When the Group was formally incorporated as an association, its Objects and Purposes described in the constitution were stated as:
(1) Preservation of the Myall Coast Koalas and their environment.
(2) Preservation and rehabilitation of the general environment, native animals and birds and
their habitat from indiscriminate and unsympathetic development.
(3) Providing advice to landholders, developers and governmental authorities for the
protection of the habitat and the welfare of koalas potentially affected by development,
legislative or regulatory proposals. This includes making submissions to inquiries,
forums or reports initiated by any level of government which seek public responses to
proposals that may affect koalas or the environment in general.
(4) The area of concern will be within the area bounded by Seal Rocks Road and The Lakes
Way to Bulahdelah in the north thence by the Pacific Highway to the southern shores of
Port Stephens and to the East by the Pacific Ocean.
MKEG was registered as a charity in 2018.
The Group has had a number of leaders over the years. The first chairman was Dick Angel
and after incorporation, Randle Pritchard was elected president followed by Kevin Haskew,
Helen Dauncey, Jill Madden and currently Richard Streamer. Similarly, there have been a
few secretaries of the Group over the years. Initially, Michael Rowe followed by Margaret
McClaren, Barbara Morrison, Ian Morphett and currently Rob Hughes. One of the inaugural
members, Mrs Jean Shaw, colloquially known as “the Koala Lady”, and her husband David,
took on the role of rescuing sick and injured koalas on the Myall coast. Following David’s
death in 1997, Jean carried on alone until 2003 when she trained Gail Morphett to help her.
In 2004, Jean moved to Queensland and Ian Morphett joined Gail in rescuing duties of
koalas and a few other wildlife animals. After about 12 years, Glen and Lynda Stevenson
moved to town and took over from Gail and Ian.
The Group’s first activity in 1989 was to assist Professor Ian Hume from Sydney University
with his study of the Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens urban koala population because he
needed additional hands to collect koala sightings data. After Professor Hume’s project
finished, the Group continued to monitor the koala population and investigate other
environmental issues on the Myall Coast.
Jean Shaw established a koala telephone hotline and maintained a written record of koala
sightings in the towns of Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens. Ian Morphett took on this role after
she moved to Queensland. Over 10 years Jean’s records showed a significant drop in the
koala population resulting in the NSW Scientific Committee classifying the Hawks Nest /
Tea Gardens koala population ENDANGERED in 1999 (one of only two such localities in
NSW). At that time the population was estimated at about 20 animals. NPWS prepared a
Recovery Plan in 2003 and since then it has been administered by Great Lakes Council
(now MidCoast Council), NPWS and our group.
The koala sightings records from information reported by the public on our Koala Sightings
Hotline (02 4997 0878) answering machine or personally, via social media, has shown a
gradual decline in the number of koalas.
For more information on the number of sightings in our towns in recent years please click button.
(1) Preservation of the Myall Coast Koalas and their environment.
(2) Preservation and rehabilitation of the general environment, native animals and birds and
their habitat from indiscriminate and unsympathetic development.
(3) Providing advice to landholders, developers and governmental authorities for the
protection of the habitat and the welfare of koalas potentially affected by development,
legislative or regulatory proposals. This includes making submissions to inquiries,
forums or reports initiated by any level of government which seek public responses to
proposals that may affect koalas or the environment in general.
(4) The area of concern will be within the area bounded by Seal Rocks Road and The Lakes
Way to Bulahdelah in the north thence by the Pacific Highway to the southern shores of
Port Stephens and to the East by the Pacific Ocean.
MKEG was registered as a charity in 2018.
The Group has had a number of leaders over the years. The first chairman was Dick Angel
and after incorporation, Randle Pritchard was elected president followed by Kevin Haskew,
Helen Dauncey, Jill Madden and currently Richard Streamer. Similarly, there have been a
few secretaries of the Group over the years. Initially, Michael Rowe followed by Margaret
McClaren, Barbara Morrison, Ian Morphett and currently Rob Hughes. One of the inaugural
members, Mrs Jean Shaw, colloquially known as “the Koala Lady”, and her husband David,
took on the role of rescuing sick and injured koalas on the Myall coast. Following David’s
death in 1997, Jean carried on alone until 2003 when she trained Gail Morphett to help her.
In 2004, Jean moved to Queensland and Ian Morphett joined Gail in rescuing duties of
koalas and a few other wildlife animals. After about 12 years, Glen and Lynda Stevenson
moved to town and took over from Gail and Ian.
The Group’s first activity in 1989 was to assist Professor Ian Hume from Sydney University
with his study of the Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens urban koala population because he
needed additional hands to collect koala sightings data. After Professor Hume’s project
finished, the Group continued to monitor the koala population and investigate other
environmental issues on the Myall Coast.
Jean Shaw established a koala telephone hotline and maintained a written record of koala
sightings in the towns of Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens. Ian Morphett took on this role after
she moved to Queensland. Over 10 years Jean’s records showed a significant drop in the
koala population resulting in the NSW Scientific Committee classifying the Hawks Nest /
Tea Gardens koala population ENDANGERED in 1999 (one of only two such localities in
NSW). At that time the population was estimated at about 20 animals. NPWS prepared a
Recovery Plan in 2003 and since then it has been administered by Great Lakes Council
(now MidCoast Council), NPWS and our group.
The koala sightings records from information reported by the public on our Koala Sightings
Hotline (02 4997 0878) answering machine or personally, via social media, has shown a
gradual decline in the number of koalas.
For more information on the number of sightings in our towns in recent years please click button.
Over the years the koala population has fluctuated but we estimate that it reached its zenith
at a population of about 22 animals in 2007/8. Sadly, since then, as can be seen, it has
been trending downwards and we now believe the urban Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens
population is extinct. The last Koala was “Princess” who was taken into care from Swan Bay
in March 2022 and died in the Port Stephens Koala Hospital in September 2023. However,
there are still occasional koala sightings in Pindimar, North Arm Cove and Shearwater.
From the very beginning, the Myall Koala and ENVIRONMENT Group was not solely
focused on Koalas. Item (3) in our constitution’s Objects and Objectives clearly indicates
our desire to advocate for the protection of the local environment. Despite koala activities
being severely curtailed, other environmental enhancement activities continue to be actively
pursued by MKEG including:
✓ Planting thousands of koala food trees and native plants in public reserves, which
not only supports koalas but many other native animals such as squirrel gliders.
✓ Encouraging residents to plant koala food trees and native plants on their own
properties by an annual tree giveaway program.
✓ Removing invasive weeds such as Bitou Bush, Lantana, Asparagus Fern, Mother of
Millions and Honeysuckle from reserves and public land. Our bush regeneration
team is called the “Bitou Busters” which has weeding days every month except mid-
summer.
✓ Educating the wider community on the importance of preserving healthy ecosystems
for our local flora and fauna by regular articles in the local paper, social media
platforms, stories on our website and posted on our notice board outside the Hawks
Nest newsagency.
✓ Giving presentations about wildlife to schools and other community groups.
✓ Arranging and promoting public meetings where guest speakers present on wildlife
topics of interest to the community such as dingoes and drone surveys.
✓ Working with MidCoast Council and State government through the Saving our
Species program to monitor and record data on shorebird and seabird species.
✓ Establishing and promoting interpretive nature walks.
✓ Advocating with Council for environment-themed installations such as a wetland
viewing platform and a dolphin statue filled with litter highlighting ocean pollution.
✓ Lobbying Council and the state government over inappropriate developments such
as those involving excessive tree removal, destruction of core koala habitat, severing
of wildlife movement corridors or other environmentally damaging proposals.
✓ Supporting environmentally sensitive development proposals in the region.
✓ Participation on MidCoast Council’s Koala Reference Group including preparation
and implementation of Council’s Koala Conservation Strategy.
Ian Morphett
Vice President
June 2025
at a population of about 22 animals in 2007/8. Sadly, since then, as can be seen, it has
been trending downwards and we now believe the urban Hawks Nest and Tea Gardens
population is extinct. The last Koala was “Princess” who was taken into care from Swan Bay
in March 2022 and died in the Port Stephens Koala Hospital in September 2023. However,
there are still occasional koala sightings in Pindimar, North Arm Cove and Shearwater.
From the very beginning, the Myall Koala and ENVIRONMENT Group was not solely
focused on Koalas. Item (3) in our constitution’s Objects and Objectives clearly indicates
our desire to advocate for the protection of the local environment. Despite koala activities
being severely curtailed, other environmental enhancement activities continue to be actively
pursued by MKEG including:
✓ Planting thousands of koala food trees and native plants in public reserves, which
not only supports koalas but many other native animals such as squirrel gliders.
✓ Encouraging residents to plant koala food trees and native plants on their own
properties by an annual tree giveaway program.
✓ Removing invasive weeds such as Bitou Bush, Lantana, Asparagus Fern, Mother of
Millions and Honeysuckle from reserves and public land. Our bush regeneration
team is called the “Bitou Busters” which has weeding days every month except mid-
summer.
✓ Educating the wider community on the importance of preserving healthy ecosystems
for our local flora and fauna by regular articles in the local paper, social media
platforms, stories on our website and posted on our notice board outside the Hawks
Nest newsagency.
✓ Giving presentations about wildlife to schools and other community groups.
✓ Arranging and promoting public meetings where guest speakers present on wildlife
topics of interest to the community such as dingoes and drone surveys.
✓ Working with MidCoast Council and State government through the Saving our
Species program to monitor and record data on shorebird and seabird species.
✓ Establishing and promoting interpretive nature walks.
✓ Advocating with Council for environment-themed installations such as a wetland
viewing platform and a dolphin statue filled with litter highlighting ocean pollution.
✓ Lobbying Council and the state government over inappropriate developments such
as those involving excessive tree removal, destruction of core koala habitat, severing
of wildlife movement corridors or other environmentally damaging proposals.
✓ Supporting environmentally sensitive development proposals in the region.
✓ Participation on MidCoast Council’s Koala Reference Group including preparation
and implementation of Council’s Koala Conservation Strategy.
Ian Morphett
Vice President
June 2025
