Our Story: From Crisis to Conservation

In the wake of the devastating bushfires that tore through the Port Macquarie region, the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital was overwhelmed by the kindness and support of people from across Australia and around the world.

During those critical weeks, our team, alongside NSW National Parks and Wildlife Service, worked tirelessly to search for and rescue koalas from fire-affected areas. Many were found injured, dehydrated and suffering from burns.

Each koala brought into care received intensive treatment, including rehydration, burn care, and ongoing medical support.

What began as an emergency response quickly grew into something much bigger.

A Community That Showed Up

With your support, we were able to:

• Build and distribute automatic drinking stations across fire-affected habitats

• Expand support to other wildlife organisations across New South Wales

• Invest in critical equipment to deliver water and care where it was needed most

But as the scale of the devastation became clear, so did the need for long-term action.

The fires destroyed vast areas of prime koala habitat, with hundreds of koalas lost and local populations significantly impacted.

It was clear that recovery alone wouldn’t be enough. We needed to rebuild.

Building the Future for Koalas

Thanks to the generosity of this community, we were able to bring to life something truly groundbreaking:

The Wild Koala Breeding Program at Guulabaa – Place of Koala

Originally envisioned as the ‘Koala Ark’, this facility was created to help protect and rebuild wild koala populations in a safe, natural environment.

Today, the Wild Koala Breeding Visitor Centre is open to the public, and our breeding program continues to go from strength to strength.

The Next Chapter: A New Koala Hospital

Your support didn’t stop there.

The iconic Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has undergone a major transformation, ushering in an exciting new era for koala care, rehabilitation and education. Thanks to the generosity of our supporters, the redevelopment elevates this world-first facility into a state-of-the-art hub for species preservation.

Our redeveloped hospital is now open to visitors and is a world-class facility for rehabilitating sick and injured koalas, giving them the best possible chance to recover and return to the wild.

The new facilities allow us to:

• Provide advanced veterinary treatment and specialist care in our new vet clinic and temperature-controlled intensive care units.

• Keep browse (eucalyptus leaf) fresh with smart misting systems.

• Strengthen conservation, research and education through interactive exhibits and the new Koala Museum.

• Inspire visitors to become part of protecting Australia’s koalas.

The redevelopment is an important step forward, but our work is far from over.

And we still need your support.

Because of You

Everything we’ve achieved, from emergency rescue and habitat support to our Wild Koala Breeding Program and the redevelopment of Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, has been made possible by people like you, including our network of more than 250 dedicated volunteers.

Your generosity has helped turn an extraordinary community response into lasting conservation action.

But there is still so much to do. Without urgent help and ongoing intervention, koalas remain on a severe path toward extinction by 2050.

Every contribution helps us continue our vital work protecting Australia’s precious koalas, from essential medical treatment and rescue equipment to habitat protection.

Thank you for being part of our journey.

Donate today and help build a brighter future for Australia’s koalas.

www.koalaconservationaustralia.org.au