Which lists Ironbark Station among its conservation properties, the zoo bought the 3,500 acres at Blackbutt, Queensland, in 1994, according to Australia Zoo . Most of us probably know the feeling. You read a sad story about wildlife, feel bad, and keep scrolling. The Irwins, however, went another way. The property was purchased to restore dwindling koala habitat and boost koala numbers.
Steve and Terri didn’t wait. Think of it like moving into an empty house. You would need food, a roof, and a way to get around before you can live there. Prepared for the Australian government’s environment department, it offers guidelines for revegetating koala habitat, built around what is known about koalas’ habitat requirements and nutrition. Saving koalas matters, and so does protecting the habitat they live in. The Beale report is written for landscape managers and restoration practitioners who want to restore or improve koala habitat. So, the guidance is based on published science, not guesswork. The size of Ironbark Station didn’t stay the same. This is the part of the story that is often overlooked. Buying land is only the first step. Looking after it is the daily work.
They immediately planted 44,000 eucalyptus trees to begin what would be a pretty long process. Phillipa Beale, Karen Marsh and Kara Youngentob make a similar point in a 2022 report . Australia Zoo says the property has since been expanded by 1,630 acres, solely for the purpose of wildlife conservation in the area.
The advice is based on peer-reviewed research into koalas’ habitat needs and nutrition, the report says.
