SE QLD: Koala Quest

South East Queensland is home to the largest concentration of wild koalas in Australia. Here's where to find them

Ask any overseas visitor to Australia which native animals they'd really like to see and you can bet the koala is pretty close to the top of their list. But despite its iconic Aussie wildlife status, it's an animal that even many Australians have never had the chance to see in the wild.

Koalas can be found right along the east coast and throughout most of Victoria as well as on Kangaroo Island in South Australia, with one of the biggest concentrations to be found in south-east Queensland. And the good news is, you don't have to journey far from the city centre of Brisbane to find them. The Brisbane Koala Bushlands is a large area of relatively undisturbed bushland in the south-eastern suburbs of Brisbane, covering more than 800 hectares of parks and is part of south-east Queensland's Koala Coast network which protects between 3,000 and 5,000 koalas, as well as many other native animals.

The Daisy Hill Koala Centre, part of Daisy Hill Forest Reserve is a conservation centre where you can see koalas up close and learn about their life cycle and how they've adapted to the changing Australian environment. The centre also offers ranger-led tours and talks. Admission to the centre is free and walkways are suitable for wheelchairs. Just remember to look up - there are an estimated 130 koalas that live in the forest.

There is another large koala colony just 35-mintues drive from the city in Redland Shire near Moreton Bay. The Redlands Indigiscapes Centre is a 14.5 hectare reserve with bushland walking trails and resident koalas which can be seen every day. Sharing the reserve with the koalas are 17 species of mammals, 25 species of reptiles and amphibians, 15 species of butterflies and a variety of fish and invertebrates. With more than 200 species of local native plants and a 400-year-old tallowwood tree, it is a fantastic place to walk around and soak up the natural atmosphere.

An hour or so further north, on the Sunshine Coast you can often spot koalas in their natural habitat in Noosa National Park, home to around 130 koalas.

If you're keen to learn more about our favourite marsupial, The Australian Koala Foundation (AKF) website has lots of useful information. Visit Australia Koala Foundation or call 1800 456 252.

Cuddle a koala

Even if you know where to look, koalas in the wild can be hard to spot, so if you're short of time and want a guarantee of seeing one, head to one of the zoos and wildlife parks. But for something different, why not join one of these fun hand's-on zoo experiences. While koala cuddling is now banned in New South Wales, there are still many places in Queensland where you can pat and hold one of these too-cute marsupials and even get your photo taken with one.

In Brisbane, the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was the world's first and largest koala sanctuary, with more than 130 koalas. You can hold a koala, feed a kangaroo, hear a talk about our reptiles and even have a coffee in the 'Koala Forest' surrounded by 30 koalas.

Up north, in Cairns, from 8.30am, the Cairns Tropical Zoo opens the doors of their 'Koala Café' not only to the general public, but also to the koalas themselves. Cuddle a koala during breakfast and then head into the zoo where you can feed kangaroos and meet hundreds more exotic and native species. Bookings for Breakfast with the Koalas are essential.

There's a similar experience on offer at the Koala Gallery on Hamilton Island, where koala's laze in the trees which border the al fresco dining area of the Koala Gallery Wildlife Experience. The sanctuary features a large collection of Australian native animals including koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and wombats as well as an impressive array of birds and reptiles. The 'Breakfast with the Koalas' features a delicious buffet breakfast of juices, fresh fruits, pastries, bacon, sausages and eggs served in open natural surroundings overlooking the koala habitat. Kids eat free.

Other places in QLD where you can also cuddle a koala include:

• Rainforest Habitat, Tropical North Queensland
• Kuranda Koala Gardens, Tropical North Queensland
• Billabong Sanctuary, near Townsville
• Alma Park Zoo, Brisbane
• Currumbin Sanctuary, Gold Coast
• Paradise Country, Gold Coast
• Dreamworld, Gold Coast.

By Lee Atkinson, May 2007.

All information was correct at the time of writing but may change without notice.