Drawn to Art student artworks to go on display at Port Macquarie Koala Hospital

Some 32 St Agnes' Primary School students from the after school Drawn to Art program were inspired to create watercolour representations of bushfire-affected koalas on canvas paper.

Art teacher from Drawn to Art Jane Whitfield chose five of the best pieces to donate to Port Macquarie Koala Hospital.

Emma Galafassi-Barnes, Maisie Prosser, Asha Walker, Montana Newell and Maya Perry created those works.

"I just wanted the kids to recognise that the koalas were deeply affected [during the fires]," Mrs Whitfield said about the art project.

Fire ripped through crucial koala habitat in the Port Macquarie area in 2019.

Six-year-old Asha Walker said she used heaps of oil pastels to create an artwork with bright colours.

"I felt a bit sad because koalas are one of my favourite animals," Asha said.

Emma Galafassi-Barnes, 11, said the bushfires' impact on koalas also made her sad.

Emma was pleased with her artwork including her representation of a koala, a tree and fire.

She said it would be pretty special to have her artwork on display at the koala hospital.

Maya Perry used a picture reference for inspiration as she really wanted her piece to be special.

The 10-year-old said the bushfire impact on the koala population made her sad.

Koala Conservation Australia president Sue Ashton said the koala hospital was thrilled to receive any sort of donation from children.

"It shows they care about koalas and that is one of our primary goals," she said.

The artworks will go on display in the koala hospital clinic for visitors to view.

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