Thanks First National Real Estate, Port Macquarie for your ongoing support of the Koala Hospital. We are grateful for keeping the Koala Ambulance on the road with your monthly donations also by supporting our 'Open Day' on Easter Saturday with a large street sign, advising the public of this annual event. 

Open Day on Saturday 7th April 2012 is an opportunity for the public to come to the Koala Hospital and enjoy the fun atmosphere with lots of stalls and fun for the kids; an event not to be missed.

Why not check out the products available at our new eKiosk?

For Wildlife Carers, veterinarians and researchers we have the Koala Rehabilitation Manual.

We have Where’s Barry for the travellers – for overseas visitors Barry is a lightweight souvenir and for the Australian travellers a little piece of home to carry with you.

New products will become available in time and we will be changing some products from time to time.  Keep watching the eKiosk.

If there is something you would like to see added to the list why not email us with your suggestions – ekiosk@koalahospital.org.au

Environmental Donation

Volunteers at the Koala Hospital are very aware of the need to conserve water. This has sometimes been difficult, however, as the leaf in the containers in the koala yards need to be misted twice daily to provide the animals with the moisture they require, as well as keeping the leaf fresh.

Until recently, volunteers misted the leaves with small spray bottles which constantly required refilling, and were sometimes difficult to use.

Hills Holdings have generously donated a number of large pump spray bottles, complete with harness, for use in the yards.

We at the koala hospital would like to convey our heartfelt thanks to the Managing Director, Graham Twartz, and Warehouse Supervisor, Sean Ackerman of Hills Holdings, for these pumps, which are going to make such a difference not only to the volunteers, but to the ability of the hospital to reduce water usage in the yards.

As you can see here, Jane is finding it much easier and less time consuming to use the spray pump, and the koala doesn’t seem to find it a problem either!!

Koala Stories by Pam Whippy – a long time volunteer.

I have been working at the Koala Hospital for over 13 years and started there in May 1998. I was born in Port Macquarie, and moved back there in 1997 due to forced early retirement.

On my return to Port, I visited the Koala Hospital, fell in love with the koalas and signed up that day. I began volunteering the following week and 2 years later became a Team Leader, a position I hold to this day.

I have performed many duties since joining, including working in the kiosk (shop), doing yard work composed of feeding the koalas and replenishing the leaf in the mornings, and training new volunteers. I have been involved in fund raising for the hospital as we do not receive any Government benefits and rely on public support, and have also gone on koala rescues and release when needed.

There is a “Walk and Talk” programme held each afternoon, giving visitors the story of our Australian icon, and letting them know what was going on at the hospital, and that was another task I enjoyed doing, but I think one of the things I loved most was being involved in Home Care. This is necessary for very sick koalas who need round the clock care, and for small joeys who are too young to manage for themselves.

I also began a scrap book of newspaper articles, and still keep this up-to-date.

Each year we have the “Carnival of the Pines” in Port Macquarie and I always walk in the parade as part of the Koala Hospital participation.

As for memories, I have so many, but a few special ones come to mind. There was “Fenech”, the blind koala who lived for 18 years, and “Pebbles”, the first koala I fed formula to. She would jump into your arms as soon as you walked in the gate of her yard, and loved licking your face!

“Cloud” was another very special koala who arrived at the hospital with terrible burns caused by bush fires. She was a very gentle koala, who loved a cuddle and a brush, and would often go to sleep while being groomed.

“Miss Beautiful” has a special place in my heart. I took her into home care but did not expect her to last the week. I looked after her for 20 months, and she was eventually Euthanased at the grand old age of 21 years.

My first responsibility as a home carer was with a joey named “Jim Beam”. He was like a son to me, and had the run of the house. He loved to play hide and seek, and liked sliding down a chair leg as though it was a fireman’s pole. He had his own room, complete with gunyah and leaf, but loved sleeping in my bed. He often pushed me to the other side of the bed so that he could lie on my pillow and look out of the window. On occasions, I would wake up and find him lying on my chest, puffing into my face to let me know it was time to play, no matter if it was one or two in the morning!

I remember doing a rescue with Jason when I caught my foot on something and tumbled down an embankment for about 5 metres. I was tangled up in vines and sticks and was covered in dead leaves. Not a pretty sight but a lot of laughs.

Last but not least, who could forget “Birthday Girl”? Our old lady of 24 years was a sweet treasure.

Needless to say, there are many more that could be named. Every koala that comes through the hospital is special, and every now and then one will come in who really grabs you by the heart. That’s how “Gunnedah Boof” affected me. As soon as I saw him my heart went straight out to him; he was so cute.

He loved his formula so much, it was nearly impossible to clean his unit until he had his “milk”, and his fresh leaf. Everyone fell in love with “Boof”, and it was very upsetting to all when he passed away in July this year.

Although it is very sad when we lose a koala, it is also heart warming to know we are doing our bit to help them.