Meeting a koala is high on the list for most people travelling the Great Ocean Road, and for good reason. There is something quietly special about standing an arm’s length from one of Australia’s most recognisable animals while a keeper explains what makes it tick. At Great Ocean Road Wildlife Park, that moment happens with Popeye, our resident koala, in a calm sanctuary setting about 15 minutes from the Twelve Apostles. Here is what a koala encounter here actually involves, and why it looks a little different from what you might expect.
What happens during a koala encounter in Victoria?
A koala encounter in Victoria is a keeper-led session where you meet a koala up close, gently pat its fur while it stays settled in its tree, help with feeding when the koala is willing, and take photos. You will not be holding the koala, because holding koalas is not permitted in Victoria, but you will get closer than most people ever do, with a keeper guiding the whole experience.
At our park, the session is built around the koala’s comfort as much as yours. Popeye stays in his tree throughout, which keeps him relaxed and gives you a genuine look at how a koala behaves when it is not stressed. The keepers talk you through his diet, his habits and the conservation picture for koalas across Australia, and there is plenty of time for questions and photos.
Meet Popeye
Popeye is a three year old male koala and the park’s resident ambassador for his species. His home has been designed to reflect how koalas live in the wild, so when you meet him you are seeing something close to natural koala behaviour rather than an animal on display.
That usually means a fairly sleepy welcome. Koalas can sleep for up to 18 hours a day, a consequence of a diet made up almost entirely of eucalyptus leaves, which are tough, fibrous and low in nutrients. Digesting them takes serious energy, so koalas conserve it wherever they can. If Popeye is dozing when you arrive, that is not laziness. That is a koala doing exactly what koalas do.
Hands-on but hugs-free, and why that matters
Plenty of visitors arrive asking whether they can hold a koala. In Victoria, the answer is no. State rules do not permit koala holding, so encounters here are what we call hands-on but hugs-free. You can pat Popeye’s fur, help feed him when he is in the mood, and stand close enough to count the wrinkles on his nose, all while he stays comfortable in his tree.
Honestly, we think this is the better version of the experience. A koala that stays in its tree is a calm koala, and a calm koala is far more interesting to watch. You see natural movement, natural feeding and natural rest, rather than an animal coping with being passed around. The photos tend to be better too, because Popeye is settled rather than braced.
It also reflects how we run the park more broadly. As a privately run, sanctuary-style wildlife park, our focus is on giving animals healthy, spacious surroundings and giving visitors a slower, more genuine way to meet them. The koala encounter is probably the clearest example of that approach in action.
What you will learn from the keepers
The encounter is as much an education session as a photo opportunity. Our keepers cover the things people rarely expect, including a few myth-busters. Koalas are not bears, for a start. They are marsupials, more closely related to kangaroos and wombats than to anything in the bear family.
The conservation story matters too. In 2022, the Australian Government listed koala populations in Queensland, New South Wales and the Australian Capital Territory as endangered, following years of decline driven by habitat loss, disease and the impact of a changing climate. Victorian koalas are in a stronger position, but the pressures on the species are national, and understanding them is the first step towards caring about them. That is really what encounters like this are for. People protect what they understand.
Planning your visit
The koala encounter sits within a full day of wildlife at the park. We are set on roughly 40 acres of gently rolling hills, and the full sanctuary walk takes about 45 minutes at an easy pace. Along the way you will find our kangaroo and emu mob in the open sanctuary fields, a natural bushland-style wallaby area, dingo enclosures that anchor our dingo education program, a wombat enclosure, and an interactive petting area where kids can hand-feed some very enthusiastic locals.
If you are travelling the Great Ocean Road, we are an easy stop. The park sits between Lavers Hill and Princetown, around 15 minutes before the Twelve Apostles when you are coming from Melbourne, which makes it a natural pause point on the drive rather than a detour.
Ready to meet Popeye?
A koala encounter in Victoria will not involve a cuddle, and once you have done it, you will probably be glad about that. What it does involve is a relaxed, close-up meeting with a genuinely settled koala, guided by keepers who know him well. You can find session details and bookings on our koala experience, and we would love to introduce you.
Frequently Asked Questions
What happens during a koala encounter in Victoria?
A koala encounter is a keeper-led session where you meet a koala up close, gently pat its fur while it stays settled in its tree, help with feeding when the koala is willing, and take photos. Keepers share insights about koala behaviour, diet and conservation throughout.
Can you hold a koala in Victoria?
No. Holding koalas is not permitted in Victoria. Sanctuary encounters instead let you pat and feed a koala while it remains comfortable in its tree, which keeps the experience calm and low-stress for the animal.
Is a koala encounter suitable for children?
Yes. Keeper-led koala encounters are designed for families and first-time visitors, with no experience needed. Keepers guide every interaction so visitors of all ages can meet a koala safely and respectfully.
What do koalas eat?
Koalas feed almost entirely on eucalyptus leaves, which are tough and low in nutrients. This specialised diet is one reason koalas sleep for much of the day, sometimes up to 18 hours.
Why are koala encounters important for conservation?
Meeting a koala up close helps visitors understand the threats koalas face, including habitat loss and climate change. Education-focused encounters build the awareness and support that koala conservation relies on.