Case seventeen

The koala (Phascolarctos cinereus) is a marsupial that is an Australian cultural and tourism icon. Despite its importance to Australia, the number of koalas in the wild has declined in states such as Queensland due to threats such as habitat destruction and disease. Up-close koala experiences, where visitors to a koala sanctuary can see and/or hold a koala represents a potential opportunity for visitor conservation action. Not only do visitors experience seeing and/or holding an Australian tourism icon, but they can also learn about koala conservation initiatives that they can perform when at home. This book chapter provides an understanding of the need for visitor koala conservation in Queensland, Australia. It also allows students to learn about the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary visitor attraction and the up-close koala experiences it offers to visitors. Finally, the book chapter provides a practical experience where students are to design and present a koala conservation plan focusing on up-close koala experiences as a catalyst to increase the uptake of koala conservation actions of visitors to Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary.