Port Macquarie Koalas & Wildlife
Nature in Port Macquarie isn’t a side trip. It’s the main event.
Billabong Zoo, Port Macquarie
Best Koala & Wildlife Experiences In Port Macquarie
Visitors are often surprised by the abundance of wildlife throughout the region. Port Macquarie is home to one of Australia’s largest wild koala populations, that can often be spotted around town and in nearby national parks. Not to be out-done, dolphins regularly play in the river and the waves, more than 50,000 whales migrate past the coast from May to November, and kangaroos are commonly sighted.
Best of all, there are plenty of opportunities to get closer to these iconic Australian animals and learn more about them. Read on for more info!
Billabong Zoo, Koala & Wildlife Park
Watch as Billabong Zoo’s much loved croc, ‘Shrek’, enjoys his lunch
Why you need to visit the 2026 Winner of ‘NSW’s Best Visitor Attraction’
If you want up-close-and-personal animal encounters, Billabong Zoo is a proper gem. Over 200 species, a crocodile named Shrek, otters, red pandas, meerkats and a Macropod Meadow where you can hand-feed kangaroos. Zookeeper talks run throughout the day, and Shrek the croc’s lunchtime feed is jaw-dropping. Book an exclusive animal encounter and you might find yourself patting a koala, feeding a cheetah or balancing a monkey on your shoulder. In school holidays, Billabong runs its popular ‘Zookeeper for a day’ program for younger animal lovers.
Winner of Business NSW’s Best Visitor Attraction, spend a few hours here and you’ll understand why it’s such a favourite. Level and shady, and perfect for little legs and prams. Plus there’s a great cafe, playground and gift shop on site. Open 7 days, and just a short drive from Port Mac’s CBD.
Port Macquarie Koala Hospital
Baz, a resident koala, enjoys a nap at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital
Port Macquarie’s iconic Koala Hospital has undergone an exciting redevelopment…and is due to reopen August 2026!
The famous Port Macquarie Koala Hospital has been a leader in koala rescue, rehab and conservation for over 50 years, and attracts visitors from all over the world. Get up close with the resident koalas, watch the team in action, and discover why these icons need our help (warning: you may leave with a sudden urge to become a wildlife warrior!). Please note: the hospital is has recently undergone an extensive and exciting redevelopment, and reopens late August 2026. Until then, you can visit their resident koalas and learn about their work at Guulabaa- Place of Koala (see below).
Guulabaa-Place of Koala
A Guulabaa Mum and her Joey
Discover the world’s first Wild Koala Breeding Program at Guulabaa
For guaranteed koala-spotting up close (they can be hard to spot in the wild), Head out to Guulabaa - Place of Koala in the Cowarra State Forest to visit the world's first Wild Koala Conservation Breeding Visitor Centre, run by the legends at Koala Conservation Australia. You can meet resident koalas, spot them in the treetops, wander gorgeous timber boardwalks, grab a bite at the Bunya Café, and snap the obligatory selfie with the Big Koala. It's pretty hard to leave without wanting to quit your job and become a wildlife carer.
Port Jet Cruises - Whales & Dolphins
Whale Watching Tour with Port Jet Cruises, image by Jodie Lowe’s Marine Animal Photography
Whale Watching Tours and Dolphin Spotting with Port Jet Cruises
Out on the water, dolphins are basically a given on any cruise or kayak along the Hastings River. Plenty of lucky surfers have shared a wave on the local beaches with playful pods of dolphins, and they love to swim along side boats in the river. And then there are the whales. So many whales!
Port Macquarie’s proximity to the coastal shelf means that our coastline is one of the best places to spot migrating humpbacks on the East Coast from May through to November each year. They come in close enough to spot them breaching and frolicking from the shoreline. Port Jet Cruises run whale watching tours from May to November and Dolphin cruises throughout the year. We can confirm - it’s an unmissable experience.
Sea Acres Rainforest Centre & Boardwalk
Sculptures on the Sea Acres Rainforest Boardwalk
Wander through a unique rainforest by the sea and spot wildlife
Just minutes from the CBD, Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is one of Australia's largest remaining coastal rainforests, right on the coast. The gently undulating 1.3km elevated timber boardwalk is peaceful, accessible, and genuinely magical. It’s also great for spotting wildlife.
Book a ranger-guided Aboriginal cultural tour to learn about Birpai culture and bush tucker, then refuel at the Rainforest Café nestled among Bangalow palms, and wander the gift shop and visitor centre. Just down the road is Shelly Beach, known for it’s giant monitor lizards that cruise around looking for picnic food. Best not to feed them because we all know how that ends… Oh, and NSW National Parks have just introduced their ‘Spotlight Tours’, so you can visit after dark and spot the creatures of the night!
Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail (& the ‘Big Koala’)
The Big Koala, at Guulabaa (with Wildnets in the background)
Delight in one of Australia’s most loved Sculpture Trails
Fall in love with 90+ artist-designed, colourful and unique 1 meter-tall koala sculptures dotted around the region. Perfect for selfies, you can find one, or find them all!
Download the Sculpture Trail Map or pick one up from the Glasshouse. Then visit Guulabaa for the obligatory Big Koala selfie. And when too many koalas is never enough, you can always shop the charming Hello Koalas merchandise, gifts and games at the Glasshouse or online.
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Other Wildlife Spotting Opportunities
The Flying Fox Colony at Kooloonbung Creek
Not many towns can say they've got 52 hectares of bushland smack in the middle of their CBD, but Port Mac is not most towns. Kooloonbung Creek Nature Reserve is a proper little urban escape with boardwalks, walking tracks and picnic spots tucked away from the hustle, and most of the boardwalk areas are wheelchair and pram accessible too. The star attraction? A resident flying fox colony that hangs around (literally) and puts on quite a show, especially at dusk when they head out en-masse to find their dinner. It's one of those only-in-Australia moments that visitors absolutely love and locals take for granted.
The wider region is dotted with National Parks and Nature Reserves worth exploring, from the wildflower-filled cliffs of Kattang Nature Reserve at Perpendicular Point and unique rock formations at Diamond Head (with many curious kangaroos)…to the Waterfalls of the Comboyne Plateau (birdwatcher's paradise, bring binoculars), you can well and truly fill your cup.
Port Macquarie Wildlife & Koala Encounters
