The state government helped fund the initiative but the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital says more can be done to guarantee the survival of the species.

Member for Port Macquarie, Leslie Williams and the Hon Matt Kean, Minister for the Environment attended a demonstration of conservation detection dogs as part of the Hastings Macleay Saving our Species Koala Recovery Partnership project.

The Koala Recovery Partnership seeks to improve koala conservation across the Hastings-Macleay Region by engaging with landholders, the community, research groups and government sectors to achieve better on-ground koala conservation outcomes and on-going viability (or sustainability) for this iconic and important Australian species.

The Partnership is a joint venture under the Mid North Coast Joint Organisation (Port Macquarie-Hastings Council, Kempsey Shire Council, Bellingen Shire Council), with funding from the NSW Government Saving Our Species Koala Iconic Program, the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital and Port Macquarie-Hastings and Kempsey councils.

Video By | Mia Tyquin