When you think of the Desert Channels region, you don’t usually associate it with Queensland’s more coastal plants and animals due to our low rainfall and large area of arid country.

However, in the north of the Desert Channels region, we have hills, and trees and all manner of special plants and animals.

But recently, our monitoring cameras picked up this little koala on an adventure.

Koalas a sign of recovery

The Koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is one of our native marsupials and normally at home in trees, but occasionally will be spotted on-ground as they look for new trees to climb.

Over several years, the DCQ field team and local landholders have been battling a large infestation of rubber vine.

It’s been a long battle, but we’re finally starting to see native biodiversity return to their former homes.

Koalas, which live up to 18 years, are found in the eastern part of our region in small numbers, and this is the first time we have found one in our work areas.

The small marsupials are a welcome sign that recovery is well underway and is a great reward to all involved in this monumental project.