lone pine koala sanctuary

Koalas and emus and kangaroos, oh my.

That, my friends, should be the motto of the delightful Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. Located just outside of Brisbane, the sanctuary is the world's largest and perhaps Australia's best known. Home to a diverse collection of famous Aussie critters, Lone Pine is one of the easiest ways to see koalas, kangaroos and emus without trekking through the bush. (I did have a bush experience later in my trip, and managed to see all of those creatures -- and more -- in the wild. Nothing compares with that, but the sanctuary is the next best thing.)

My Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary adventure began while floating along the Brisbane River. The Mirimar Cruise offers a 1.5 hour journey (each way) down the river, finally docking at Lone Pine, which happens to rest along the side of the Brisbane River. It is a wonderful way to reach the sanctuary, and a beautifully scenic one, at that.

The journey down to the sanctuary was filled with commentary on the history and sights of Brisbane. It is also passed by a giant fruit bat colony on an island in the middle of the river. The only way to see the bats, by the way, is via the cruise.

The weather was perfect, sunny and warm, and sitting out on the deck of the cruise was utterly fulfilling. I was especially taken with the fruit bat colony and looking at all the expensive real estate lining the Brisbane River. You would not believe some of the incredible houses that dot that waterway's shores!

The sanctuary itself was a joy. Although not large, it does take a couple of hours to see all of the animals and exhibits properly. The animal enclosures were generally large and full of plants and hiding places, which made it more comfortable for the creatures in question. Wild animals also seemed to have taken to the place, with bush turkeys kicking up dirt everywhere on the paths, and lizards galore darting in and out of the few buildings on the sanctuary grounds.

Lone Pine is definitely the place to see koalas. My visit coincided with the arrival of baby koalas, so I had the pleasure of seeing the little joeys with their mothers. The babies ride their mothers piggyback style, which is disarmingly cute.

The males (or 'bachelors', as the sanctuary calls them) make a god awful noise. It's completely unexpected and a little shocking the first time you hear it -- you don't expect something so grating from such an adorable animal! It's a cross between a bellow and a grunt, and very deep pitched. To hear these guys in action, go here. The noise is quite loud, something you don't get from the recording on that link. You can hear it from meters away.

One of the best parts of Lone Pine is the giant kangaroo enclosure. Here is the spot where visitors can come and pet, feed and mingle with small sized 'roos. A few emus poke about the area as well, although they don't seem nearly as friendly. (They are also a lot more intimidating and larger in size.)

You buy kangaroo food at the gift shop for $1 a bag. My friend and I each bought one. Having armed ourselves with the paper sacks full of kangaroo friendly pellets, we made our way in to the enclosure.

It was well worth the $1 price for the food. The kangaroos come up and nibble at your hand, tickling you with their fur. Their mouths are surprisingly gentle, like a horse's, and if you keep your palm flat, you aren't in any danger of getting skin nipped off.

The personalities of the various animals really shine in this enclosure, too. Some will come right up to you and demand food; others will hang back and shyly watch, waiting for you to notice them. A few young kangaroos were hopping about as well, and seemed like children everywhere -- curious, eager, and friendly.

Another highlight of my visit to Lone Pine was getting a photograph taken with a koala. Although it's an extra fee on top of the admission price, I felt it was well worth it to even have the chance to hold such an amazing creature. I held a cuddly old female, who felt like a big furry bag of cat food. (Same weight, same sensation.) Koalas are very lethargic creatures, so you really have to cradle them when you hold them. They also have long claws, which are a little scary and can scratch if you are wearing a shirt with short sleeves.

For any prospective koala-holders: watch out for males. They have a scent gland, and apparently can make people who hold them smell a little funky for a few hours.

Other than the koalas, 'roos and emus, the sanctuary had wallabies, dingos, birds, snakes, lizards, and almost every other distinctly and famously Australian creature imaginable. The wallaby was especially cute -- a strange cross between a pig and a giant hedgehog.

I would highly recommend a visit to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary to any visitor in the Gold Coast/Brisbane area. It is especially great for kids or the young at heart, and is quite educational. There are some great talks scheduled through out the day, and plenty of chances to look at rare animals up close. The fact that the animals live in nice exhibits and appear to be well cared for also adds to the appeal of the sanctuary.