Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary facts for kids

Quick facts for kids
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Date opened	1927
Location	Fig Tree Pocket, Queensland, Australia
Land area	18 ha (44 acres)
Coordinates	27°31′58.56″S 152°58′9.47″E / 27.5329333°S 152.9692972°E / -27.5329333; 152.9692972 (Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary)

The Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is a special place for koalas in Brisbane, Australia. It's like a safe home for animals, covering about 18 hectares (that's about 44 acres!).

This sanctuary started way back in 1927. It's the oldest and biggest koala sanctuary in the whole world! You can find about 80 different kinds of Australian animals living here.

History of Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

The sanctuary got its name from a single hoop pine tree. The first owners of the land, the Clarkson family, planted it.

The sanctuary opened in 1927. Its main goal was to help sick, hurt, and orphaned koalas. Back then, many koalas were being hunted for their fur. Claude Reid, who started the sanctuary, knew these amazing animals needed protection. He worked to save their homes too.

The first two koalas at Lone Pine were named Jack and Jill. The sanctuary became famous around the world during World War II. Many Americans, including the wife of General Douglas MacArthur, visited to see Australia's unique animals.

Amazing Australian Wildlife

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is home to many incredible Australian animals. Visitors can get very close to some of them!

Meeting Koalas Up Close

You can even hold a koala for a small fee! Don't worry, the sanctuary has strict rules to keep the koalas safe and happy. Each koala is only held for a maximum of 30 minutes each day. The money from souvenir photos helps a lot. It pays for new homes for the animals, important research, and even new eucalyptus trees for the koalas to eat.

Exploring the Kangaroo Reserve

Imagine walking among kangaroos! At Lone Pine, you can feed and pet free-roaming kangaroos. There's a huge 5-acre area just for them. More than 130 kangaroos live there freely.

Birds of Prey and Lorikeet Fun

Get ready for some colorful birds! Rainbow lorikeets fly right into the sanctuary for their special nectar meals. You can even feed these beautiful birds twice a day. There's also an exciting bird of prey show once a day. You can watch different kinds of raptors show off their speed and amazing eyesight.

Discovering the Koala Forest

The "Koala Forest" is a very large area where over 30 koalas live. They are all around you! You can watch the koalas being fed in the mid-morning and mid-afternoon. It's a great chance to see them munching on eucalyptus leaves.

Koala Science and Research

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary opened a new science center in 2018. It's called the Brisbane Koala Science Institute. This center works with the Brisbane City Council. It has two full-time researchers and a special lab. There's even a "Koala Biobank," which stores important koala genetic information.

Lone Pine hopes this institute will help scientists work together even more. They want to find new ways to protect koalas. Visitors can see the institute every day from 9 AM to 5 PM through a special viewing area.

Getting to the Sanctuary

It's easy to get to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary! You can drive there by car or taxi from the city center in about 20 minutes. There's a car park right at the entrance.

You can also catch a Transport for Brisbane bus. Or, for a fun trip, you can arrive by express boat! The boat leaves from the Queensland Cultural Centre pontoon and takes you right to the sanctuary's entrance on the Brisbane River.

Photos

Awards and Recognition

In 2009, during the Q150 celebrations, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary received a special award. It was named one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland. This award recognized its important role as a famous place in Queensland.

See also

In Spanish: Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary para niños

• Australian Koala Foundation
• Marsupial
• Koala Park Sanctuary, Sydney
• Koala Farm, Adelaide
• Koala conservation § Introductions