Attractions

The Greater Port Macquarie region is full of so many surprises for the entire family to enjoy.

Memorable experiences all in one place.

Billabong Zoo ⇗ World Renowned Breeding Centre. Established 1995.

Conservation through education.

� Book a Personal Animal Encounter online. Get up close and personal with koalas, meerkats, snakes, red pandas, snow leopards or cheetahs and you’ll make memories of a lifetime. Adopt a Koala. Want to make a difference and help koalas through our World Renowned Koala Breeding Centre? Adopt one of our precious koalas for one year. Jump online at billabongzoo.com.au Retail Therapy. Browse our zoo shop for that special Australiana souvenir or choose from our selection of beautiful gift ideas. The Meeting Point Café. Enjoy a delicious bite to eat from our varied menu in a bright and airy location with indoor and outdoor seating. Open to the public from 9am to 2.30pm. Visit us soon. 61 Billabong Drive, Port Macquarie www.billabongzoo.com.au admin@billabongzoo.com.au www.instagram.com/billabongzoo www.facebook.com/billabongzoopmq Open 9am to 5pm

⇗ Book entry and personal animal encounter tickets online. Map Ref A14

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HELLO KOALAS SCULPTURE TRAIL

“Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail is a World First”, says UK public art expert, Elaine Burke. “There is simply no other sculpture trail in the world quite like it and the only one dedicated to koalas!” Margret Meagher, Founder, Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail tells her story.

⟶ Hello Koalas sculpture Ranger Riley, roaming ambassador for Threatened Species in NSW National Parks, enjoying lunch with a friend. Photo National Parks Australia

⟶ Pick up a FREE Hello Koalas

Sculpture Trail Guide Pick up a FREE Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail Guide at the Hello Koalas Gift Shop, Glasshouse Arts and Visitor Centre, Sea Acres Rainforest Centre, hotels and attractions around town or download a pdf of the Guide from www. hellokoalas.com. And visit our Hello Koalas online shop for year-round shopping from home (www.hellokoalas.com/shop). “Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail is a World First”, says UK public art expert, Elaine Burke. “There is simply no other sculpture trail in the world quite like it and the only one dedicated to koalas!” Margret Meagher, Founder, Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail tells her story. I thought of the idea for a sculpture trail in Port Macquarie in 2011, after moving from Sydney, following a lifetime working in tourism and the arts. The Sydney Opera House and Art Gallery of NSW were my second homes in those days. In 2019, we took travelling exhibitions to the Australian National Botanic Gardens in Canberra in March and to Royal Botanic Garden Sydney in October/ November. In April 2021, we exhibited 22 Hello Koalas sculptures at the Australian Botanic Garden at Mount Annan, near Campbelltown. We have consistently won business and tourism awards since 2015 including the 2019 Regional Business Award for Excellence in Innovation and Gold for Cultural Tourism in the 2019 NSW State Tourism Awards which led us to the Australian Tourism Finals, achieving 4th place out of a field of 8 national tourism attractions. We estimate that over 1 million people a year engage with our Hello Koalas sculptures in Port Macquarie – hugging them, smiling at them, taking selfies and family photos with them and talking about them on facebook, Instagram and TripAdvisor (#hellokoalas, @hellokoalas). TripAdvisor ranks Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail #3 of 45 Things to Do and #1 Sights and Landmarks in Port Macquarie. This social media coverage reinforces the fact that Hello Koalas sculptures are wondrous little characters, designed by talented Australian artists. And the sculptures love receiving the attention! Many people see our Hello Koalas as loveable personalities and it is not unusual to find small children feeding them fallen gum leaves for lunch. When we started planning the Trail, we aimed to create 50 one metre high fibreglass sculptures but Hello Koalas is an infectious project and we now have 80 sculptures to share with our community and visitors to our region. And more are on their way in local artists’ studios. Sometimes our Hello Koalas sculptures go on tour so not all the sculptures are available to see when people visit but there are always 50+ Hello Koalas sculptures on display. We keep people aware of their movements on our website – www.hellokoalas.com and we have a 24/7 Hotline so people can email (info@hellokoalas.com), text or phone us with their queries (0416 641 482). Each year we hold the Hello Koalas Festival and our 5th Festival will be held over Saturday and Sunday, 25 and 26 September 2021. The Festival highlight is the Hello Koalas Treasure Hunt, presented in association with our charity partner, Westpac Rescue Helicopter Service. Discover 30 specially selected Hello Koalas and post your favourites on social media. Everyone who completes the Treasure Hunt is awarded a Certificate of Achievement and there are special prizes to be won. Simply register online to participate (www.hellokoalas.com/festival). One of our principal aims of the Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail is to promote koala preservation. We want to protect koalas from road accidents, inquisitive dogs in backyards, loss of habitat through urbanisation and drought, and diseases like chlamydia. Join our creative journey of fun and adventure while learning about koala conservation. A good place to start is the Hello Koalas Gift Shop where you can see unique and stylish souvenirs and gifts plus 8+ Hello Koalas sculptures on the Trail. Opening hours are 10 - 3pm, Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday, or by appointment. For more info and to register online, log on to www.hellokoalas.com or phone 0416 641 482.