Guulabaa Koala Hospital

The Port Macquarie region holds one of Australia’s most significant koala populations, which was devastated by the black summer fires of 2019-2020. Following the bushfires, generous donations allowed the not-for-profit conservation organisation to realise their goal of building a Wild Koala Breeding Facility in Cowarra State Forest.

Named Guulabaa meaning ‘Place of the Koala’ in the local Gathang language, the facility includes a viewing platform, shop, koala clinic and laboratory. Koala breeding is conducted on-site but away from the general public, in forested yards which limit human interaction and assist the re-wilding process.

In close collaboration with the KCA team, we developed an interpretive design for the breeding facility with the aim to educate visitors and inspire conservation action, through engaging interactives and communication methods. We were engaged for the stages of concept design, design development and design documentation.

Key design elements included a ‘leaf pledge’ call-to-action interactive using Eucalyptus leaves, a curved timber entry canopy, First Nations story audio pods, a sensory koala salad box demonstrarting the range of tree materials koalas eat, a large touch-screen media interactive, a bespoke graphic design style and signage system.

Since opening in December visitor numbers have exceeded expectation and all money raised through the new ticketed experience goes to the activities of Koala Conservation Australia. We are proud to have worked with KCA on this important conservation project.

Project Partners – Studio Esem (media)