Raising awareness and educating community at Koala Fest 2025
Koala Fest is a community-led environmental event in the Hawkesbury Region with a focus on raising awareness and the conservation of koalas and our natural environment.
Capacity building - LEP025_LLCYA_004
The issue
The koala population in the Hawkesbury region faces critical threats such as rapid urban development, which is causing significant habitat loss and fragmentation, forcing koalas into smaller, isolated areas. There have been increases in their vulnerability to vehicle strikes, domestic dog attacks, and stress-related diseases like chlamydia as a result. Furthermore, the devastating impact of recent bushfires has destroyed crucial food sources and corridors, pushing the local koala population closer to the brink. With many new developments in the region and an influx of new residents, there is a need for awareness and empowerment and for urgent community action to protect remaining habitats, boosting better environmental practices to ensure the long-term survival of this iconic species in our area -and the umbrella effect it causes for other key species in the region.
The solution
Koala Fest has been a much-loved event in the region in the past, and the 2025 iteration served as a proactive solution to bridge the gap between community and conservation efforts with numerous stakeholders coming together to achieve these goals. The event aimed to create an engaging and educational atmosphere directly addressing the lack of public awareness. Through interactive stalls, expert talks from our project partners, and hands-on workshops, residents learn practical ways to help. Ideas presented included planting koala-friendly trees, creating safe wildlife corridors on their properties, and knowing who to call for injured wildlife. The festival empowered individuals with the knowledge needed to make meaningful and informed differences in their own backyards and to participate in more community environmental events such as council Bushcare programs and Landcare. Alongside the event, a valuable schools education program was implemented to encourage children to love their environment and take ownership of their koalas in the region with facilitation from Science for Wildlife and Brewongle Environmental Education Centre.
The impact
Koala Fest 2025 had a significant and measurable impact on both community engagement and the local economy. The event drew approximately 600 attendees from a wide range of demographics, demonstrating broad community interest. With over 25 environmentally-based organisations hosting stalls and more than 10 expert speakers, the festival provided extensive learning opportunities. Post-event surveys confirmed a major win in educational value, with the majority of attendees reporting they had learnt something new about koalas or their local environment. Many also expressed more interest in joining and supporting community environmental initiatives. Financially, the event raised upwards of $2,000 for future initiatives and, by partnering with local businesses, drove an estimated $49,000 in spending to the Kurrajong community over the event weekend.
Key facts
- The event had many project partners and volunteers on the team, those not mentioned above were: Hawkesbury-Nepean Landcare Network, NSW Local Land Services, TAFE NSW, Hawkesbury City Council and Brewongle Environmental Education Centre.
- Approximately 600 people attended the event from the local community and from other areas of Greater Sydney, and over 25 environmental organisations, 10 expert speakers and 9 local Kurrajong businesses participated in the event.
- Koala Fest 2025 was a primarily community-led and owned event with majority of event funding coming from community donation drives equating to approx. $6k, as well as small-scale community grants utilised for the rest of the funding.
- In addition to donations prior to the event, approx. $2k was raised at the event to go to a future Koala Fest and approx. $49k of community spending was brought into the community over the event weekend.