Snowy Mountains return for the koala?

A koala spotted strolling down a NSW Snowy Mountain highway is believed to be the first sighted in the area in 70 years.

The healthy looking male was seen crossing a road in the Kosciuszko National Park last month before scampering up a eucalyptues tree.

"[The koala] was seen climbing up one of the trees where it stayed, looking quite content," National Parks and Wildlife Service area manager Matt White said in a statement on Monday.

The confirmed sighting was especially exciting because the koala was spotted in a re-vegetated area, Mr White said.

Almost 80,000 koala-friendly trees have been planted on the cleared farm land.

Park officers are now trying to find out if the male was on his own or part of an unrecorded wild population.

Anyone who has spotted a koala in the area is being urged to contact the NPWS Tumut office.