Koala Conservation Australia celebrates 50 years

Staff, volunteers and supporters of Koala Conservation Australia celebrated with a high tea near the hospital on Saturday, September 30.

Surrounding guests were letters of congratulations from the Vietnam Bear Rescue Centre, the University of Sydney, Port Macquarie-Hastings Mayor Peta Pinson and NSW Premier Chris Minns.

"Today is a celebration to say thank you to the people," Koala Conservation Australia director Sue Ashton said.

"People have come from all over [to celebrate] and I think it really does say that we are a family."

Retiring board members were farewelled and volunteers who have dedicated over 30 years to the hospital cut the birthday cake at the end of their final shift.

Even the koalas celebrated with their favourite native leave, eucalyptus nichollii.

The trailblazing organisation was born inside the garage of Port Macquarie locals Jean and Max Starr in 1973.

The couple started admitting koalas into their care and treating them at their home for approximately two years as the Port Macquarie Koala Conservation Society.

"When it started, boy they did everything wrong but they didn't know in those days because there was no one to turn to," koala advisor Cheyne Flanagan OAM said.

"They picked the wrong eucalyptus leaf, they planted the wrong tree, wrong drugs and also they had no idea of this disease called chlamydia.

"Neither did the universities and it all sort of emerged in the 1970s."

At the time, very little was known about koala treatments, supportive nutrition, or species of food trees that best suited a koala diet.

"We're definitely a lot further down the track than we were," Ms Flanagan said

"When Jean and Max first started this place, I think they were just pioneers just amazing people."

"Jean would be really chuffed that what she started has blossomed into what it is now."

The hospital also built connections with universities over the years.

Former Koala Conservation Australia president Bob Sharpham credits Ms Flanagan who was the clinic director for the hospital for over 20 years, for helping build that connection.

"She really helped...let people know we did have the expertise.

"Because of Cheyne... we had a link with Sydney University and since then other universities."

"The expertise that's here has been spread to other areas in Australia and overseas."

Over the years, support from within and outside the community has helped advance the hospital.

In 1975, a small one room hospital was built with the help of community service club APEX.

Other organisations such as Rotary and Uptin Printing have been credited as supporters.

In September 1986, Australian country and western John Williamson visited the hospital and was so moved by their work he wrote the song "Goodbye Blinky Bill."

The royalties of the song were used to build the intensive care units which remain in place today

In the early 2000s when Mr Sharpham joined Koala Conservation Australia, the original hospital buildings were deteriorating due to termite damage.

In 2005 the current hospital was built with a large treatment room, viewing window, office, souvenir kiosk and two more intensive units.

"A lot has been done since then," Mr Sharpham said.

Mr Sharpham who served as president of Koala Conservation Australia from 2006 to 2016 also saw the acquisition of land to serve as a food supply.

"Everybody has been passionate about what they do here and that's the secret," he said.

General Manager of Koala Conservation Australia Maria Doherty said the 50 year celebration was a fabulous day for the volunteer organisation.

"What [volunteers] have done is build such a beautiful foundation for us to move on," she said.

"And we've got lots of big plans for the future."

The hospital saw first hand the devastating impact of the 2019-20 bushfires.

Three billion wild animals were estimated to have been killed, injured or displaced by the fires.

"We're facing a very dire future for our koalas because they are soon going to be extinct by 2050 in NSW particularly in our area," Ms Doherty said.

"Tourism relies so much on our koalas here.... so just having that passion to focus everybody and try to protect them is invaluable."

A GoFundMe to raise money for the koalas saw an influx of donations from across the world.

The donations helped fund the upcoming koala breeding program within the Cowara State Forest.

The breeding program is a world first by taking in wild koalas to breed and release back into the wild.

"It's really really exciting to be at that pioneering edge," Ms Doherty said

"We want to share that knowledge with as many people as possible."

The breeding facility is likely to open in early 2024.

"It's a good day for us to be 50," Ms Doherty said.

"I can't wait for the next 50!"

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