Boorubee is the Bandjalang word for Koala.

 

The Minyumai Women-Ranger led Boorubee Monitoring & Recovery Project is supported by WWF-Australia.

 

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Boorubee are a culturally significant species to the Bandjalang clan, which traditionally refrained from hunting these animals for food or fur – and a decision was made to ‘look after the Borrubee’.

 

The last confirmed sighting of a Boorubee on Minyumai was 2018 before the bushfires – until now (June 2023) when one was detected on a wildlife camera deployed for the Boorubee monitoring program. This was a significant find and has boosted momentum to build this project to deliver a Recovery Plan.

 

Boorubee Recovery Plan

 

This project combines traditional Bandjalang knowledge and story-telling with science and technology to:

 

• identify the abundance and distribution of Boorubee across Bandjalang Country

• identify the local challenges impacting Boorubee survival  

• develop management actions to support Boorubee long-term

• integrate with the NSW Koala Strategy and double Boorubee numbers at Minyumai

• integrate with the National Recovery Plan for the Koala

• integrate with the Jagun Alliance Boorubee Pathway

• share Bandjalang knowledge of Boorubee – including within a Junior Ranger program with Evans River School.

 

The Boorubee project is a Minyumai IPA partnership with Wildbnb Wildlife Habitat.