Say Hi to Chi at Chop 'N Chill Restaurant beside the Town Green, off Horton Street in Port Macquarie
Hello Koalas released the 85th Hello Koalas Sculpture called ‘Unity’ to promote inclusion and diversity in our community.
With funding from the NSW Government through its arts and culture agency Create NSW, Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail new Pride sculpture ‘Unity’ has been designed and painted by Francessca O’Donnell. A mosaic version of the sculpture design has also been created called ‘Harmony’.
Australian Street Art Awards – It’s Official
Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail won Gold in the Australian Street Art Awards for “Best Sculpture Trail or Park”.
Silver for ‘Best Landmark Sculpture’ for The Big Koala, created by industrial artist John Belfield and painted by Pauline Roods.
Hello Koalas first children’s book in English and French !
Francessca O’Donnell’s long awaited new children’s book is at the Hello Koalas Gift Shop in Port Macquarie. ‘Lola had a Dream’ has been inspired by the Hello Koalas sculpture Lady Lola The Dancing Koala at the Glasshouse Arts Centre in Clarence Street. As Francesca says: “This book is dedicated to all those children who dare to dream, and those who believe in them.
Thanks to our publishing consultant Claire Grady from Bottlebrush Books for her invaluable advice and unfailing courtesy and to her graphic designer Emma Bennetts. They both transformed the manuscript into a beautiful children’s book.
Purchase a copy of ‘Lola had a Dream’ RRP $24.99 (plus postage) online Shop Online at www.hellokoalas.com or collect your copy direct from Hello Koalas Gift Shop. There is also a French edition available, ‘Le Rêve de Lola’ with thanks to local members of the French community in our region who operate The Van du Livre (frenchbooksonwheels.org)
All copies of the book are signed by Francessca O’Donnell.
Hello Koalas Gift Shop, Bellbowrie Park Business Centre, Shop 16, 10 Bellbowrie Street, Port Macquarie – between Bay Street and Hastings River Drive – just 5 minutes from Settlement City Shopping Centre. Hours of Opening: Monday to Friday 9am to 4pm, Saturday 9am to 12 noon.
Go for an “ArtWalk” in town – with Hello Koalas sculptures.
Take a one hour self-guided walking tour of 9 artworks on the Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail around the CBD.
Capture photos of Garage Girl (Leanne Prussing), Wiseberry Real Estate; Kirralee (Beverley Coleman), Regional Australia Bank; Forest (Pauline Roods), Port Macquarie Museum; Ziggy (Kim & Wayne Staples), Rydges Hotel; Lady Lola the Dancing Koala & PK Sparkles (Francessca O’Donnell), Glasshouse; Con the Koala (Jill Williams), Port Macquarie Historic Courthouse; Chi (Pauline Roods), Chop ‘n Chill; Asha (Yvonne Kiely), Belle Property Port Macquarie.
The Big Koala (2.5 metres high) is an iconic public artwork based in ‘Guulabaa, Place of Koala’, a new tourism and educational precinct being developed by Forestry Corporation of NSW.
Created by local industrial artist and fibreglass manufacturer John Belfield and painted by Pauline Roods.
The Big Koala enjoyed her ride into town from Johns River where the sculpture was created and headed for the artist’s studio in Port Macquarie.
The Big Koala is proud to be “Made in Australia” and sponsored by Regional Australia Bank
Check out “Hello Koalas – The Making of The Big Koala” on You Tube
Welcome to Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail & Gift Shop
SCULPTURE TRAIL: Open EVERY DAY of the year COMPLETELY FREE!
HELLO KOALAS GALLERY & GIFT SHOP:
Open Monday to Friday 9am-4pm, Saturday 9am to 12 noon
Bellbowrie Park Business Centre, Unit 16, 10 Bellbowrie St, Port Macquarie – Just 5 minutes from Settlement City where you will see more Hello Koalas!
Unique Port Macquarie gifts + 15 Hello Koalas sculptures on display
Award-winning Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail features 87+ individually designed one-metre high Hello Koalas sculptures plus The Big Koala to discover across the Port Macquarie district, on the NSW Mid North Coast.
Each Hello Koalas sculpture has its own unique character and personality, and everyone who visits has a favourite. Which one will yours be?
Lovingly hand-painted by talented Australian artists, every Hello Koalas sculpture features environmental, wellbeing, heritage or cultural designs to fall in love with and get you thinking and talking.
For enquiries, please phone 0416 641 482 or email info@hellokoalas.com
INTRODUCING THE BIG KOALA!
The Big Koala, measuring 2.5 metres, is painted by a favourite Hello Koalas sculpture artist Pauline Roods, for the new Guulabaa (Place of Koala) tourism precinct being developed in Cowarra State Forest by Forestry Corporation NSW. The precinct will include the Koala Hospital’s wild koala breeding centre, Bunyah Local Aboriginal Land Council’s gallery and cafe, WildNets forest canopy experience and our very own Big Koala as the iconic landmark.
The sculpture has been created by local fibreglass specialist John Belfield from Johns River and has taken 18 months to construct.
Artist Pauline Roods, Hello Koalas Project Director Margret Meagher, Fibreglass Specialist John Belfield
say “Hello” to the latest Hello Koalas Sculpture. Photo Lindsay Moller
Hello Koalas Gift Shop
Discover our boutique range of gifts at Hello Koalas Gift Shop at 16/10 Bellbowrie St, Port Macquarie
T shirts, calendars, colouring books, Jigsaw puzzles, notebooks, art books, backpacks, stickers, magnets, badges, tea towels, tote bags, postcards, koala soft toys, koala themed Australian sheepskin accessories for the home, lens cloths featuring favourite Hello Koalas characters and the best way to keep your glasses, phone and other screens clean.
Plus exclusively to Hello Koalas Gift Shop and online, the SPECIAL EDITION MONOPOLY PORT MACQUARIE (including unique Koala token) + Top Trumps card game.
Making your purchase of this collector’s edition even more worthwhile, funds raised from Monopoly sales at Hello Koalas are helping to create The Big Koala, and its dedicated educational program, at the ground-breaking Guulabaa (Place of Koala) tourism precinct in Cowarra State Forest. Your name will join the “Friends of the Big Koala Honour Roll” on our website (www.hellokoalas.com). Enquiries 0416 641 842.
Hello Koalas Gift Shop is just 5 minutes walk from Settlement City Shopping Centre or 5 minutes drive from the Town Centre – between Bay St and Hastings River Drive. Come and say Hello!
Meet Margret Meagher, who created Hello Koalas, and Vicki Eslick the Shop Manager who will be happy to tell you more about our Hello Koalas and help you with any questions you have.
Alternatively, you can log on to https://shop.hellokoalas.com/ and shop online anytime anywhere!
Our Purpose
Hello Koalas is a public art project created to bring joy, creativity and a sense of fun to our local area, to foster a sense of community and wellbeing, and to encourage visitors to Greater Port Macquarie and wherever Hello Koalas sculptures weave their magic through touring exhibitions.
Our purpose is to enlighten and educate the world on the urgent plight of Koalas and our endangered fauna and flora, through the talent of local Australian artists.
We work closely with local businesses, government and non-government organisations to co-ordinate tourism, environmental and community cultural development opportunities.
We are part of the national organisation Arts and Health Australia, with funds raised from projects and events distributed among essential environmental causes.
The award-winning Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail provides fun and entertaining days out for people of all ages, perfect for families to enjoy together.
It is also a unique and creative way to raise awareness of the importance of protecting our koalas and our environment, such as through “Guulabaa”, the Cowarra State Forest tourism precinct and koala refuge. Pictured above at the launch: Forestry Corporation NSW’s Kathy Lyons, NSW State member Leslie Williams and Hello Koalas’ Guula (Gathang word for ‘Koala’), painted by North Coast TAFE Aboriginal arts students.
Port Macquarie is lucky to have one of the largest koala populations on Australia’s east coast. But this Aussie icon is endangered everywhere by land clearing for roads and houses, by vehicle strikes, dog attacks, disease, drought and climate change. The recent bushfires highlighted the dangers that koalas face.
Hello Koalas is proud to be a national leader in koala conservation advocacy and promotion and is leading the way with travelling exhibitions of selected sculptures from the Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail
Enquiries about how your organisation can host a Hello Koalas exhibition, please contact Margret Meagher, 0416 641 482 or margret@hellokoalas.com
Check out this video to see what fun you can have with Hello Koalas and see your visitor numbers zoom upwards.
Hello Koalas sculptures at play at the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney – October-November 2019
We are proud to have toured some of our Hello Koalas to:
- The Australian National Botanic Gardens Canberra (March 2019)
- The Royal Botanic Garden Sydney (October-November 2019
- The Australian Botanic Garden Mount Annan, in Sydney’s West.
Here is a glimpse of our visit to the Royal Botanic Garden Sydney.
Text 0416 641 482 with queries or find us on Facebook
Don’t forget to post your #hellokoalas photos on
Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and TripAdvisor!
May 6, 2022 Reviewed by Carrie P: CREATIVELY UNIQUE PERSONALITIES
The individual koalas are so beautifully created by their artists. They seem to display their own personalities! While we haven't seen all the koalas, the ones we have seen are truly amazing. The artistic attention to detail and creativity is awesome. The Gift Shop is most worthwhile visiting - being greeted by very welcoming, knowledgeable and friendly staff. So many quality products on display to purchase, you'll be making a purchase for sure. Congratulations to all involved with all aspects of the 'Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail', it is a wonderful vision now shared by so many creative and generous people. Can't wait to find more koalas on our future visits.
Reviewed by chamellephoto, Melbourne: REALLY FUN
It was fun to spot the Koalas all over Port Macquarie and check out some touristic locations along the way.
May 27, 2021 Reviewed by jillyo88, Reservoir Australia: GENIUS TOURIST ATTRACTION
The gorgeous sculptures are a credit to those who made them and thought of such a simple, genius idea to attract tourists to different parts of Port Macquarie!
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