KC

Hello! <BR> <BR>I know that a law was passed that does not allow you to hold or touch a koala in NSW, but I heard that this isn't the case in Queensland. Can someone tell me if I heard correctly? If so, is there someplace near Port Douglas where I can "Cuddle a Koala"? <BR> <BR>Thanks! <BR> <BR>

Sue

We were there in Jan-Feb of this year and found lots of opportunities to cuddle (actually pet) Koala's. We never got to actually hold one. Usually the Koala Parks give you the opportunity to touch, pet and photo Koala's, but none that we found let you actually hold them. Sorry! <BR>They are the most adorable creatures on this earth IMHO. Sue

nevado

In Port Douglas you can stand by, pet and have a photo opp with koalas at The Rainforest Habitat located a bit out of town near the main highway.

Al Scott

You heard correctly. My wife and I visited Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane. They told us the same thing. We both had the opportunity to hold one of the cuddly little creatures and have our picture taken.

Mike

Just back from 4 weeks in Australia/New Zealand. On a tour at the Kuranda Rainforest near Cairns, we got to pet a koala at the wildlife center. They also had a small fee to get a photo taken with you and a friendly neighborhood koala. <BR> <BR>Mike <BR>Mike

TC

We were told at the koala sanctuary near Sydney that "cuddling" or holding koala was stopped because too many visitors hurt the koalas. Not intentionally - but that koala have VERY fragile bones and it is quite easy to break their ribs if you pick them up as one would pick up a child - around the middle. Koala have very muscular arms for climbing in trees and should be picked up by the arms and carried dangling. Thinking this to be uncomfortable or cruel, visitors continued to hoist the koala like a human child so the cuddling had to be stopped. We were allowed to pet and photograph koala that were perched on an enclosure railing.

Paula Wright

I'm a Melbourne resident, and i don't know of any laws preventing people from holding koalas. <BR>However, they're pretty shy, so it's unlikely you'd catch one in the wild. Zoos would have their own controls on how they are handled. Koalas are not easily tamed, and have been known to bite and scratch. They also wee on people, but only polititians as far as i know. <BR>It's common to see koalas when travelling in the country, and urban dwellers get one in the back yard occasionally. We had to ask to Zoo to come and take our visitor away, it shreiked like a baby in pain every night. Normal sound, apparently.

LL

you can actually pet koalas at 2 parks that I know of around Sydney....Koala Park in Pennant Hills allows Koalas to walk on a railing that circles their pen and as the koalas walk around, you can pet them. At Waitara park you can also pet and have your pix taken with them... <BR>