It’s not every day that the NSW Premier drops into Friends of the Koala so greeting the Hon. Chris Minns MP and our local member the Hon. Janelle Saffin was a very special occasion for Friends of the Koala’s President, Rhonda James, Vice President Lorraine Vass and Superintendant Veterinarian, Dr Kate Blake last Friday morning (13 March).

Although the morning was wet and the visit brief, there was time for the Premier to see the progress of the extensions to our Community Education Centre, “Burribi” and to the Northern Rivers Koala Hospital, and for him talk to members of the Leadership Team. He also spent a few minutes with our resident koalas Ivy, Charlotte and Polar Star.

The Premier was interested in the number of koala admissions and the reasons for koalas coming into care. He was surprised to learn that we attract international as well as local volunteers and took on board our collaboration with Southern Cross University’s Veterinary Sciences, commenting on the shortage of veterinarians in NSW. He thanked Friends of the Koala for our work and for our contribution to koala conservation.