![]() ![]() Under its own policy, Tourism Australia remains opposed to the use of live animals at its own events where their primary use is entertainment, and there is negligible conservation or education value. Tourism Australia is currently reviewing its koala cuddling webpage. Koalas are federally listed as endangered in Queensland, NSW and the ACT. The experience is limited to one sanctuary in Western Australia, three in South Australia, but Queensland continues to defy the trend, with 13 operators offering tourists the opportunity. Victoria and NSW have outlawed koala cuddles. While the tide against hands-on encounters with Australia’s cutest marsupials appears to be turning, “koala cuddles” remains a very popular search term internationally. “You might have the odd animal that enjoys and encounter, and certainly some venues may say it’s enrichment, but is it really?” Tourism Australia reviewing koala cuddle webpage “I saw some cases where the handlers had to really just peel them off the branches they clearly didn't want to go,” she told Yahoo News Australia. Report author Dr Jen Ford visited several Queensland sanctuaries which offer animal encounters, where she alleges koalas were forced against their will to interact with tourists for photographs. Holds will not be repeated in the event of you being unhappy with your photos, so please ensure they are taken carefully by your family/friends.Queensland remains the home of paid captive koala cuddling experiences. You are welcome to have a member of your party take your photos instead however we take no responsibility for the quality of photos not taken by our crew. We are available to assist with capturing your photos during your hold. If for any reason, the Koala Keeper believes a hold should not be facilitated, their judgment is final. To ensure we can keep our koalas, visitors and keepers safe, holds are facilitated at the discretion of a trained and experienced Koala Keeper who reserves the right to deny a hold. We provide a vest to be worn to protect the visitors clothing.Whilst our koalas are very used to interacting with people, we do not guarantee that bites or scratches won't occur.Visitors wishing to hold must be able to stand unassisted, have full use of their arms and the ability to hold a minimum of 5kg unaided. ![]() Visitors wishing to hold must be a minimum of 150cm tall.We also take human safety very seriously, which is why the following restrictions apply: Only koalas identified as having a suitable temperament are handled.Holds are offered subject to weather conditions, and may not be offered in hot weather.This ensures we can adhere to our strict koala-handling roster, which is monitored closely and recorded, to ensure no koala is over-worked. To ensure the health and happiness of the koalas, the following restrictions apply: The health and well-being of our koalas is our utmost priority. Koala Hold Health & Safety Conditions We adhere to strict animal welfare guidelines and legislation. Feel free to call us on 9248 1984 from 8.30am to check the session time for the day. (As a guide, this change will usually occur on days when the forecast in Whiteman is 32degrees and above). Please Note - during warm weather, holds may be facilitated at 10.30am (instead of 12pm and 3pm) based upon the forecasted temperature and humidity. Tickets for both sessions are available to purchase from 9am, are sold first-come-first-served, and both sessions regularly sell out before midday. Places are strictly limited, so we encourage you to purchase your ticket promptly on arrival - the earlier in the day, the better. Koala holds cannot be purchased or booked in advance. Tickets can be purchased at the souvenir shop, where you will be allocated a timeslot usually at 12.00pm and 3.00pm daily (times are subject to change). If you would like to hold a koala, tickets are $35 per person. The koalas can be viewed at any time, so be sure to visit the Koala area outside of session times too. (Keep reading for Koala Holding information) This koala experience is included in your entry fee! We are available to take family photos for you! Stand with the koala for photos – take as many photos as you like, with your own camera – no charge. You are welcome to have photos taken with a koala, who is situated in a waist or shoulder height tree, or sometimes even in a keeper’s arms. MEET THE KOALAS - 9.00am, 11.30am and 3.30pm DAILY ![]()
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