The Koala Hospital is the only facility in the world dedicated solely to the rescue, treatment, and rehabilitation of koalas, and a visit here is one of the more genuinely moving wildlife experiences in Australia. The animals in care are recovering from car strikes, dog attacks, drought, and chlamydia — the disease that has devastated koala populations across the continent.
The hospital grounds are open daily and free to enter. You walk among the outdoor enclosures where recovering koalas rest in trees, and informative signs explain each animal's story and treatment. A free guided tour runs every day at 3pm and gives much more detail than you would get wandering alone. The gift shop proceeds and donations go directly to koala care.
Koalas that recover fully are released back to the wild; those too badly injured to survive independently live out their lives as permanent residents. The hospital also runs an adopt-a-koala program that funds ongoing care. Allow an hour or two — longer if you go at feeding time.