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Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
Climbingjoey.jpg
Koala Joey climbing a gum tree
Date opened 1927
Location Fig Tree Pocket, Queensland, Australia
Coordinates 27°31′58.56″S 152°58′9.47″E / 27.5329333°S 152.9692972°E / -27.5329333; 152.9692972 (Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary)Coordinates: 27°31′58.56″S 152°58′9.47″E / 27.5329333°S 152.9692972°E / -27.5329333; 152.9692972 (Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary)
Land area 18 ha (44 acres)
Website www.koala.net

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is an 18-hectare (44-acre) Koala Sanctuary in the Brisbane suburb of Fig Tree Pocket in Queensland, Australia.

Founded in 1927, it is the world's oldest and largest koala sanctuary.

The name originates from a lone hoop pine that was planted by the Clarkson family, the first owners of the 4.6-hectare (11-acre) site.

The sanctuary began with two koalas called Jack and Jill. Lone Pine became known internationally during World War II when Americans, including Douglas MacArthur's wife, visited the park to view the native Australian animals.

Wildlife in the sanctuary includes: koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, wombats, echidnas, and various species of reptiles, as well as a platypus that arrived at the sanctuary during 2010 from Healesville Sanctuary (near Melbourne).

Visitors are allowed to hold koalas for free. Strict regulations ensure that each koala is not held for more than thirty minutes every day. Fees paid for souvenir photos help fund new enclosures, research projects and eucalyptus plantations.

Visitors can also feed and pet the free-roaming kangaroos in the 5-acre (2.0 ha) kangaroo reserve, where more than 130 of the animals freely reside.

There are also many colourful Australian parrots and cockatoos, as well as other Australian birds such as kookaburras, emus, and cassowaries. Rainbow lorikeets fly to the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary for the specially prepared nectar meals at the sanctuary. Visitors can feed the lorikeets directly twice a day. Once a day there is a bird of prey show with several kinds of raptors showing off their speed agility and keen eyesight.


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