I already had a special place in my heart for the most cuddly animal in the world - the symbol of all that is good in Australia - the Echidna...no - the Koala! So, when researching the trip I discovered that in New South Wales (the state where Sydney is located) and Victoria (where Melbourne sits) forbid normal people from holding a koala, but the fair and just state of the Queen (Queensland) allowed it. Near the wonderful city of Brisbane in that state is the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary. It is the world's oldest koala sanctuary, started in 1927, and the largest. There are more than 130 koalas there, and the ones that get held are strictly limited to 30 minutes a day. IMG_7248 After takeoff from Sydney on the fabulously cheap Virgin Blue discount airline, a big oil processing station IMG_7255 After happening upon the bus that we were to get to the sanctuary it dropped us off right there! IMG_7258 The koalas were in different areas by age, this was the retirement home IMG_7265 I believe this was the teenage area IMG_7266 IMG_7269 IMG_7271 Many people think koalas are dangerous with sharp claws and smell bad...these people are wrong! At least the koalas we saw here and in other zoos in Australia were very docile and I saw not one person maimed by a koala and lots of them were held... IMG_7275 First Daniel got to hold Barnacle IMG_7278 Then it was my turn... IMG_7290 Just like a little barnacle! IMG_7300 You could also hold these cheesy keychains... IMG_7307 Koalas do sleep a lot, but considering how difficult eucalyptus leaves are to digest and how much of it they must eat, I guess it's understandable IMG_7321 IMG_7333 After an educational talk on koalas everybody crowds around to pet one IMG_7338 Poor thing looks confused! IMG_7342 IMG_7346 Bored koala? Return to Features