PORT Macquarie Koala Hospital founder - and the Rotary Club’s only honorary member - Max Starr will be remembered for his contagious love of koalas.
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The internationally-recognised wildlife warrior and his Jean (deceased) shared a life-long passion for koalas, culminating in the establishment of the Koala Preservation Society Australia in 1973.
Mr Starr passed away on June 24, aged 84, two years after his beloved wife.
The Starrs tirelessly rallied local community groups and businesses to support the formation of a koala hospital and were instrumental in developing the facility into what it is today.
After a chance meeting in the 1980s, country crooner John Williamson raised $300,000 from the proceeds of his popular ballad, Goodbye Blinky Bill, and the Starr’s dreams became reality.
In the koala hospital’s first year, a team of veterinarians and the Starrs cared for three koals from their home.
About 24 koalas were tended to the following year and in 1975, the Port Macquarie Apex Club established thePort Macquarie Koala Hospital’s first building.
The wildlife community across Australia were in awae of the Starrs’ work with koals.
Today, the koala hospital treats between 200 and 250 koalas each year and remains the only hospital of its type in the world to treat sick and injured koalas.
When Mrs Starr passed away in 2012, the Jean Starr Walk was constructed through the koala hospital’s rehabilitation yards.
Often referred to in the realm of deceased wildlife expert Steve Irwin, Mr Starr will also be remembered for his love of golf and Rotary.
He was the Rotary Club of Port Macquarie’s longest-serving, and only honorary member - the highest accolade a Rotary club can give to a person.
Former District Governor Laurie Barber said Mr Starr was also recognised as a Paul Harris Fellow for his services.
“In more recent years we recognised him with a silver friend of Australian Rotary Health and then last year we upgraded this to a platinum friend,” Mr Barber said.
“Max participated in most Rotary activities, except president, as he was not the type of person who worked from the front.
“He preferred his work to be behind the scenes.”
