If you're visiting the Land Down Under, cuddling a cute koala is probably on your bucket list. Though the koala is one of the most iconic animals of Australia, hugging them is not as easy as you think.
Despite the many videos on the internet, seeing a koala in the wild is extremely rare, especially in the city. What is more, holding a koala is permitted only in three Australian states - Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia - and only a few selected sanctuaries and wildlife parks offer this unique experience. The rules, the prices and the photo options are differing at each park but the encounters are carefully monitored to protect the health and safety of the koalas and educate visitors on conservation efforts at the same time.
What should you know about koalas before you go?
Koalas are often referred as "koala bears" because of their teddy bear-like appearance but they are in fact marsupials, just like kangaroos. They carry their adorable joeys (young koala babies) in their abdominal pouch. The blind and hairless joeys stay there for 7-8 months then they climb out to cling to their mum's back.
Koalas have a thick and wooly fur coat, protecting them from the wet, hot and cold weathers. Its colour can vary from light grey to brown with patches of white on the chest and neck, inside arms and legs, and inside the ears. Their hands and feet have long and sharp claws to grip the trees and comb their fur.
Australia's national treasure is herbivorous and arboreal. A koala has little energy, therefore it's spending the day dozing on gum trees or munching 0.5-1 kilogram of the moisture-rich eucalyptus leaves. Male koalas are larger, around 14 kilograms, while the females are between 6 and 11 kilograms. Their life expectancy is 6 to 10 years but the captive koalas often live 12 to 15 years.
Did you know? The world's oldest captive koala, Sarah, lived in the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane for 23 years.
Sadly, as koala numbers are dwindling, they are 'sliding towards extinction'. The koala population had been hit hard by diseases, such as chlamydia and koala retrovirus. Just like the Aussie wildlife, they are also threatened by bushfires and the impact of human activities as their natural habitat is vanishing.
Now, let's see where can you actually get close to them!
Queensland
Queensland has the widest range of up-close koala experiences across the state and that's why it is known as " Australia's koala-cuddling capital".
South East Queensland
LONE PINE KOALA SANCTUARY, BRISBANE
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is the world's first and largest koala sanctuary, located just outside of Brisbane. The sanctuary is home to over 70 species of the Australian native wildlife and more than 130 koalas. Buy the ticket here for $37.80, then you can purchase additional packages for a koala encounter: Koala Discovery Tour for $150, Touch a Koala for $15 or Koala Holds for $25.
You can also support the park and the animals by becoming a sponsor. Learn more about it here.
CURRUMBIN WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, GOLD COAST
The Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is protecting and conserving native wildlife and local indigenous heritage for over 70 years on the Gold Coast. The sanctuary is home to over 50 koalas and its hospital is among the busiest wildlife hospitals in the world, treating over 500 sick and injured koalas every year. Buy your ticket here for $39.95. Additional options for a koala encounter is the Koala Photo for $29, Koala Experience for $49, High Koala-Tea for $79 on Valentines Day or Paint & Sip with Koalas for $120.
If you want to support the sanctuary, you can volunteer, adopt an animal or make a donation for the wildlife hospital.
AUSTRALIA ZOO, SUNSHINE COAST
The Australia Zoo was founded by the late Steve Irwin (aka The Crocodile Hunter) and is in the property of the Irwin family since. The famous menagerie is located on the Sunshine Coast homing over 1000 native and exotic wildlife species. You can get up close to dingoes, wombats, echidnas, red panda, rhino and more! Buy your ticket for $59 and the Cuddly Koala Encounter is another $49.
You can support the zoo in many ways, such as adopting an animal and donating for wildlife rescue. Learn more about it here.
WILDLIFE HQ ZOO, SUNSHINE COAST
Wildlife HQ Zoo on the Sunshine Coast is the relocated Alma Park Zoo homing 200 animals. Buy your ticket for $32 then you can take a photo for $30 with the cutest and native animals: koalas, quokkas, sugar gliders, dingo, reptiles and pythons.
PARADISE COUNTRY, GOLD COAST
Paradise Country is an Aussie Farm Experience where the guests can discover the Australian wildlife including koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils and emus. Buy your ticket for the shows here and as a koala encounter, you can participate in a Koala Breakfast for $70 or a Koala Encounter for $45.
DREAMWORLD, GOLD COAST
Take a Koala Photo for $24.95 at Dreamworld theme park and zoo on the Gold Coast.
Central Queensland
COOBERRIE PARK WILDLIFE SANCTUARY, CAPRICORN COAST
Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary offers encounters with rehabilitated animals including koalas, kangaroos, monkeys, birds and reptile species. Buy your ticket for $30 and interact with the animals for free during the daily shows or for $20 you can hold a koala and take your own photos.
To support the park, adopt an animal or volunteer. Read more about it here.
SNAKES DOWNUNDER REPTILE PARK & ZOO, CHILDERS
Snakes Downunder Reptile Park & Zoo is primarily a reptile and amphibian park but you can meet koalas and kangaroos too here. Hold reptiles for free or take a photo with a koala for $20.
Tropical North Queensland
BUNGALOW BAY KOALA VILLAGE, MAGNETIC ISLAND
Magnetic Island is a perfect getaway destination in Tropical North Queensland. Bungalow Bay Koala Village is Australia's only resort with a wildlife park where you can get close to koalas, turtles, wombats, crocodiles, lizards and pythons. The family owned park offer a Wildlife Park Tour for $40 and Breakfast with a Koala for $70.
WILDLIFE HABITAT, PORT DOUGLAS
Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas presents five different habitats: wetlands, woodland, rainforest, savannah and nocturnal worlds. You can hand-feed wallabies and kangaroos, watch a crocodile feeding, have a breakfast with birds, take a private 2-hour tour in the park or take a Feature Creature photo session with snakes, crocs or koalas. Buy your ticket for $38, then a koala photo is another $27.
BILLABONG SANCTUARY, TOWNSVILLE
The Billabong Sanctuary is a family-owned wildlife park located in Townsville. It gives home to over 50 native animal species including wombats, crocs, reptiles and a koala colony. Koalas here are part of a breeding program. The entry ticket is $39 including activities like pat a wombat, hold a baby crocodile or feed turtles and cassowaries. Taking a photo with a koala in another $30, while a wombat or reptile photo is $24.
KURANDA KOALA GARDENS, CAIRNS
The Kuranda Koala Gardens in Cairns is a boutique wildlife park homing koalas, quokkas, wallabies, kangaroos, wombats, freshwater crocodiles, possums, gliders and reptiles. You can buy a ticket for $19 and take a photo with a koala for some additional cost.
RAINFORESTATION NATURE PARK, KURANDA
The Rainforestation Nature Park in Kuranda is a combination of a Koala & Wildlife Park, the Pamagirri Aboriginal Experience and the Army Duck Rainforest Tour. The combined ticket costs $52, while the wildlife park itself cost only $19. In the wildlife park you can see koalas, dingoes, Tasmanian devils, crocodiles, cassowaries, wallabies even Lumholtz’s Tree Kangaroos. You can take a Koala photo or participate in the Exclusive Access Koala Experience for $21.25.
HARTLEY'S CROCODILE ADVENTURES, WANGETTI
Hartley's Crocodile Adventures is the place to see crocodiles up close in their natural habitat, but you can meet reptiles, birds and marsupials too. Located in Wangetti, the park offers experiences, such as the Big Croc Feed, the one-hour interactive Mammal Magic tour for $135 or a Koala Breakfast for $35. Buy you ticket here for $41.
CAIRNS ZOOM AND WILDLIFE PARK
The Cairns Zoom & Wildlife Dome is a wildlife park combined with zip lines, rope climbing and interactive shows, located in Cairns. Buy your ticket or $25, then you can have a Koala experience for $25 with close-up koala photos, but for holding a koala, you need to purchase the koala photo option for $27.
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HAMILTON ISLAND WILDLIFE, WHITSUNDAYS
The Wildlife park at Hamilton Island offers guided tours and the experience to meet Australian marsupials and reptiles, dingoes, even a giant crocodile. You can have a breakfast with the koalas or cuddle one for $30 in addition to the $28 entry fee. For another $150 you can have a VIP Koala Experience.
South Australia
KANGAROO ISLAND WILDLIFE PARK, KANGAROO ISLAND
Kangaroo Island itself is like a huge animal sanctuary with sea lions, wallabies, koalas, dolphins, penguins but also a rugged coastline, pristine beaches, natural wonders, local food and wine, not to mention the amazing sunsets! The Wildlife Park is home to over 150 species and more than 600 animals, including rescued, injured and orphaned animals. Purchase a ticket for $28 and you can hold a koala for additional $35 or have a private koala session for $150. Also, walk with your eyes open and you might catch a glimpse of the cuddly marsupials in the wild on the island!
You can support the park by adopting an animal or donating to the Rescue Centre.
CLELAND WILDLIFE PARK, ADELAIDE HILLS
The Cleland Wildlife Park is located in Adelaide Hills, about a 20-minute drive from Adelaide. After purchasing the entry ticket for $30, you can see native Australian marsupials, birds, dingoes, echidnas, snakes and reptiles, even pat and feed some of them. The Koala Close Up is included in the entry fee, but you can hold one for an additional $35, feed one for $101 or book a private package for $385.
GORGE WILDLIFE PARK, CUCLEE CREEK
Gorge Wildlife Park is located in Cudlee Creek, about a 40-minute drive from Adelaide. The family-operated wildlife park is among the largest privately owned parks of the country. Buy your ticket for $19 then you can pat and hold a koala for another $10.
Western Australia
Though Western Australia is a huge state, the only known place to hold a koala is the Cohunu Koala Park.
COHUNU KOALA PARK, PERTH
The Cohunu Koala Park is about a 40-minute drive from the center of Perth and its owners have been breeding koalas for over 25 years. Here you can meet free-roaming emus, wallabies, dingoes, deer, swans, owls, about 30 talking parrots and koalas. Buy your ticket for $15 and hold a koala with photo options for $30.
As we mentioned earlier, in the other states and territories, it is illegal to hold a koala, but in a few places, you can get close to them.
In New South Wales, Featherdale Wildlife Park in Sydney allows you to pet a koala for $25, while at Wild Life Sydney Zoo you can take a close-up koala photo for $25 or have a breakfast with one for $60. In Victoria, you can pet a koala at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Ballarat for $50.
Also, there are many places to spot koalas in their native habitats. They mostly live in eucalyptus forests in Eastern and Southeastern Australia (QLD, NSW, VIC and some places in SA). Look high up the trees, they are usually napping there and easy to miss them.
Check out the mentioned places on the map.
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