Looking Forward Looking Back: Where it all began - 50 years of the first Koala Hospital building

As we head into the first period in more than 50 years, that the Koala Hospital Port Macquarie will be closed for a significant amount of time (apart from COVID lockdown closures), we’re sharing some of the stories and memories that have shaped the journey. In this blog we go right back to where it all began…

It is well known that the Koala Hospital was founded by Jean and Max Starr in 1973, but how many of us know the real story behind its establishment. So lets “Turn back the clock” to 1973 and read in Jean’s own words how the Hospital started.

(Original article written by Jean and published in Gum Tips in March 2003)

"In December 1957 Max and I moved from the New England Tablelands and purchased a Mixed Business in Port Macquarie, which from memory had a population of about 3000. A pipeline was being installed to supply water and there was no sewerage. There was a large fishing fleet and a long narrow iron bridge linking east and west Port Macquarie across the tidal waters, oyster beds and mangroves.

A high levy under the Gordon Street bridge prevented salt water from entering Kooloonbung Creek where there were no mangroves; rather an abundance of water-lilies, fish and birds. There were extensive wetlands surrounded by paper barks and eucalypt trees. We were astounded to see many koalas in these forests or ambling from tree to tree. They appeared to be less robust, had smaller ears and were not as thickly furred as the colder climate koalas.

Many years later, the area between Port Macquarie Golf Club and Lake Cathie was declared “prime koala habitat” and was included in National Parks and Wildlife Service (NPWS) “Lake Innes Nature Reserve”. Sadly, because of its peat base and vegetation, it was also discovered to be fire prone. One massive crown fire led to the rescue and release of 89 koalas (many of them joeys) by the Koala Preservation Society. The number who perished or later starved to death is not known.

By 1966 Max and I had moved to a Menswear and Shoe Store and until 1972 collected a list of comments regarding koalas.

We were alarmed by reports of koala habitat destruction, especially the filling in of wetlands and the felling of surrounding eucalypt trees.

In early 1973 armed with photos, I sought advice from Mr Charles Uptin, Proprietor of the Port Macquarie News, about forming a koala protection group. Charles was a tower of strength and recommended an approach to the newly formed Government Department of National Parks and Wildlife Service. The local office was based at Taree and there we received support from Senior Rangers. They in turn put us in touch with a Field Officer who had prior experience working with koalas. He addressed a public meeting of over 100 people, many representing organisations. His concern for the future survival of the koala on the Mid North Coast of NSW was timely as at the same time Port Macquarie was declared a strong population growth area. His talk still applies to koalas today. The meeting moved to form a “Save the Koala Group”.

An inaugural meeting was held on 18th March 1973 where office bearers were elected and the name voted for the organisation being “Port Macquarie Koala Preservation and Protection Society” which was later shortened to the ”Port Macquarie Koala Preservation Society” and then to “Koala Preservation Society of NSW Inc”. I personally think the last name lost the identity of being local.

At the General Meeting Charles Uptin took the chair and immediately resigned as President, then nominated myself for the position. I had no experience nor did I want to accept but he was very persistent and I realised, he was always a devil, had this all planned. The Port Macquarie News continued the wonderful publicity.

Port Macquarie now had a population of 11,000 people and thousands of visitors.

This was the era when conservation was frowned on, “the environment can look after itself” attitude. However, the community embraced our aims and gave great support.
 
It is thanks to these dedicated people, that the Koala Hospital Port Macquarie was born.

The first Koala Hospital building was constructed in 1975 on the present site thanks to the Port Macquarie Apex Club, as it was one of their projects for the year.

The building was primarily for treatment of koalas, but also used for storage of equipment and food and catered for disease research and a library.

Jean Starr worked long and hard on fundraising, tree planting and various medical programs, all designed to better the existence generally of the koalas. There are newspaper articles from the time, referring to the urging of Council to prosecute landowners for felling trees on their land. The Koala Hospital warned at that time that the Port Macquarie koala population is threatened with extinction unless immediate action is taken.

In 1985 Jean Starr’s dream became true with the completion of a new building, giving much more space for the treatment of sick and injured koalas. This was a milestone in the history of the Hospital.

And now, 50 years since the first Koala Hospital building was opened, we move on to the next exciting chapter."