When traveling to a new country for the first time, there are certain activities that are an absolute must. For Brisbane, it’s visiting Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary and holding a koala. And not only can you hold a koala at Lone Pine, but you can also feed kangaroos and see so many other unique animals and reptiles.

But first, let’s dive into how you can go about snagging your spot for the koala hold because the process can be a little tricky. After an unsuccessful first try, I got some helpful advice from a staff member and was able to hold a koala the next day.

KOALA HOLD INFORMATION + TIPS

You can only buy the koala hold tickets in-person once you’re on the property and after you’ve been admitted with your regular tickets. There’s a limited amount of tickets and time slots for the koala hold each day, so arriving early gives you the best chance. The advice I was given by the staff is to arrive right before they open (9 am) so you’re one of the first people in line. The below photo is how the line looked at around 8:35 AM.

Before arriving, I suggest purchasing your tickets online so you don’t waste time by having to buy tickets in person. There are two lines at the entrance, one for buying tickets and one for people who already have tickets.

After you scan your ticket and you’re inside, turn right and follow the pathway. Then you’ll make a left and continue down the path where you’ll see a building which is where you can purchase the koala hold tickets ($45 per person). One thing to note is that they also have another koala experience called a koala encounter where you can touch it and take a photo, but it doesn’t include holding it how the koala hold does. You can purchase the koala encounter online.

The koala hold time slots are 11:00 AM - 12:30 PM and 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM and includes a professional photo, with both a digital and physical copy for you to take home. When you’re purchasing your koala hold tickets, you can also buy food to feed kangaroos. Additional tickets aren’t required to feed and pet the kangaroos. You are free to enter their area and interact with them as much as you want.

If you’re a visual person, watch this video where I break this whole process down.

I was definitely nervous to feed the kangaroo, but once I did it, I was glad that I did. As long as you stay low and remain calm, they are friendly and just want to eat the food you have. The koala was very sweet and soft, and I enjoyed interacting with the friendly staff throughout the day.

There’s so much to see and explore at Lone Pine, we easily could’ve stayed for another hour or so. Overall, I definitely recommend visiting and making sure you experience holding a koala if you ever go to Australia!

Leave a comment if you’d hold a koala! :)
LONE PINE PRICES

General admission tickets:

Adult ($54)

Child ($39)

Student ($43)

Senior/Pensioner ($43)

Family ($166)

Koala hold:

$45 per person

Koala encounter:

$35 per person