Researchers discover large koala population near Newcastle without chlamydia

Researchers at the University of Newcastle identified a large population of koalas in the Sugarloaf-Stockrington State Conservation Area that shows no signs of chlamydia.

The area is located about 35 minutes from the Newcastle city center in New South Wales, Australia. The team, which included Aboriginal lead Daryn McKenny, used thermal-imaging drones and motion-activated cameras to track the animals across 23,900 hectares.

While initial counts in late 2025 suggested fewer animals, modeling and surveys conducted in 2026 revealed a thriving population of approximately 2,300 koalas. To investigate the health of these koalas, the researchers collected scat samples and sent them to the University of the Sunshine Coast for genetic testing. They found no evidence of chlamydia in 27 tested wild koalas.

A further review of clinical records in the Lower Hunter region also showed no disease in 27 other koalas within 30 kilometres of the conservation area. Professor Mark Krockenberger of the University of Sydney noted that only three other populations in New South Wales appeared to be free of the disease. He suggested the population might be healthy because it has been isolated from other groups for a long time.

However, he warned that the koalas are moving west of the Pacific Highway, which could expose them to diseased populations. Ryan Witt submitted his findings to the New South Wales government for the Draft Koala Conservation Strategy. He recommended that the government protect the habitat, install wildlife exclusion fencing, and begin long-term monitoring and disease screening to preserve the population.