Even though I've known Richard for more than ten years it wasn't until we went to Oamaru in New Zealand and saw the little blue penguins that he discovered how soppy I can be around animals. When reading in the guide book that Port MacQuarrie had a Koala Hospital I couldn't resist going.

The area around the town is covered in Eucalyptus trees and home to lots of koalas. Unfortunately this close proximity means they get involved in road accidents, attacked from dogs and catch diseases. The hospital takes in over 200 patients a year and is the only one in the world that dedicates itself to koalas.

The ward is a fenced off area with individual pens with the patient's name on. They are given a name derived from where they were found and the person who brought them in. The location name is important as when they are fully better they are released in the same place because they are very territorial animals.

Quite a few of the koalas were in there suffering from Chlamydia which gives them a wet bottom. Both male and females can catch it and is treated by a course of antibiotics.

There was one poor little koala that had been in an accident and had to have her leg amputated. She was doing remarkably well and we even saw her climb up a tree. Despite her disability they are hoping she will recover enough to be released back into the wild.

Hiding in the trees were three joeys who were perfectly healthy themselves but their mothers had been injured or killed when they were too young to fend for themselves. We learned that babies are born after 35 days and are only as big as a fingernail. They climb up into the mummy koala's pouch and stay in there for about six months before starting to venture out. It's not until they are two years old that they become fully independent.

There were two long term patients who were quite elderly - one 22 years old. They get extra special treatment in the form of massages to their achey joints as they will never be released.

The hospital is run by over a hundred volunteers and two paid members of staff. It has an intensive care unit with equipment donated by human hospitals that have been upgraded. .
You can wander round and look at the patients any time but we specifically went at 3pm for the daily free guided tour.

As koalas spend 18 hours a day sleeping it's hard to catch them awake. We managed to see half a dozen quite active - either munching away on leaves, climbing or being hand fed by the helpers. They look so cute when they are eating, they are just like a live teddy bear!

I think I scared Richard by telling him I wanted to take one home - along with a penguin and a kangaroo!

Whilst in Port MacQuarrie we took a wander along the sea front. The weather was a little miserable but it didn't stop the many families stood on the rocks fishing. We even saw a guy catch a fish, it was quite a decent size and described as a 'flatty'.

It was quite a pleasant walk as a lot of the rocks are hand painted by visitors to the town. The messages are dedicated to dead people, anniversaries, class graduations and even a marriage proposal. It added a nice quirkiness to the place.

Katy