Fauna Escape Hatch – an innovative solution for koala protection
Protecting native wildlife along busy transport corridors, particularly in areas with growing communities is a real challenge. Transport networks in New South Wales (NSW) have been built over many years and cover a wide range of landscapes, including areas that are rich in biodiversity. Even though there are strict rules in place to help wildlife live alongside infrastructure, interactions can still happen between wildlife, including koalas, and vehicles.
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When Transport for NSW (Transport) designs and builds new roads or upgrades existing ones, we use a variety of strategies to help protect wildlife. This includes building underpasses and overpasses for animals, putting up fences, and adding special bridges and tunnels with ways for animals, especially endangered species, to safely cross the roads and rail line.
Protecting koalas requires using different solutions together. Koala exclusion fencing has proven effective in keeping koalas off roads. However, koalas can still sometimes find their way around the fencing and into transport corridors. In these situations, the innovative Fauna Escape Hatch presents a potential solution.
Overview of the innovation
The Fauna Escape Hatch is a one-way device designed to allow koalas, to safely escape busy roads and return to their natural habitats. It uses suspended aluminium or stainless-steel prongs that create a passage for koalas to push through but prevents them from re-entering the dangerous roadway.
The advantages of this type of hatch design include:
- potential to reduce the number of wildlife-vehicle collisions, which pose a significant threat to koalas
- aligning with koalas’ natural instinct to push under barriers rather than climb over them
- supporting the function of koala exclusion fencing by providing a safe exit for koalas that enter the corridor accidentally enhancing road safety for both animals and motorists
- retrofitted in locations where koala exclusion fencing is already in place.
Success of the Queensland trial
The Fauna Escape Hatch was developed by Endeavour Veterinary Ecology and trialled over a 12 month period in Toorbul, Queensland starting in 2023. The trial involved monitoring 85 wild koalas which were part of an existing population monitoring program. The trial was to assess the hatch design as an alternative to existing roadside koala escape structures.
Following the success of the Toorbul trial and subsequent field trials in partnership with the City of Moreton Bay Council, the project has drawn interest from other government bodies and wildlife conservation groups.
Recent progress
Transport has taken several steps to help protect wildlife along the Hume Highway. We have recently installed 8 Fauna Escape Hatches near Wilton, at Nepean Bridge and Moolgun Creek Bridge. This is the first time these escape hatches have been used in NSW.
These hatches are located within existing koala fencing corridors and alongside timber pole structures, providing an additional way for koalas that become trapped within the fenced corridors to safely return to nearby habitat.
Together, the fencing, bridges, and now the escape hatches all work to reduce the likelihood of collisions between wildlife and vehicles. This combination of different mitigation measures is important for effectively addressing this challenge.
Koala protection under the Cumberland Plain Conservation Plan (CPCP)
The CPCP is an NSW Government strategy led by the Department of Planning, Housing and Infrastructure (DPHI) to protect koalas while supporting sustainable growth in south-west Sydney.
Koala exclusion fencing is being delivered as priority sites on Transport land, funded by DPHI. These works form part of the broader Koala Fencing Project, which includes Fauna Escape Hatches and other features to support safe wildlife movement.
Next steps
Fauna Escape Hatches are not a standalone measure because they are designed to function only when installed alongside koala exclusion fencing. A coordinated approach that combines fencing with targeted measures such as escape poles and hatches, underpasses and signage can improve the overall effectiveness of road mitigation strategies and help koalas move more safely across their habitat.
The Fauna Escape Hatch offers a scalable solution, and additional installations are planned for Deadmans Creek on Heathcote Road and Appin Road, expanding the use of this initiative at key koala habitats in south-west Sydney.