If you were to think about national symbols of Australia, what would come to mind? Some destinations or landmarks, perhaps? What if I asked to narrow your list down to animals? I’m thinking the koala will be listed, right?
Cuddling a koala or seeing one in the wild is not just a bucket list item for visitors to Australia; it is often also something locals wish to do at least once.
Where to see a Koala in Sydney
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Is a Koala a bear?
Whilst we often hear of the koala bear, the koala is not a bear.
Mammals are divided into three types: Placental, Monotremes and Marsupials.
Bears are placental mammals, meaning that the mother carries her young in her uterus until relatively late in their development. During this period, they are nourished via the placenta. (Humans are placental mammals, too!).
Koalas and kangaroos are marsupials. Marsupials give birth to their young quite early in their gestation. The baby then moves into a pouch to continue its development. You won’t usually see a koala joey peek out of its mother’s pouch until they are 5 or 6 months old.
You are probably wondering what monotremes are. Monotremes are egg-laying mammals. There are two types: platypus and echidna. Whilst there is only a single species of platypus, there are four species of echidna, with one found in Australia: the short-beaked echidna.
Where do koalas live?
The Australian koala is naturally found across eastern and southeastern Australia, primarily in Queensland, New South Wales, Victoria, and South Australia.
One of the most significant causes of koala deaths is roadkill. When driving at night, we always travel well below the speed limit just in case we come across a koala. On two occasions in recent years, we have had to stop on a 100-kilometre road to allow a koala to cross. Initially, our headlights bamboozled the koala. It is essential to note that it may turn back in front of you when you think it is safe to take off.
Interesting Koala Facts
There are so many interesting facts about koalas that we will be unable to list them all here. However, we have rounded up a few of our favourite little-known facts about the koala.
- Koalas eat all parts of their favourite eucalyptus: the flowers, buds, stems and bark.
- Koalas get most of their water from the Eucalyptus trees that they eat. However, they do need to source water during extreme heat events or drought.
- Koalas live for around 10 to 15 years.
- Koalas sleep for around 18 to 22 hours each day.
- Koalas were listed as endangered in 2022.
- Koalas are only found in Australia.
Are you allowed to cuddle a koala in Sydney?
NSW has some strict laws when it comes to animal protection, which extend to how we interact with koalas. When it comes to holding a koala, no zoo or wildlife park in NSW is permitted to allow guests to cuddle koalas.
Koalas are not social animals and have never been domesticated. It has been found that being handled by multiple people can induce stress in koalas, lead to aggression and even risk their physical health.
You can see koalas in Sydney zoos and wildlife parks, and a small number offer koala encounters.
Koala Encounters in Sydney
Featherdale Wildlife Park
Featherdale Wildlife Park offers a personal koala experience where you can get up close to a koala and even pet it. The experience even offers a photographic package.
You can find out more about the Feathedale Koala Experience here.
Wild Life Sydney
Wild Life Sydney offers its own koala experience each day between 11.00 am and 3.30 pm. The experience gives you access to the koala exhibit, the chance to ask the koala keeper questions, printed photos and a chance to get up close to a koala.
You can find out more about the Wild Life Sydney Koala Experience here.
Koala Park Sanctuary
Koala Park Sanctuary in Pennant Hills is open every day of the year except Christmas Day, and offers koala presentations throughout the day. Just 20 minutes from the Sydney CBD, the sanctuary is set on 10 acres of lush Rainforest, Eucalypt Groves and Native Gardens.
Head over to Koala Park Sanctuary to book your tickets or learn more about their conservation work.
Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo’s new Australian habitat, Nura Diya Australia, has recently opened. Walk along the 400-metre walking trail and spot koalas in the trees above, and spot a wide range of other Australian native animals.
Head to Taronga’s Nura Diya Australia page to learn more.
Koala Encounter Day Trips from Sydney
Symbio Wildlife Park
Symbio Wildlife Park is in Helensburgh, around an hour south of Sydney’s CBD. The Park is family-owned and spans 20 picturesque acres with a plethora of native and exotic animals.
Symbio offers a koala experience where you can pet, interact with, and cuddle up to a koala. Symbio’s skilled Zookeepers support the encounter to ensure the koalas are safe throughout your visit.
Head to Symbio Wildlife Park’s koala experience to find out more.
Australian Reptile Park
The Australian Reptile Park is situated around an hour from Sydney’s CBD in Somersby. Whilst the Park has a heavy focus on Australian reptiles, there is also a large number of Australian native mammals, including the koala.
The Australian Reptile Park offers visitors the opportunity to get up close with their koalas. The koala encounter includes an individual close-up with a koala, a dedicated keeper talk and the chance to take lots of photos.
Head to the Australian Reptile Park koala encounter to learn more.
Other Sydney Adventures
The best zoos and wildlife parks in Sydney.