An animal rescue group has posted pictures of a disoriented koala wandering a desolate Gold Coast development site, saying the iconic Australian mammal represents countless native fauna left homeless by land clearing.

Wildcare Australia president Karen Scott said volunteers rescued the young koala from the site on Monday, after she was found wandering amid a cleared parcel of land in Pimpama that, until six weeks ago, was covered by bushland.

The koala, named Ash by her rescuers, was reported by builders working on the site.

"I think a lot of people see cleared areas and they realise in the back of their mind it was once habitat for wildlife but until you see a photo like that, you don't realise that a koala, which is supposed to be an iconic Australian species, has no home left," Ms Scott said.