Daisy Hill Koala Centre

Built by the Queensland Government as a dedicated koala education facility, the Daisy Hill Koala Centre was opened to the public in 1995. Extensively refurbished in 2009, it now features a large outdoor koala enclosure and many new interactive displays.

• Admission is free.
• Open daily from 10am to 4pm (except Christmas Day, New Year's Day and Good Friday).
• Walkways are suitable for wheelchairs.
• Located 25 km south of Brisbane in the Daisy Hill Conservation Park.

The Daisy Hill Conservation Park comprises 435 hectares of open eucalypt forest. It has long been a popular bushland retreat for people, and is home to many native animals including koalas.

Koalas

Resident koalas can be seen from two different level viewing boardwalks at the Daisy Hill Koala Centre.

Visitors are unable to handle or pat the koalas.

Celeste

Celeste was born on New Years Day, 2005. She arrived at Daisy Hill Koala Centre from The Big Pineapple’s former wildlife sanctuary on the Sunshine Coast in April 2011, along with her niece, Mangiri. Celeste and Mangiri are very close and can sometimes be seen snuggling together on the tree forks.

Celeste has a scar on her left eye which is possibly due to a scuffle she had with another koala while in captivity. She can also be distinguished from the other resident koalas by her very white bottom.

Celeste can usually be seen sitting high up in the tree forks. On most rainy days she will sit in a tree fork that is sheltered from the rain because she does not like to get wet.

Mangiri

Mangiri was born at The Big Pineapple’s former wildlife sanctuary on the Sunshine Coast on 13 June 2009.

In April 2011 Mangiri came to live at Daisy Hill Koala Centre, along with her aunt, Celeste. Mangiri loves her aunty and can sometimes be seen snuggling up to her in the fork of a tree.

Mangiri is the youngest koala at Daisy Hill Koala Centre. She has the softest and fluffiest fur, a rounder belly and a more youthful face than the other koalas. Her parents are relatively large koalas so it is very likely she will be too.

Faith

Faith was admitted to the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital on 1 November 2011 as a suspected car strike victim. A physical examination revealed she had no signs of injury, however reproductive cysts were detected. As a result she had her ovaries removed.

Koalas that are sterile are not released back to the wild so Faith has come to live at Daisy Hill Koala Centre as an education display koala. Faith was likely to have been born in the wild in 2007. She is a very friendly and calm-natured koala who loves to sit in the rain. You can easily identify her by the pink pigmentation on the heels of her hind paws.

What to see in the centre

Learn more about koalas by exploring the fun and informative displays in the centre. Take time to:

• watch a film in the Midnight Woodland Theatre about the plight of koalas
• play the Koala Quest and Koala Quiz games on the interactive kiosks
• find out why koalas are listed as vulnerable in South East Queensland
• climb the observation tower to get a koala’s eye view of the world—koalas might even be spotted from here
• discover all about the koala’s life cycle and unique biology
• learn the signs and symptoms of a sick or injured koala
• get hands-on with radio tracking and finding out about koala research and monitoring
• learn how to keep koalas safe in the backyard
• become informed about the Queensland Government’s koala programs.

Programs and activities

The centre runs a curriculum-based environmental education program for schools.

The Connect with Nature events and activities calendar (previously known as Go Bush) offers a variety of ranger-led activities for school holiday visitors.

How to get there

If travelling south from Brisbane on the Pacific Motorway:

• turn off at exit 25 (Shailer Park exit)
• turn left onto Shailer Road
• turn right onto Daisy Hill Road, and continue to the Daisy Hill Conservation Park.

If travelling north from the Gold Coast on the Pacific Motorway:

• turn off at exit 24 (Daisy Hill–Loganlea exit)
• turn right onto the overpass
• turn right onto Winnetts Road
• turn left onto Daisy Hill Road and continue to the Daisy Hill Conservation Park.

Useful links

• Have you found a sick or injured koala in South East Queensland? (PDF, file unavailable)*
• Daisy Hill Koala Centre brochure (PDF, file unavailable)*

Daisy Hill Koala Centre activity sheets for children

• activity sheets 1 & 2 (ages 5-8) (PDF, file unavailable)*
• activity sheets 3 & 4 (ages 9+) (PDF, file unavailable)*
• activity sheet 5 - koala maze (PDF, file unavailable)*
• activity sheet 6 - find-a-word (PDF, file unavailable)*
• activity sheet 7 - find-a-word (PDF, file unavailable)*

Contact us

Daisy Hill Koala Centre
Daisy Hill Road
PO Box 5116
Daisy Hill QLD 4127
Ph (07) 3299 1032 Fax (07) 3299 1217
International +61 7 3299 1032 Fax +61 7 3299 1217

Email the koala.centre@ehp.qld.gov.au more information

* Requires Adobe Reader