Ten have survived their injuries to be released but koala advocates want the speed limit slashed to reduce the toll.

Port Stephens Drive runs through prime koala habitat from Nelson Bay Road near Anna Bay, through to Salamander Bay.

For the most part it is sign posted 80 kmh, particularly around Taylors Beach and the bulky goods retail precinct. 

“Koalas on the move have no road sense and are very difficult to see, especially at night,” Society vice president Ron Land said.

“Cars travelling at 80 kmh have next to no chance to stop or avoid koalas crossing this road which dissects key koala habitat.”

The society has kept count since January 2011 and said it would seek support from Port Stephens Council and the state government to bring about this change.

It was crucial, Mr Land said, when there’s as few as 150 koalas left in the Port Stephens local government area.

“Unless we act urgently to bring this about more of the region’s rapidly diminishing koala population will be lost,” he said.

In the past week alone there’s been another fatality.

Mr Land went to retrieve the koala and removed its entrails from the road. Numerous drivers blasted their horns at Mr Land while he tried to do so.

“The impact on the Society's carers and rescuers who have to retrieve badly injured or dead koalas from these incidents is also causing concern,” he said. 

“We know from continuing accidents on Port Stephens Drive how distressing it is on the people who call in the incident, and stay with the koala, until we arrive.

“But spare a thought for our people and try to imagine the impact on them as they deal with this repeatedly.”

Port Stephens MP Kate Washington said she would refer the issue to the Minister for Environment Mark Speakman and the Hunter director for Roads and Maritime Services – the latter having the last say on speed limits.

“It will have to be dealt with from an environmental perspective rather than the usual tests like human fatalities,” Ms Washington said.

“I will be interested to gauge the community’s reaction to this [proposal] but in light of recent koala deaths I hope they support it. It’s going to need community support to make this happen.”

Roads and Maritime Service and Port Stephens Council form a traffic committee along with police and transport operators that consider such issues as speed zones.

Committee member Cr John Nell said the outlook for koalas on the Tomaree Peninsula was dire.

But rather than change the speed limit he proposed physical barriers to the koalas and a dedicated crossing.

“Changing the number on the sign isn’t going to achieve anything but fill the government’s coffers,” he said.

“To reduce the limit you have to change the feel of the road; that means make it narrower with line marking traffic blisters.

“The money would be better spent on fencing and some sort of underpass or overpass.”

Cr Peter Kafer has been on the traffic committee for seven of his eight years on council.

“People wonder why there’s so few koalas around when there’s such a slash and burn attitude to development.”

Cr Kafer said there was significant backlash when the speed limit was reduced from 100kmh to 80kmh when the human death toll started to rise.

“When [RMS] reduced the limit there lots of people here whinged,” he said.

“I wish [the society] luck and I hope they do get a reduction.”