Dreamworld Expansion A Nightmare For Koalas
A massive expansion plan for Gold Coast theme park Dreamworld has been approved by the Queensland government, putting at risk the local koala population.
The multi-million-dollar masterplan would see Dreamworld and Whitewater World expand into four precincts, including a $200 million high-density hotel complex, a retail and hospitality precinct, and residential housing developments on the site.
The transformation is being touted by deputy premier and Minister for State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Jarrod Bleije as a “major win” for Queensland and a vital ecotourism project in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic Games.
“The approved masterplan will support jobs, attract investment, and strengthen the Gold Coast’s position as one of Australia’s leading tourism destinations as we prepare for Brisbane 2032,” he said.
But conservationists are concerned the expansion will decimate an essential habitat for the local koala population living on the adjacent land approved to be cleared.
Coomera, where the site is situated, is recognised as a key koala habitat with a 2025 survey confirming 68 koalas living within a two-kilometre radius of the area. The planned expansion puts all of this at risk.
Flinders Dolomite is a household name in the agricultural industry and has been the Dolomite of choice for more than 130 years.
“This Dreamworld expansion is a nightmare for our iconic koalas, who are suffering death by a thousand cuts in south-east Queensland,” Queensland Conservation Council acting director Anthony Gough said.
“We … call on the federal government to intervene and ensure this project is properly assessed under Commonwealth law.”
Jarrod Bleije has come under fire for using ministerial powers to “call in” the application, which is part of a $70 million investment strategy proposed by Dreamworld in 2019.
“Minister Bleije and the Crisafulli government have put Coomera koalas on a fast track to local extinction,” Coomera Conservation Group’s Karina Waterman said.
“While we encourage sustainable development and genuine ecotourism, this proposal is in direct conflict with endangered koalas.”
Koalas are listed as an endangered species across Queensland, New South Wales, and the ACT, and deforestation remains a driving force behind their decline.
In its haste to accelerate major infrastructure and tourism projects ahead of the 2032 Olympics, the Queensland state government is ignoring local environmental concerns that will still exist long after the Olympics are over.
The very real fear is that soon the only koalas to exist in the area will be as caged attractions at Dreamworld, rather than in the wild where they belong.
