Former coal mine potential koala habitat
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Researchers believe an entire Central Queensland coal mine could successfully be restored to a koala habitat once it closes after 2015.
The University of Queensland and Rio Tinto Coal Australia say their program Koala Venture has discovered the first koala to make its home on former coal mining land in the twenty years since the study began.
Dr Sean FitzGibbon said the animal had originally been tracked in bushland adjacent to the Blair Athol Mine, near Clermont, before recently moving into the rehabilitated area.
He says the discovery provides proof that former open cut coal mines can be successfully rehabilitated for native wildlife and will allow Rio Tinto to adjust land clearing practices to encourage koalas to move ahead of the work and eventually return to the area.
Last year Blair Athol Mine rehabilitated 64 hectares of former mining land.
