September is Save the Koala Month, with Save the Koala Day on Friday 26 September 2025. To celebrate, here are a few ways to appreciate and support this marsupial cutie. You can try to spot a koala, adopt a koala and learn more about them.
Visit koalas at Blackbutt Reserve
Get up close to koalas by visiting the koala enclosure at Blackbutt Reserve. The wildlife exhibits are free to enter and are open daily (excluding Christmas Day, Good Friday and before 1pm on ANZAC day) from 10am to 4.30pm. The boardwalks make it easy to push a stroller and let little ones safely view the koalas up close.
For more information, read our article on Everything you need to know for a great visit to Blackbutt Reserve.
You can also see koalas at Hunter Valley Wildlife Park and Oakvale Wildlife Park. You can get your photo taken inside a koala hug at both!
Spot koalas at Tilligerry Habitat
If you want a unique day trip with the family, then head to Tilligerry Habitat in Port Stephens. It’s one of the best places to spot koalas in the wild. Although it’s not guaranteed you’ll spot one, it’s a lot of fun to try. Best tip to spot a koala? Look for their scats (poos) on the ground and then search the trees above that area. August and September are great months to visit as the wattle in bloom is splendid to see.
Visit the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
Port Stephens Council in partnership with Port Stephens Koalas has created a Koala Sanctuary to ensure first-class care to sick, injured and orphaned koalas. The centre, open daily from 9-4pm, offers visitors a unique opportunity to see koalas in their natural habitat. It also supports their long-term rehabilitation and preservation. Meander along the Sanctuary Story Walk and view the koala sculptures, view the Koala Hospital, spot the koalas from the treetops on the Newcastle Airport SKYwalk viewing platform or even stay overnight in a glamping tent.
For more information, read our article on Visiting the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary.
Adopt a koala
Want to support the koalas? Adopt a koala for yourself or as a gift for someone special by making a 12 month donation to the Port Stephens Koala Hospital. Each adoption helps support Port Stephens Koala Hospital’s conservation work, protecting habitat, preserving food supply and providing care for koalas and other native wildlife in their care. You have a choice of lots of cute koalas which are available for adoption. The cost for an adoption is $50 per year.
Follow the Koala Trail in Port Macquarie
If you’re near Port Macquarie this month, follow the Koala Trail. Spot koalas all around Port Macquarie-Hastings region as part of the Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail. There are over 90 hand-painted one-metre high koalas along the trail. Each Hello Koalas sculpture has its own unique character and personality, and everyone has a favourite koala. To find them, download the Koala Trail map. If you happen to be in the area on the 24 – 26 September and 1 – 3 October 2025, you can join in the annual Hello Koalas Festival & Treasure Hunt.
Visit the Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie
Visit the Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie to see the work that they do in caring for koalas. The Koala Hospital is a licensed Wildlife Rehabilitation Facility as well as a scientific research, training and education centre. Entry is paid and it’s recommended that you book a time. A volunteer guide is usually available to enhance your visitor experience.
From 3 May 2025, the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital will temporarily relocate to the Wild Koala Breeding Visitor Centre at Guulabaa – Place of Koala, as they redevelop the Hospital site and work to enhance our facilities for both koalas and the community. While they transform their space, you can still visit your favourite furry friends at their brand-new home, Guulabaa – Place of Koala.
Plant a koala food tree
A major threat to koalas is the loss of their habitat and subsequently food. The Koala Hospital in Port Macquarie experience this on a daily basis as they need fresh leaf to feed the injured koalas which are in the hospital. To help alleviate this problem in the future, they have embarked on a project to plant koala food trees. Koalas feed on a variety of eucalypts, the more common being Tallowood, Swamp Mahogany and Forest Red Gum. You can help them – and the koalas – by making a donation for tree planting.
Read books about koalas
Celebrate koalas by reading books with your kids about them. There are lots of wonderful books to read about Australia’s cutest marsupial.
Tippy and Jellybean – Younger children will love Tippy and Jellybean by Sophie Cunningham, illustrated by Anil Torto. It tells the true story of a young koala and her brave mum saved in the 2019/2020 bushfires. This inspiring short story is accompanied by adorably beautiful illustrations and proceeds from the sale of the book support the Bushfire Emergency Wildlife Fund.
Other books include Koala Lou by Mem Fox, Koala Bare by Jackie French, Koala by Claire Saxby and the touchy-feely That’s not my koala by Fiona Watt.