Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Lone Pine opened in 1927 with two koalas, at a time when the animals were still being shot in large numbers for their fur, and it now holds well over a hundred, making it the oldest and largest koala sanctuary in the world. Queensland is one of the few places where holding a koala is legal, and Lone Pine offers it under strict rules limiting how long each animal works. Beyond koalas, the sanctuary keeps kangaroos in a large open paddock that visitors walk through and hand-feed, along with wombats, Tasmanian devils, platypus, dingoes, echidnas and a raptor free-flight show. A river cruise from the city runs to the sanctuary along the Brisbane River.

What you actually see

• The koala colony - over a hundred animals, with holding available under regulation.
• The kangaroo paddock - an open enclosure visitors walk into and feed.
• The platypus and wombats - Australian species in dedicated displays.
• The raptor show - free-flight birds of prey presentations.

When to go

April to October for Brisbane's dry season; summer is hot and humid and koalas sleep through the heat. Mornings are the most active period. School holidays are busy and koala holding sessions book out early in the day.

Honest expectations

Koala holding costs extra on top of entry and is limited by welfare rules, so it sells out. Koalas sleep around twenty hours a day and most will be motionless. Entry prices are high, and the sanctuary is a zoo rather than a wild setting.

Nearby

The Brisbane River cruise route links to the city; Mount Coot-tha lies north.