That will help build vegetation linkages.