Arboretum receives second $20,000 grant

Crommelin Native Arboretum at Pearl Beach has been successful in gaining a second $20,000 grant from the Federal Government for its koala relocation project, bringing the total for the project to $40,000.

Federal Member for Robertson Ms Lucy Wicks said this would go towards building a new propagating greenhouse.

"In December the Arboretum had already received $20,000 to begin re-introducing koalas to Pearl Beach, but more koala trees will be needed to sustain a growing koala population in the future," Ms Wicks said.

This brings the total Federal Government funding for the koala project to $40,000.

"The additional funding will help the Arboretum propagate threatened species, including a number that are local to the Central Coast, such as gosford wattle, Strickland mintbush and blue grevillea.

"The Arboretum doesn't have a start date yet for the greenhouse construction as planning is still in the early stages."

The Arboretum's koala project will be run in conjunction with University of Sydney and involves a detailed study of koala presence in Brisbane Water National Park and possible relocation of koalas from Port Macquarie Koala Hospital.

The Arboretum has a wildlife corridor planted with "koala trees" and this extra $20,000 will go towards growing more trees for that wildlife corridor.

SOURCE:

Media release 14 Jan 2020

Lucy Wicks, Federal Member for Robertson