The 'Guulabaa' - Wild Koala Breeding Story - Part 3

The Guulabaa Precinct Masterplan Takes Shape

By late 2020, with partners on board and the site approved, Professor Ken McBryde, a world-renowned Australian architect, and his team at Architectural Physics developed the Guulabaa Master Plan, following a six-month consultation with program partners, community, and government. In December 2020, Forestry Corporation NSW received $2.1 million in additional funding from the NSW Government’s Regional Growth – Environment and Tourism Fund, followed by another $3 million under the Bushfire Local Economic Recovery (LER) Fund (State & Federal program), enabling the construction of Guulabaa’s roads and other essential infrastructure.

Construction of Forestry Corporation’s Visitor Hub and ancillary buildings commenced in 2021. During that time, Wildnets Adventure Park was built, opening to a delighted audience in 2022, with the installation of the ‘Big Koala’ sculpture in 2023.

‘Koala Conservation Australia’ (KCA) is established

Back to KCA!  Growing exponentially from humble beginnings and facilitated by the generosity of the GoFundMe donations, Port Macquarie Koala Hospital developed a strategic plan to fast-track the Koala Breeding Conservation Program.  In 2020, the organisation incorporated to become Koala Conservation Australia Limited, a non-profit registered Australian Charity.  

In addition to running the Koala Hospital, KCA continues to manage multiple sites supported by a core of professional staff (including wildlife vets, carers, and scientists) and over 200 volunteers!

KCA’s Construction at Guulabaa begins!

In 2020 KCA contracted award-winning architects Allen, Jack, Cottier (AJC) and designed a state of the art koala breeding facility with respect to the site in Cowarra State Forest.  Construction commenced in July 2022 but then ceased after 18 months as the builders ran into financial difficulties. Determined to complete the project, KCA dealt with the legal ramifications and recommenced work in July 2024 with a new builder, making quick progress to achieve the November 2024 deadline. 

The result is an environmentally sustainable, functional, and immersive visitor deck, along with a koala clinic, laboratory, and ancillary buildings made of locally sourced hardwoods and environmentally friendly products.

Guulabaa - the Visitor Experience

Wild Koala Breeding Guulabaa is not only a state-of-the-art scientific koala conservation facility…it’s an immersive nature-based experience and a welcoming place for the public to visit, learn and play.

Located just five minutes’ drive off the M1 at Port Macquarie, it also provides a well-located rest stop for travellers driving along the Pacific Highway between Sydney and Brisbane.

Upon arrival at Guulabaa, visitors will see the extraordinary Wildnets treetops adventure park and the delightful ‘Big Koala’ Sculpture, as they wander up to the Visitor Hub, an architecturally designed complex comprising stunning local sustainable hardwood timber boardwalks and immersive observational decks overlooking the forest, along with an aboriginal art gallery and a café.

From the KCA decks adjacent to the Hub, visitors will have the chance to spot resident koalas, learn about their care and conservation, and the Wild Koala Breeding Program (breeding yards are away from public view). From the viewing deck, they’ll see our volunteers preparing koala ‘leaf’ for feeding time. There are koala-themed artistic and sculptural elements, and opportunities to learn through interactive displays about the local Aboriginal koala heritage, the threats faced by koalas, and our conservation programs.  Guulabaa’s gift shop will stock quality locally made artisan giftware and artwork, along with fun koala-themed merchandise the whole family will love. Located within the gift shop, the intimate exhibition space offers visitors a vibrant program of local, national and international guest artists.

At Guulabaa you can:

• Observe resident koala yards from the viewing decks
• Immerse yourself in an interactive, educational koala experience
• Learn about our Wild Koala Breeding Program
• View koala care in action, or learn about what we do, with our vet in the new koala clinic
• Watch and learn as we prepare koala food, using leaf grown at KCA’s plantations
• Browse KCA’s giftshop for quality artisan gifts, koala merchandise and art
• Indulge in something yummy at the Bunya cafe
• View some amazing aboriginal artwork from the Hub deck
• Stretch your legs along peaceful, forested decks, paths and walkways
• Bounce through the treetops at Wildnets Adventure Park
• Grab the all-important ‘Big Thing’ selfie with the Big Koala!

We are so proud of the Koala Conservation Wild Breeding Program and Visitor Centre at Guulabaa and the people-power behind it. We have done what we said we would do.

By creating a precinct dedicated to conservation, education and play, we can help save our koalas, share our important work with the wider public, and develop new generations of environmental and koala advocates.