Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

Aug 25 - Review by Pete

Ethical Explorer Review: Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary

Overview

Situated in eight hectares of native bushland in Port Stephens, New South Wales, the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary is a facility dedicated to the rescue, rehabilitation, and long-term care of one of Australia’s most iconic species. Opened in 2020, the sanctuary combines wildlife care with eco-tourism experiences, offering visitors the chance to stay overnight in glamping style cabins, enjoy nature-based facilities, and most importantly, learn about the plight of koalas in the wild.

Koalas in Australia

Koalas are an endemic species, found only in Australia. Sadly, their populations have been in steep decline due to habitat destruction, land clearing, disease (particularly chlamydia), road accidents, and dog attacks. In 2024, national records classified koalas as endangered in multiple states, including New South Wales. When managed ethically Koala sanctuaries play a vital role in protecting and caring for individuals, while also raising awareness about the challenges facing the species.

Koalas in Captivity

To keep koalas you will be required to meet legislated standards, including enclosures, animal welfare, veterinary care, signage, educational materials, and qualified staff. This also includes specific provisions for koalas, like secure access to fresh leaves from at least three suitable eucalyptus species.

Review

Animal Welfare

1. Enclosure Size & Design

Koalas at the sanctuary are kept in enclosures within a large fenced area. This area is locked at specific times, allowing guests access only during designated "opening times," ensuring the koalas have privacy and are undisturbed for extended periods.

Quarantine enclosures for sick and injured koalas are not accessible by the public and consist of outdoor areas with high fences to restrict the view, but still contain trees and climbing platforms for Koalas to exhibit natural behaviours. see img 1 - Peter the koala.

Koalas that are “on display” at the sanctuary are permanent residents, these wild koalas came to the sanctuary sick or injured and because of their injuries are not eligible to be released back in to the wild.

The “SKYwalk” is an elevated boardwalk providing a vantage point for visitors to view koala enclosures from a respectful distance. Most enclosures are at eye level, accommodating the arboreal nature of koalas, who prefer being viewed from below to avoid stress.

Enclosures size is tricky for Koalas as they are arboreal the enclosure must ensure appropriate space and trees for koalas to exhibit their natural tree climbing behaviours but also be manageable in order to monitor Koala health and behaviour. The sanctuary enclosures I believe have been well designed to allow both natural behaviour and koala privacy and at the same time allow keepers to still monitor individuals.

Social distancing - researchers describe koalas as “semi-social” meaning they live in overlapping territories or “neighbourhoods” within a shared habitat. The sanctuary has several male koalas that are permanent and they are housed separately but adjacent to one another (see Img 2). During my visit these males seemed relaxed and unbothered by each others presence despite being in eye shot of one another. I would be interested to see if this changes during breeding season when males become more assertive of their dominance.

Several females are housed together in a larger enclosure (see Img 3). In the wild females are more tolerant of one another and as long as their is enough space, trees, and food available housing females together in captivity is allowed. I spoke to a member of staff at the sanctuary who ensured me that these females are carefully monitored for signs of stress or aggressive behaviours, and multiple feeding sites are provided.

2. Living Conditions

Within the enclosures the koalas have access to trees, shade, and shelter. Although koalas obtain 100% of their water from the leaves they eat, fresh water is also available. The enclosure has high fences to protect from pests and predators and it also acts as a barrier for wind and bad weather. the enclosures are completely outside with a covered area provided for shelter when needed.

3. Diet & Nutrition

Eucalyptus leaves are almost exclusively what koalas eat. They select leaves from specific species, and not all eucalypts are suitable. Typically, each koala prefers 3–5 tree species, depending on local availability. The sanctuary collection several types of eucalyptus leaves from the surrounding areas selecting the younger nutritious leaves that are more easily digested. Koalas have one of the most specialised diets of any animal so nutrition is crucial. Individuals eating habits are monitored to ensure optimal health. leaves are available throughout the day as koalas are browsers.

Some Koalas at the sanctuary are elderly and their teeth or no longer capable of chewing eucalyptus leaves, these individuals are given eucalyptus smoothies to supplement their diet.

4. Health Care

The sanctuary features a resident veterinarian and a fully equipped hospital for treating koalas and other wildlife, including a clinic, ICU, operating theatre, and X-ray facilities. Visitors can observe koala examinations through a viewing window (see Img 4), while trained staff and volunteers assist with care. The rehabilitation area is closed to the public for the privacy of recovering koalas. If healthy, they are released near their original location; otherwise, they receive lifelong care at the sanctuary.

5. Behavioural Enrichment

Koalas rest for 20 hours daily, requiring a suitable environment. During the remaining 4 hours, they browse eucalyptus leaves. The sanctuary offers climbing structures and native foliage for exploration, with food placed in various locations to encourage natural foraging and stimulation through rearranged structures.

Tourist Interactions and Ethics

1. Animal Contact Policies

In New South Wales and other states, it is explicitly illegal for members of the public to hold or cuddle koalas in zoos, wildlife parks or any other place that keeps koalas. Only trained, accredited staff are permitted to handle them and only when necessary.

Despite this some places still allow people to pose for a picture next to the koala, which means allowing people to enter the koalas enclosure or removing the koala to another “photo op” area. All of this is very stressful for the koala and very unnecessary.

I was happy to find that Port Stephens Koala sanctuary did not permit any interactions what so ever.

2. Breeding Practices

The sanctuary welcomed the birth of their first ever wild joey this year it was a female and they named her Birubi. The sanctuary state on their website -

“This momentous occasion represents a pinnacle achievement in our mission to support and sustain wild koala populations in the Port Stephens region. This little treasure is the first wild koala actually conceived and born at our Sanctuary, and when older and big enough, she will be released into the wild.”

I had no reason to suspect that breeding koalas at the sanctuary is done for any other reason except conservation purposes. With Birubi being the first joey born at the sanctuary I could not find much information on a release plan, and volunteers were unsure of the any release time frame.

Due to their decreased population, breeding programmes are essential in ensuring population numbers. However with the ever expanding destruction of natural habitat throughout Australia it is clear that a lot of work has to be done on a government level to ensure koala’s are kept safe in the wild.

Birubi was not on “display” at the time of my visit and no signage was visible which leads me to believe she was still being kept in the quarantine area, away from the public. This is an ethical sign that her birth was not for entertainment purposes.

Koalas or any other animals at the sanctuary are not used in any shows or other form of entertainment.

Education

1. Signs

Signage around the sanctuary is well placed from the entrance all the way to the skywalk and koala viewing area. The information is educational and easily digestible without being to much for people to stop and take in. Each sign also contains a QR code that if scanned takes you to more information on the website (see Img 5).

2. School Visits

The sanctuary offer school visits that include guided walks, story telling, a talk about of the hospital and koala care. There is no contact or disturbance to the daily routine during school visits.

The Koala Hospital (non profit) offer offsite community group and school visits within the local area.

Staff

The Port Stephens Council operates the sanctuary, employing staff for various roles, while the hospital, part of a non-profit organisation, has its own separate staff. During my visit, the reception team was friendly and informative about the koalas.

Volunteers were friendly and informative, mostly retired locals, they provided assistance in the viewing area, ensuring respectful visitor behaviour and answering questions. They receive training in koala husbandry and rescue, with some involved in rescuing sick or injured koalas and assisting in hospital procedures. It's unclear how many paid staff work at the koala hospital, aside from a manager and an onsite vet. The non profit organisation seems to rely quite heavily on its volunteers, and seem to invest in training its volunteers well.

The Koala hospital also offers work experience and work placement to students currently enroled form secondary level and above.

Transparency

The Koala Hospital constitution which outlines their purpose, powers, members etc. is easily accessed by their website. The website also states the type of organisation that they are (non profit) and the work they do.

As the sanctuary and the hospital are seperate entities it is unclear how the relationship works financially. For example how much of the sanctuary profits go towards the non profit or whether the non profit pays ground rent etc. I did ask about the percentage of funds going from the sanctuary to the non profit but did no receive a reply.

As I do not have information I cannot offer an opinion on the financial relationship between the sanctuary and the hospital.

Sustainability and Conservation

1. Sustainability Practices

The sanctuary has completed the Strive 4 Sustainability Scorecard, a pre-certification tool from Ecotourism Australia that evaluates sustainability across four pillars: sustainable management, environmental, socio-economic, and cultural impacts.

Initiatives include:

• Recycling programs and participation in the ‘Return and Earn’ container scheme.

• Reduction of single-use plastics, using bulk amenities and encouraging reusable water bottles.

• Grounds landscaped with native, low-water-use plants that support the local ecosystem

2. Conservation

The sanctuary is situated with 8 hectares of native bush that offers safe refuge not only to the rescued koalas but also other wildlife including birds, bees, possums, and echidnas.

The Koala hospital runs a rescue and release programme, releasing healthy individuals back into the wild population. This helps sustain wild number and treatment of diseases like chlamydia helps boost reproductive success.

Birubi the first wild joey to be born at the sanctuary will hopefully be released and this will be the start of a successful breeding and reintroduction programme, time will tell.

Although not directly linked to the sanctuary, Port Stephens Council (who own the sanctuary) has undertaken several proactive koala conservation projects under a three-year federal grant. These include:

• Creating a genetically backed koala feed tree list.

• Mapping fine-scale vegetation and koala habitats.

• Developing the first strategic habitat restoration priority map.

• Trialing methods like thermal drones and detection dogs to collect koala scat for monitoring

  
  

Overall Experience and Ethical Integrity

I enjoyed my visit to The Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary immensely, the Sanctuary was well maintained and presented, the staff were warm, welcoming, and professional.

I have lived in the area for several months and despite my best efforts I have failed to see a koala in the wild. This lack of sightings isn't surprising as koala’s are an elusive animal, but it unfortunately also correlates with the steep decline in population numbers. This makes the conservation and education work done by the sanctuary and hospital so important.

I can only comment as a visitor and not as someone who has been “behind the scenes” so to speak, but in my opinion, the Koala care, housing, and husbandry was excellent. and I was very happy to see how the koalas needs were respected and placed above profit or entertainment.

In my opinion the separateness of the sanctuary (business) and the koala hospital (non profit organisation) is somewhat confusing and might hinder the transparency of the organisation slightly. And each has their own seperate website with seperate merchandise etc. which might be confusing to some as to where their money is actually going. However I am sure the relationship has many advantages i.e access to council resources etc.

As someone who lives in the local area it would be good to see the sanctuary more active in the community to help spread awareness of the plight of koalas and to help boost their presence in the locally.

Final Ethical Explorer Verdict

The Ethical Explorer is proud to approve the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary for its strong commitment to animal welfare and sustainability. If you’re planning a visit, this is a place where your tourism truly makes a positive difference.