About

Port Stephens Koala Hospital consists of a team of volunteers and board of directors who are committed to rescuing, protecting, caring for and rehabilitating koalas so they continue to live and thrive in their natural habitat.

Humble Beginnings

In 1987 the koala population across the Port Stephens region was facing loss of habitat due to continued development in the local area. A small group of Anna Bay residents formed the Hunter Koala Preservation Society with the goal of saving injured koalas by rescuing and rehabilitating them, then releasing them back into the wild.

The Hunter Koala Preservation Society established a comprehensive data base in 1995 to monitor these sick and injured koalas and after being in our care, their location when released back into the wild. This database is still being used  today.

The Hunter Koala Preservation Society was re-named Port Stephens Koalas in 2016. 

Building Support

With the new name came the opportunity to be granted  Deductible Gift Recipient (DGR) status meaning all donations over $2.00 are tax deductible.

We fundraise to support our ongoing work of protecting the koalas across the Port Stephens area through donations and opportunities for the public to adopt a koala.

For more than 34 years we have championed the cause of arguably the cutest Australian marsupial.

Our mission is to save the endangered koalas of Port Stephens, which includes rescue, treatment, rehabilitation, and when possible, release.

Our difference?

Our koalas are wild koalas. As wild animals, they are handled as little as possible. Our aim is to return them to their natural habitat in the wild, with minimum human contact so that they can thrive in their natural habitat.

Port Stephens Koala Hospital is run by a team of dedicated volunteers, a small cadre of employed staff and the Board of Directors, all of whom are committed to protecting, caring for and rehabilitating koalas.

Our Vision

Port Stephens Koala Hospital aims to provide best practice standards of care to sick, injured and orphaned koalas to give them the best opportunity to be returned to the wild. We support research and collaboration to preserve koala habitat to ensure that future generations may continue to enjoy seeing wildlife in their natural setting.

Organisation Details

Created in 2016 Port Stephens Koala & Wildlife Preservation Society Ltd (Port Stephens Koala Hospital) is a company limited by guarantee registered with the Australian Security Investment Commission. The Company has a 9 person independent Board of Directors possessing diverse and high level corporate and veterinary skills.

The Company has Deductible Gift Recipient Status, is a registered charity, registered for GST and is exempt from stamp duty. The company is the successor of Hunter Koala Preservation Society Inc. which was formed in 1987.

Port Stephens Koalas operates under the highest governance standards, with disciplined operational procedures set out in the Company’s Constitution, and associated Policies and Procedures.

Port Stephens Koala & Wildlife Preservation Society is licensed by the Department of Primary Industry Environment to Rehabilitate Injured, Ill and Orphaned Koalas, Macropods, Wombats and Native Birds (M.W.L.000100291) and to Exhibit Protected Species (DPIE Licence Koala A.N. 54059)