Koala Conservation Reserve — Attraction in Rhyll

First up, this reserve is sadly quite small and eloquently speaks for the devastation we cause just being human.

It's a costed activity - $13.50 for an adult or $33.75 for a family - and that's worthwhile because the Koala Conservation Reserve is a delight for kids and adults alike. It is also reasonable on the basis of animal protection alone!

Seeing koalas is the reason you go, but spotting them is not easy, and scanning the trees is part of the fun. They are well camouflaged in their sleeping spots and always seem to be facing away from you, though typically, there will be a couple of more active ones to keep you watching.

Finding one, the question becomes: Will they or won't they?

Move that is.

When restless, they'll twitch, scratch, stretch, and resettle, which triggers cries of delight from kids and satisfied smiles from adults. And if you have the tens of minutes to wait for that, it is relaxing in its own way. Luckily, a few were sitting close to the boardwalk edge this visit, which means up close-ish and personal with a koala about the size of a mid-size dog, but with much sharper claws and a less active disposition. Koalas look cuddly, and probably are, but the days of being able to hold and pet them are thankfully over because it's stressful for them. The few that were close to the boardwalk seemed resigned to squealing children, or perhaps they were just really heavy sleepers? Either way, a tic of an ear or slight adjustment might ensue, but cries and shouts did not appear to motivate them to move away...or much at all.

The reserve has lots of informational signs placed about the trails, and they are generally short and sharp, so offer a quick read with some good points about the animals and the reserve's history. The visitor center has more sophisticated displays, including a 'sounds of the bush' where you press a button and hear what a recorded call or whatever of the animal in question.

The visitor center also has the obligatory gift shop, which was bigger on stuffed kangaroos than stuffed koalas for some reason, and a small ice-cream station that had bubblegum flavor that was very nice. There is other food you can buy, with tables inside or outside, including a few wooden picnic tables further around on the edge of the car park.

The car park itself is large, so could accommodate a lot of people. The reserve itself seemed quiet this visit, but there were dozens of cars so the space soaks up visitors.

Certainly, it was an easy place to walk and watch a couple...

The park itself was fine but the attitude of some of the staff left A LOT to be desired.

We presented our tickets and entered, and while the staff didn't seem enthusiastic or happy we didn't mind that. While exiting we wanted to get a pressed penny (which we had done at the other 3 parks, we were collecting them all)... our interactions went down hill from there.

We didn't have a $2 coin for the penny press and the card tap pay wasn't working (there was no note at this point). I went out to the car, found $2 in various coins and went back in to ask if I was able to exchange there for a $2 coin for the press (I was polite and smiling). I was told VERY abruptly that "there is no cash on site" 4 times in a row in slightly different ways without even having a chance to reply... it was rapid fire. I smiled, said no problem and left.

The next day we returned with a $2 coin to collect the last momento of our trip. We noticed there was a stuck on note saying the tap wasn't working this time, but we were prepared with our $2 coin! Insert, twist and out popped our chosen pressed penny design. That's when a staff member ran over and with a very poor attitude said "the machine is out of order don't touch it". A bit startled I replied, with pressed penny in hand, that I'd used a coin. I got back a "that doesn't matter it's out of order don't touch it". Not knowing how to reply to that I just said okay while clearly confused and left.

I'm disappointed that this was our interaction with park staff that should be trained in customer service. I'd hate to think this is the foot we're putting forward to international visitors if that's the kind of interaction I received as an aussie.

Good park to see a national animal, poor customer service...

Very disappointed with this! Not so much for the 5 koalas or the price but for the fact they left us locked inside of the park!!! 😡 My mother in law, sister in law(who has a disability), my husband and myself found ourselves in a very difficult situation when we noticed the doors were locked. We saw in the distance a man in a ranger uniform trough the window closing the door almost in front of our faces. We tought he saw us and was about to find the keys but after a couple of minutes we realized he just left us there! I called the number on the website and a lady answered me and said “I will send someone to open the door” again after more minutes almost half an hour no body came…. We were more worried for my sister in law since she constantly suffers from seizures and we were not in a place were we could help her.

My husband decided to jumped the fence, thanks God he found a ladder 🪜 and that helped us cross the wall. We noticed we were the only car in the whole parking lot.

I believe someone should definitely make a head count of who gets in and out, it was more than obvious someone was inside being the only sedan infront of the entrance.

Especially if they see a disabled person entering the park! If we wouldn’t cross the fence we would be now sleeping with the Koalas!

📍For your reference we arrived to the gate 5 to 10 min late ( we cannot move fast with my sister-in-law) not even a wheelchair was offered. This is the worst experience ever and I do have a video which I...