The Best Places to Find Wild Koalas Around Melbourne and Victoria

It's possible to see koalas by visiting Melbourne's zoos but it's much more rewarding to find koalas in the wild. Koalas don't get much energy from their eucalyptus diet and love to sleep, around 20 hours a day.

Finding a koala is going to take more patience, probably more travel (and probably more luck) than finding wild kangaroos. If you have recently walked under a ladder or crossed a black cat, and prefer to search for kangaroos, check out our guide The Best Places to Find Wild Kangaroos Around Melbourne.

We have found koalas at a number of locations across Victoria and these are the places where you have the best chance for a sighting of these iconic Australian animals. Click on the links to find more information about each location.

Please remember that koalas are wild animals and can become stressed or even aggressive if they are cornered or an attempt is made to touch or handle them. Observe them from a distance.

A good tip for koala spotting is to take a pair of binoculars which will help to both locate koalas and be able to watch them more closely after you find them.

1. French Island National Park (French Island)

French Island National Park is accessible by ferry from Stony Point and Cowes. The island supports the most significant population of koalas in Victoria and you have a high probability of seeing koalas.

2. The Briars Park (Mount Martha)

Take the 4km long Kur-Bur-Rer walk which has the habitat which provides the opportunity of seeing a koala.

3. Warrandyte State Park (Warrandyte))

Koalas are fairly commonly seen at Pound Bend Reserve which has a picnic ground with easy walks and trails. In summer there is a nice swimming area.

4. Coolart Wetlands and Homestead (Somers)

Coolart is a magnificent late Victorian mansion situated on the shores of Westernport. In the superb grounds are ever-changing wetlands that you can view from the observatory, and a lagoon where thousands of Australian white ibis nest every year.

If you follow all the tracks, especially the outer loop, through the areas of gum trees there is some chance of seeing a wild koala.

5. Anakie Gorge (Staughton Vale)

There are a range of walks in this area. Koalas were released in the park from Phillip and French Islands in 1957 and 1977 and the Friends of the Brisbane Ranges regularly monitor their numbers. They thrive on the Manna Gums here.

Wild Koala Locations in Regional Victoria

Further afield in regional Victoria, the following places provide a high chance of seeing wild koalas

Raymond Island (On this small island in the Gippsland Lakes which is reached by a short ferry ride from the town of Paynesville there is a large population of koalas. You can see them on a car ride or on a Koala Walk which is 1.2 km in length and starts in the ferry car park. This is our favourite spot to see koalas)
Cape Otway Lighthouse (The road to the lighthouse turning off from the Great Ocean Road passes through sections of gum trees where koalas reside and you will definitely see a koala here)
Kennett River (Near the small hamlet of Kennett River on the Great Ocean Road you will be almost guaranteed to spot koalas in the gum trees)
Tower Hill Reserve which is 14km west of Warrnambool is a great place for spotting kangaroos, koalas and emus
Creswick Regional Park near Creswick (In 1942, forestry students constructed a netting fence in a section of the forest to be used as a breeding area for koalas named Koala Park. Koalas were released in the enclosure to breed and boost the numbers of the local population. However, they were able to climb the fence and so dispersed into the surrounding forest. Koalas are most likely to be seen at Slaty Creek, Eaton's Dam or Koala Park)

Animal Sanctuaries with Koalas

If, despite all our hints on the best spots for sightings, you fail to see any wild koalas, then it might be time to visit an animal sanctuary where fees apply but you are guaranteed to see koalas which are a bit less wild and more habituated to people.

Locations include:

Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park in Pearcedale (Day and night tours)
Gumbuya World in Tynong (Wildlife trail and koala encounters)
Phillip Island Wildlife Park at Phillip Island (View koalas close-up from a raised board walk and see them at eye level)
Koala Conservation Centre at Phillip Island (Come 'face-to-face' with koalas in their natural habitat along unique tree top boardwalks and close viewing areas)
Maru Koala and Animal Park at Grantville on the way to Phillip Island (Koala enclosures)
Melbourne Zoo in Parkville (In the Australian Bush section)
Healesville Sanctuary in Healesville (Koala Forest area with daily koala keeper talks and koala encounters)
Werribee Open Range Zoo in Werribee South (In the Australian Trail area)
The Funky Farm in Hastings (A place for special needs adults and children to come and interact with all kinds of Australian native animals including koalas)
Kyabram Fauna Park in Kyabram (Second largest collection of Australian fauna in Victoria including koalas)
Echidna Walkabout Nature Tours (Guaranteed to see plenty of wildlife on their tours)
Wildlife Wonders in Apollo Bay (Take a guided walk through the Otways where you are almost certain to see koalas, but you might also be lucky enough to spot a potoroo, bandicoot or other Australian animals)
Halls Gap Zoo (More than 120 species of native and exotic mammals, reptiles and birds including koalas)
Ballarat Wildlife Park (Set in 32 acres of woodland is a collection of Australian native animals and reptiles including koalas)

Located at Dadswell Bridge between Stawell and Horsham is one of Australia's iconic "Big things", The Giant Koala. There is a large range of souvenirs and gifts inside the Koala and a restaurant is co-located there.

Web Links

→ Family Animal and Zoo Locations in Melbourne and Victoria

→ Where can you Pat Kangaroos and other Native Wildlife?

→ The Best Places to Find Wild Kangaroos Around Melbourne

→ Macedon Ranges Koala Project on Facebook

→ Mornington Peninsula Koala Conservation on Facebook