Thirteen Guides attended the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary at Fig Tree Pocket Brisbane for Brisbane IATG’s 2nd Famil
Lone Pine was started in 1927, with only two Koalas, Jack and Jill, now they have over 130. It has evolved over the years into an excellent Wild Life Park, with a huge kangaroo enclosure (Oh! not more tourists, Not more food!!). You can see all the usual suspects, wombats, emus, platypus, Dingos, Tasmanian Devils and echidnas! They have a fun sheep dog show and shearing show, a wild bird show, and of course the mayhem of the rainbow lorikeet feeding frenzy !! Come and meet our resident mascot ‘Gus the Ram’. At 5 years old he is not unlike the Rams advertisement. You can ‘cuddle a koala’, (your official photo for a small fee), and then take as many photos as you like with your own camera. Many of us have never cuddled a Koala.
There is a BBQ area, and great fun for the kids is the camping and sleepover night.
Lone Pine is situated on the Brisbane River, and was severely damaged in the 2011 floods, but it has sprung back with many new enclosures. There is a veterinary hospital attached to the Sanctuary, and this and a look behind the scenes can be yours if you do the upmarket private group tours.
The name Lone Pine is not due to our involvement in WW1. It is actually two pines now, since it was struck and split by lightning some years ago. One of our great guides told us that Hoop Pines were planted on headlands along the river as markers in the early days. Another way of getting to Lone Pine is a 1.5 hr Cruise on the Mirimar from the library wharf at South Bank. Of course there are public buses and the ubiquitous tour coaches!!
Everyone seemed to enjoy themselves and several of us stayed around for a coffee and a chat!!!
