Branching Out: Could koalas call Gigerline Nature Reserve (Angle Crossing) home one day?

Once abundant in the ACT, the koala population has fallen victim to extensive land clearing for agriculture during the 19th century, followed by urban sprawl in the 20th and 21st century. These days, sightings in and near the ACT are very rare.

There’s a chance that Canberra has an extremely low-density resident group of koalas, or at least we might be able to revive one!
Volunteers are conducting potential koala habitat surveys across the ACT each Wednesday with the Conservation Council lead Keith Joliffe. This fieldwork is part of a 3-year collaborative study between Conservation Council and ANU to judge the viability of ACT woodlands as wild Gula habitat, to inform future policy.

You don’t need an environmental background to help
Keith, the project lead, will show you how to identify tree species, estimate canopy density, and tree health and height. He’ll also show you how to record it in the datasheet.

You’ll be enjoying some of the most beautiful nature in the ACT, while being a citizen scientist and contributing to the future of the koalas in the ACT!

DATE AND TIME
Wednesday 17 June 2026, 10:00am to approximately 1:00pm

LOCATION
Gigerline Nature Reserve, Angle Crossing
The specific meeting location will be provided to registered people

TERRAIN AND FITNESS
You’ll need to have good mobility and a reasonable level of fitness to walk through undergrowth on rough ground and maybe uphill. There will be frequent pauses while trees are assessed. Contact Keith (or Kelly) to have a private, confidential chat, to work out if it’s right for you – or if changes can be made to accommodate your needs.

WHAT TO BRING/WEAR
– Food and water
– Wear long pants, enclosed shoes, and a hat
– Sunscreen, water, snacks
– Depending on the weather – jacket and beanie
– Gaiters if you have them – during winter they are especially helpful for protection against grass seeds, burrs, blackberry thorns etc

WANT TO ATTEND BUT DON’T HAVE TRANSPORT?
If you want to help but don’t have transport, contact Keith – he’s happy to pick people up and drop them off. The more people at each location helping – the merrier he is!

REGISTRATIONS
https://events.humanitix.com/branching-out-koalas-gigerline-nr

MORE INFORMATION
For more information or enquiries contact keith1947@hotmail.com or kelly.allison@conservationcouncil.org.au

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SAFETY AND RESCHEDULING
Your safety is our first priority. We monitor weather, location and track condition to assess risk and ensure safety. If the weather, or tracks/river condition are considered to pose safety risks to attendees the walk will be rescheduled. Registered people will be notified as soon as possible prior to the walk date/time and given first opportunity to re-register for the new date.

ABOUT THE PROGRAM
Branching Out: Canberra Nature Walks is an initiative aiming to engage the Canberra community, especially people with no, or very little, experience with our nature, and support them to enjoy all the beautiful nature spaces the ACT has on offer. We know that unfamiliar things can feel intimidating — especially when it comes to woodlands, wildlife, and insects — so we would like to support as many people as possible with making that first step. We hope to ignite a love of Canberra’s nature throughout the community and raise awareness of the importance of healthy ecosystems and the rich biodiversity across the ACT.

These walks are made possible with assistance from the ACT Government under the ACT Environmental Grants Program.