One thing that warms my heart when thinking of koalas in Australia is seeing their fluffy little ears as they enjoy their lives in the eucalyptus trees.
Spotting koalas in the wild is supposed to be one of those magical Australian travel moments – but let me tell you, it’s far from guaranteed. As we made our way up the east coast, we were scanning every tree desperately, hoping to spot those little fluffy ears – our first koalas in Australia. And yet… nothing. Well, except for one koala, way up in a tree, so far away that it might as well have been a weirdly shaped branch. Look at the picture below and tell me if you see the koala!
But maybe it was just us, because we met plenty of travellers showing us close up pictures of koalas they had spotted along the way. One of my Roman Empire moments was on Magnetic Island. Someone told us about a specific path we have to walk because it was a 100% guarantee to see koalas there. He knew lots of people who had been and claimed that everyone saw at least two. Well, we walked that exact path twice up and down, even asked people along the way, only to leave frustrated and koala-less. At this point, I was convinced the koalas in Australia had some sort of personal grudge against us.
To save you from this frustration, I want to show you two places in Brisbane, where you get an exclusive “koalas in Australia” experience. It’s not completely in the wild, but the magic is still going strong.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
The world’s first, largest, and most famous koala sanctuary in Australia is definitely the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, located in Brisbane. Stars like Taylor Swift and One Direction have visited this location and taken their chance to cuddle with a koala.
In general the sanctuary plays an important role in rescue and rehabilitation of sick or injured animals, of the Australian wildlife. At the very beginning they started by rescuing only koalas, but soon began taking care of other animals as well. Therefore visiting the sanctuary will also include a diverse wildlife.
Going through their website I had the feeling that the most important thing, next to the wellbeing of their animals, is education. It’s not only about the “aww” moments when you see the animals, but about understanding the problems they face. The sanctuary helps visitors learn about wildlife conservation and the dangers these animals face, encouraging everyone to protect Australia’s unique species.
Now to the most famous part – the koalas. A lot of shared memories in the internet are about their koala encounters. One thing that is very special about this sanctuary is the option to hold one of their koalas and cuddle with them for a short period of time.
All of these special packages have a price. The more you want to experience, the more you have to pay. You can pay extra to have special encounters with different animals, get behind the scenes, take part in a discovery or platinum tour and so on. It’s a bit pricey, but many visitors leave with unforgettable memories and highly recommend the experience.
We didn’t visit this sanctuary because of two reasons. I want to be very real with you, so I’m going to show you my personal thoughts with this one.
- As a budget traveller, things like these can become very expensive. We were thinking about going there, but we wanted to see if we have other options, which are more affordable. The price for a day pass as an adult (+18) is currently 54 AUD. When you want to get closer for examples to the koalas you’ll have to pay extra.
- The experience seems very special and unforgettable. But these are still wild animals. It kinda didn’t seem right to visit a place, where koalas or other wildlife animals can be held, cuddled and touched. This is always a tricky situation, because yes koalas seem really cute and I couldn’t imagine how healing it would be holding one of them. But being held by a lot of different people, every day, with different smells and loud noises, seems not right. It could cause negative effects on their mental health and wellbeing.
Good news though – since the 1st of July 2024, the cuddling part has been removed from the program, and koalas can no longer be held during visits. The reason for this is the increasing number of requests from visitors. Instead, there’s a different program, koala close-ups, giving visitors a chance to still have a unique experience.
Another controversy is that many koalas remain at the sanctuary permanently.
If you want to visit their website: https://lonepinekoalasanctuary.com/
Daisy-Hill Koala Center
With a bit of research we discovered this gem. Also located in Brisbane, a bit further from the city center is the Daisy-Hill Koala Center. Easy to reach by bus, it’s located in the Daisy Hill Conservation Park, making it a very quiet and natural area.
Built by the government, it’s a dedicated koala education facility – a special place to learn about koalas and their conservation. First, you’ll walk up the wooden pier to the house, where you’ll already spot a few of their koalas. They have both an outside and an inside area. We had really good weather, so all the koalas were outside. Actually, it was only two of them, because Daisy Hill focuses on rehabilitation and the possible release of koalas back into the wild. That’s why the number of koalas can change regularly.
Inside, you’ll find lots of fun interactive stations where you can learn different facts about everything related to koalas. Even the little cinema at the end of the walk is a special experience. It’s perfectly designed for kids, but as adults, we also had so much fun spending time there. It’s really wholesome, small, and private.
The most amazing thing about all of this – it’s free. A dream for every budget traveler!
When you’re finished with your trip, take a walk through the forest. You’ll find plenty of picnic spots and even barbecue areas. Enjoy a homemade lunch in the middle of nature, or fire up one of the grills for a little barbecue session.
But be careful! There are lots of birds waiting for you to unpack your food, and they will try to steal whatever they can get. I’ve never been more scared. But at the end of the day I ended up with a super close picture of a kookaburra that dangerously joined our table. A win is a win.
If you want to visit their website: https://environment.desi.qld.gov.au/wildlife/animals/living-with/koalas/care-and-rescue/daisy-hill-centre
To catch a glimpse of koalas in Australia, I can highly recommend visiting a sanctuary. These two in Brisbane are already really good options.
In conclusion:
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
- The world’s first, largest, and most famous koala sanctuary
- Offers close-up experiences with koalas and other animals
- Focuses on education but also tourism, with paid experiences
- Located closer to the city center, making it easy to reach
- Expensive – a day pass costs 54 AUD, and extra experiences cost more
- Some controversy, as many koalas remain there permanently, as well as close up experiences
Daisy-Hill Koala Center
- A free alternative – perfect for budget travellers
- Focuses on rehabilitation and releasing koalas back into the wild
- Offers interactive education and a small but wholesome experience
- Located outside the city center, but still easy to reach by bus
- Only a few koalas at a time, as they aim to release them back into nature
Enjoy your time spotting koalas in the wild and in the sanctuary. No matter where you find them, they’ll make you happier than ever – Koalas in Australia.
Johanna
About the Author:
If Johanna were a word, she would be "stardust" – nondescript, quiet, demure, until the passion appears that brings the stardust to fully unfold. She’s a traveler at heart, constantly curious to see more of the world, with a camera always close by to capture every moment just as it is. Whether she’s at a concert, lost in the music, or exploring a new city, Johanna’s world is filled with an endless curiosity and love for the little details that make life feel like stardust.
Johanna
About the Author:
If Johanna were a word, she would be “stardust” – nondescript, quiet, demure, until the passion appears that brings the stardust to fully unfold. She’s a traveler at heart, constantly curious to see more of the world, with a camera always close by to capture every moment just as it is. Whether she’s at a concert, lost in the music, or exploring a new city, Johanna’s world is filled with an endless curiosity and love for the little details that make life feel like stardust.
