Field Validation of Prospective Koala Habitats on Woppa (Great Keppel Island) to Support Future Indigenous-Led Land Management and Conservation Planning

The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus), an iconic Australian marsupial, is listed as endangered in Queensland due to habitat loss, climate change, disease, and other anthropogenic pressures. As a result, protecting populations and identifying new conservation opportunities are urgent priorities. Woppa, an island off the coast of Central Queensland, has been identified as a potential site for future koala conservation. This preliminary study assessed koala food-habitat presence on Woppa by ground-truthing Queensland Government habitat maps to determine the alignment of the habitat assessment while also gathering data on dominant tree compositions in each selected area. Transect surveys (10 m × 50 m) were used to compare mapped expected vegetation with actual tree species composition. Woppaburra Traditional Owner perspectives were incorporated through an analysis of an interview with Woppaburra Traditional Owner and authorised Woppaburra representative, Juku-Dai Nerark Morris. Vegetation alignment varied across land zones, with some high-ranked habitats recording <75% alignment, while others exceeded 90%. Preferred koala food trees occurred in both high- and low-ranked areas. The interviewed Woppaburra Traditional Owner described historical accounts of koalas on Woppa and expressed in-principle support for conservation translocation as part of Caring for Country. This research highlights both opportunities and challenges for koala conservation on Woppa, providing baseline data to inform First Nations-led management and future translocation feasibility.