Nature, culture and history

Natural environment

Protecting the headwaters of Tingalpa Creek, Buhot Creek and their tributaries, the area’s riparian forest provides vital habitat for turtles, water rats, platypus, water dragons and frogs, including the vulnerable tusked frog.

Open eucalypt forests, melaleuca wetland and patches of lowland rainforest are home to possums, gliders, powerful owls, glossy black-cockatoos, swamp and red-necked wallabies, and a variety of reptiles and other birds.

As the name suggests, the KBCCA also protects important koala habitat. As you explore, look for tell-tale scratch marks left by resident koalas on their food trees—tallowwood, small-fruited grey gum, Queensland blue gum, red mahogany and Queensland white stringybark.

Koalas

Under Queensland’s Nature Conservation Act 1992, koalas are listed as ‘regionally vulnerable’ in the South East Queensland Bioregion (New South Wales border to Gladstone, and west to Toowoomba). Outside of this bioregion the koala is 'of least concern' (common) in Queensland but still protected.

In the national context, in 2012, the Commonwealth Government listed the koala as ‘vulnerable’ in Queensland under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999 (Commonwealth).

Koalas are more secure throughout the rest of Queensland but this could change unless care is taken to protect their remaining habitat and reduce some of the threats posed by people. Many koalas are killed or injured by vehicle strikes or dog attacks , some drown in backyard pools and others are affected by disease or natural predators. Find out more about koalas.