Friends of the Koala, the leading koala conservation group in the Northern Rivers is seeking to raise funds through GoFundMe to expand their Koala Hospital and Rehabilitation Facilities.

Each year, Friends of the Koala tend to more than 350 sick, injured, and orphaned koalas from across the Northern Rivers region, which equates to over a third of all wild koalas rescued in NSW and more than any other individual rescue group or wildlife hospital in the state. However, their current facilities are at capacity.

The organisation has committed to redeveloping their site in East Lismore and have prioritised expanding the Koala Hospital and Rehabilitation Facilities in stage one.

“While we have been incredibly lucky to receive some funding for stage one, unfortunately, due to the ongoing Covid-19 outbreaks and the resulting limited availability of materials and contractors, construction prices have skyrocketed and we have a significant budget shortfall,” said President, Susannah Keogh.

“We are calling on our local community and supporters from around the world to donate to help us expand our Koala Hospital, so we can double the number of sick and injured koalas we can treat and rehabilitate on-site”.

Stage one of the masterplan aims to:

• – Expand the existing clinic so that more koalas can receive lifesaving care.
• – Upgrade the surgery with state-of-the-art equipment.
• – Build new runs for overnight emergency koala patients – and manage the increasing number of koalas being received.
• – Create a larger enclosure for permanent koalas to improve their quality of life.

The improved facilities will also support Friends of the Koalas community engagement activity, allowing community members and visitors to undertake self-guided tours in conjunction with the organisation’s daily operations.

To learn more about the Koala Hospital and Rehabilitation Facilities expansion or to donate, visit https://gofund.me/59747b6a