In August of 2005 we spent three weeks in Queensland Australia (two adults, and three kids 11, 8, and 6 years old). We took a five day Cruise in the Great Barrier Reef, spent a week in Cairns and we visited Brisbane for four days. We flew from Dallas, Texas, stayed a little in Hawaii, and then we flew to Brisbane via Sydney. Brisbane was mostly a rest stop for us to recuperate and adjust to the different time zone before heading out to the Great Barrier Reef. However, the Brisbane stop turned out to be a nice surprise. One of the most enjoyable attractions nearby Brisbane was the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.


About the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary was founded in 1927, and it is the world's oldest and largest Koala Sanctuary. We took a shuttle to the sanctuary which was provided by our hotel in Brisbane. However, you can also go by boat, bus or taxi (or drive). There are 130 Koalas in the sanctuary and in addition there are Kangaroo's, Wombats, Dingo dogs, Echidna, Cockatoos, Tasmanian Devils, Kookaburras, Emus, Cassowary's, Australian, bats, Parrots, other birds, snakes, lizards, and various reptiles. The sanctuary is one of the few sanctuaries in the world where visitors are allowed to hold koalas for a fee. Regulations make sure that each is not held more then 30 minutes per day. You can also feed and pet free-roaming kangaroos (about 130 Kangaroos). The Kangaroo reserve is five acres and Kangaroos will jump up to you to get food and you might see mother Kangaroos with a Joey in their pouch. As a zoo the Sanctuary is not big (well it is not a zoo), however, the Koala holding and the kangaroo feeding are unique experiences for any European or American child. The entrance price as of now (not when we were there) is $65 for a family, $25 for an adult, and $19 for a child, which is a little bit much in my opinion.


Our experience

The main attraction at the Koala Sanctuary is the holding of the Koalas. We got to hold these soft, cuddly, extremely cute, sleepy and quiet creatures in our lap, hold them toward our chest, feel them cling onto us, pet them, hug them, and take a photograph with them. The kids were ecstatic especially my at the time 6-year old daughter. The holding of the Koalas is a memory for life, especially for my middle son. His Koala went to the bathroom while he was holding him. The current picture on my profile is a photo of that moment. Another highlight was the feeding of the Kangaroos. You could buy Kangaroo food and feed the Kangaroos from your hand. This gave you the opportunity to pet them while they were eating. One of the great moments for us was the encounter with the super hungry Kangaroo. This Kangaroo jumped up to my middle son and simply ripped the bag out of his hand with his mouth and ate the entire paper bag, paper and all, as quick as he could before the other Kangaroos could get any. The kids thought this was very funny and laughed out loud. Naturally we got another bag for him.

As a zoo the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is not that big and you can see it in an afternoon or morning. The entry fee is a little high for an attraction of that size, however, the Koala holding and the feeding and petting of the Kangaroos is very special to children. Why people come here is really to hold the Koalas. The Koalas are very docile and gentle animals so they will not make any trouble, they just sit there quietly like fuzzy babies. The Koalas may not actually enjoy it that much (I don't know) but the kids won't notice that. Unfortunately, the Koala holding is over pretty quick. You stand in line and then you get just a few minutes to hold and pet the Koala. However, the Kangaroo feeding, which is quite entertaining can go on for as long as you want. When we were there the Kangaroos were actually hungry, which was a great plus. I have no idea if that is always the case. As an attraction I found Australia's zoo slightly more interesting. Australia's zoo is big and has a lot of shows and attractions. At the same time you don't want to miss out on holding a Koala.


Conclusion and final recommendation

The Koala Sanctuary was a great experience for the kids, however, since the two main attractions were just the Koala holding, which was over in minutes, and the Kangaroo feeding, it is not enough for me to give it five stars. If you are in Brisbane for a few days you should go and see the Koala Sanctuary, however, you should also visit Australias zoo and do some sightseeing of Brisbane. If you don't have kids you may want to actually skip the Koala Sanctuary.

Recommended: Yes

Best Suited For: Families
Best Time to Travel Here: Mar - May