Almost 2400 hectares of koala habitat has been saved from a pine plantation near Tewantin in a landmark $3.5 million buyout by a conservation group, a local council and the Queensland government.

It is a progressive move in a week where serious questions were asked about the viability of shifting koalas for development.

Michael Gloster's 20-year dream to turn a pine plantation into a park to protect koalas is being realised. Credit:Tony Moore

In this move near Tewantin, koalas are invited back to their own forests.

Volunteer conservation group Noosa Parks Association, Noosa Shire Council and the Queensland government each contributed $1.2 million to buy out Hancock’s HQ pine plantation behind Tewantin.