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Tag: Koala

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Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

A Koala

Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

One of the prime attractions in Port Stephens is the Koala Sanctuary. Not only does it allow you to see koalas, but it rehabilitates injured ones, while providing a place to live for those that cannot be returned to the wild.

Accommodation

An excellent accommodation option for the Port Stephens region are the cabins available at the sanctuary. This allows visitors to see the koalas in the evenings and mornings when they are more active.

Accommodation at Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
Accommodation

Koala Sculptures

After paying for your entry, a path leads through a number of large koala sculptures. As you walk along the path, most sculptures also have an information board helping you understand the koalas, their habitat and the threats to their survival.

This is a great educational opportunity and is especially good for children.

Koala Sculpture Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
Koala Sculpture
A Koala Statue Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
A Koala Statue
A Koala Statue
A Koala Statue Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
A Koala Statue
A Koala Statue
A Koala Statue Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
A Koala Statue
A Koala Statue

Koala Hospital

Before reaching the viewing area, you pass the hospital where injured koalas are treated. A window allows you to see into the treatment room and we were lucky enough to see one there, along with the vet and his assistants.

Koalas

Only koalas that are unable to be rehabilitated back to the wild are on display. Koalas that have undergone surgery and are being rehabilitated are housed in separate enclosures. Each kolas has its own information board detailing how it came to the sanctuary and what injuries it was suffering.

Because we arrived in the middle of the day they were not very active, but were able to see most of them. stationed here were two volunteers who gave talks on the koalas and the work of the sanctuary.

Information Board about the koalas
Information Board about the koala
Koala information board
Koala information board
A Koala
A Koala
A Koala Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
A Koala
A Koala Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
A Kookaburra
A Kookaburra

What Did We Think?

This was a great visit and would recommend it to anyone wanting to see or learn about koalas. It’s similar to the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital although larger and offering onsite accommodation.

Our photos are available for purchase on

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail Port Macquarie

Hello Koala Title

Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail Port Macquarie

Located all over Port Macquarie and its surrounding districts on the NSW mid-north coast, the Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail is a fun way to find your way around town. With many businesses and attractions sponsoring one or more of the sculptures it’s also a great way to make finding them more fun.

Each sculpture is hand-painted by Australian artists, featuring environmental, wellbeing, heritage or cultural designs.

We had fun finding them around town because they are often painted to fit it with the business that sponsors them. The koala outside the courthouse is a convict, while the ones at the Glasshouse Arts and Visitor is Lady Lola the Dancing Koala.

Hello Koalas Gift Shop

Located at Shop 16, 10 Bellbowrie Street in Port Macquarie, the Hello Koalas Gift Shop had around 17 koala sculptures waiting to find a home. This was a great visit, with lots of photos taken and souvenirs bought.

Here we also learned that they advocate to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our koalas and environment. As part of the national organisation Arts and Health Australia, funds raised from projects and events are distributed among essential environmental causes.

It’s an excellent way to promote the town, with large local population of koalas while raising awareness of the koalas’ plight. Threatened by land clearing for roads and houses, vehicle strikes, dog attacks, disease, drought and climate change, koalas face an uncertain future. The recent bushfires highlighted the dangers that koalas face.

Lion Leo Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Lion Leo
Kalido Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Kalido
Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Mini-Koalasaurus Max Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Mini-Koalasaurus Max
The Mayor of Koala Republic Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
The Mayor of Koala Republic
Winnie the Unicorn
Winnie the Unicorn
Republic Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Olly The Blue Eyed Boy
Olly The Blue Eyed Boy
Granny Square
Granny Square
Topiary Republic Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Topiary
Tully the Celtic Koala
Tully the Celtic Koala
Princess Lasiandra
Princess Lasiandra
Mandy the Mandala Koala
Mandy the Mandala Koala
Elvis Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Elvis
Ranger Riley
Ranger Riley
Koala Boy Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Koala Boy
Radiant Heart
Radiant Heart
Augie the Cyclist Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Augie the Cyclist
Bushby
Bushby
Starry Soul
Starry Soul
Crusader Koala Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Crusader Koala
Koalasaurus Max
Koalasaurus Max
Buzzy Bee Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Buzzy Bee
I'm No Bear
I’m No Bear
Flying Fifie
Flying Fifie
Con Koala Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Con Koala outside the Courthouse
Benjamin The Return of the Thylacine
Benjamin The Return of the Thylacine outside ABC Mid-North Coast
Sandy Paws
Sandy Paws at Panthers
Koala statue Glasshouse Arts and Visitor Centre Port Macquarie
Lady Lola the Dancing Koala
Koala statue Glasshouse Arts and Visitor Centre Port Macquarie
PK Sparkles
Koala statue Port Macquarie Museum
Forest
Koala statue
Koala Noir
Koala statue
Lachlan Macquarie
Koala outside the entrance
Berry Delicious at Ricardoes Tomatoes & Strawberries
Koala Statue Koala Hospital Port Macquarie
Sunshine at the Koala Hospital

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

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Port Macquarie Koala Hospital

Port Macquarie Koala Hospital

Established in 1973 and dedicated to the to rescue, rehabilitation and release of wild koalas, the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital also helps visitor learn about this unique Australian animal.

Located in the NSW mid-north town of Port Macquarie, the hospital is a favourite destination for tourists. On arrival, we were pleased to see that a mobile coffee van was set up near the carpark. After a long drive to get here, this was a great way to start our visit. After a relaxing coffee on some chairs under shady trees, we started our visit.

Entry is free, but donations are welcome, which are used to keep the hospital running. The first exhibit is actually another of Port Macquarie’s attractions, one of the Hello Koala statues. Scattered around town at different businesses there are around 80 of these colourful statues.

The Koalas

Near the statue an information board with photos of koalas under care details the threats they face. The main one is habitat loss – something that is totally preventable, but something our state Government seems reluctant to address. Koalas at the hospital suffer from a range of injuries, from road accidents, dog attacks and bush fires.

The koala enclosures hold animals undergoing rehabilitation. Each enclosure has a description of the koala, the injury they sustained and how they are progressing. As koalas sleep a lot (due to the low food value of the leaves they eat – not the intoxicating effects of the gum leaves – that’s an urban myth) they were hard to see, cuddled up into little furry balls in the trees. We managed to spot them all, but most were too far away or obscured to take photos of.

The last place to visit is a small museum. This details koala evolution and their place in the Australian environment. Several stuffed exhibits allow visitors to see what they look like up close.

The Future

Funding has been secured for a first of its kind wild breeding program. The aim is to breed and release 30 joeys each year, offsetting the current population decline. Also involved in the project are Taronga Zoo, the Australian Museum Research Institute and the University of Sydney.

What Did We Think?

If you are visiting Port Macquarie, this is a must-see destination. Not only do you see koalas, but you also learn about their endangered status and what is being done to save them.

Koala Statue Koala Hospital Port Macquarie
Koala Statue
Information Board
Information Board
Koala Hospital Port Macquarie
Educational area
Sleeping koala
Sleeping koala
Information board Koala Hospital Port Macquarie
Information board
Koala display in the museum Koala Hospital Port Macquarie
Koala display in the museum
Koala display in the museum
Koala display in the museum
Koala skeleton Koala Hospital Port Macquarie
Skeleton of a koala compared to other animals

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.