A snapshot of koala tree use at the Mount Gravatt Outlook Reserve

In order to better understand urban koala populations and their tree-use patterns, it is widely acknowledged that more research is needed. This study provides an overview of the tree use patterns of koalas at the Mount Gravatt Outlook Reserve (MGOR) through the use of the Spot Assessment Technique (SAT) at 12 different sites, covering the five different regional ecosystems (REs) and the two koala habitat types present on the mountain. The findings of our study regarding the type of habitat in the reserve were compared with the information obtained from the RE maps and koala habitat mapping. We found very high koala activity levels throughout the MGOR. Main tree species used by koalas in the reserve were similar to those found in studies near Brisbane. We found some discrepancies between available maps and the results of our study, with many tree species non-existent in RE types they were said to be abundant in. This suggests that the accuracy of these maps could be improved. This work provides a greater understanding of the vegetation patterns at the MGOR and koala behaviour patterns at the reserve, and highlights further research opportunities in this area.