- Deborah Tabart OAM has dedicated nearly 40 years to koala conservation as Chair of the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF), which celebrates its 40th anniversary this year
- Under her leadership, she helped secure endangered status recognition for koalas in Queensland, NSW and the ACT in 2022 through persistent advocacy and research
- She has championed the proposed Australian Koala Protection Act and travelled globally to raise awareness about koala conservation
- Tabart has been a vocal and unrelenting advocate for koala protection, challenging governments and keeping the issue on the national agenda
- The AKF celebrated her achievements at an International Women's Day event recognising female leaders and changemakers across Australia
This International Women’s Day, the Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) is proud to celebrate the powerful women who refuse to give up — women who stand their ground, speak out and fight for what matters.
Leading that effort is AKF Chair, Deborah Tabart OAM — a fierce and determined advocate who has dedicated just shy of 40 years of her life to protecting Australia’s beloved Koalas.
This year also marks a major milestone for the Australian Koala Foundation as the organisation celebrates its 40th anniversary. For the majority of that time, Deborah Tabart has been the driving force behind the fight to protect Koalas and the forests they call home.
Long before Koalas became a national conservation crisis, Deborah was sounding the alarm — demanding stronger protections, challenging governments and ensuring Koalas remained firmly on the national agenda.
Her leadership has been relentless.
In 2022, the conservation status of Koalas in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory was officially upgraded from vulnerable to endangered — a moment that confirmed what the Australian Koala Foundation had been warning for years. Deborah Tabart’s tireless advocacy, research and refusal to stay silent played a critical role in pushing the issue into the national spotlight and forcing recognition of the crisis facing Koalas.
For decades, Deborah has travelled the world championing Koalas, confronted decision-makers when others stayed silent, and pushed for meaningful legislative change, including the proposed Australian Koala Protection Act — a law designed to give Koalas the protection they deserve.
Simply put, she has never stopped fighting.
The Australian Koala Foundation recently attended an International Women’s Day event to celebrate the achievements of strong women across Australia. It was a moment to recognise the leaders, advocates and changemakers who continue to drive progress — women who get things done.
Deborah Tabart stands proudly among them.
Her passion, persistence and straight-talk leadership have helped shape the national conversation around Koalas and their future. She leads with courage, conviction and a deep love for the species she has spent her life defending.
AKF is proud to stand behind such a powerful woman.
As the organisation celebrates 40 years of Koala conservation, the Australian Koala Foundation also celebrates the woman who has spent most of that time leading the fight.
This International Women’s Day we honour Deborah Tabart — and every woman who refuses to give up, who fights for real change, and who proves that strong leadership can change the course of history.
For Koalas, Deborah Tabart’s fight continues.
And thanks to her, so does hope.
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About us:
About Us
The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) is the principal non-profit, non-government organisation dedicated to the effective management and conservation of the Koala and its habitat. Our proudest achievement is the recent finalisation of mapping the entire geographic range of the Koala, via our Koala Habitat Atlas mapping methodology. The AKF is also dedicated to a Koala Protection Act.
Contact details:
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