07/09/2026
The Big Koala – Spirit of All Koalas
Artist : Pauline Roods
Sponsor:
Location: Guulabaa, Place of Koala, Cowarra State Forest, Corner of Burrawan Forest Drive & Oxley Highway
'The Big Koala, Spirit of All Koalas' stands 2.5 metres high at the entrance to Guulabaa, Place of Koala, from the car park, in the Cowarra State Forest.
Regional Australia Bank is the sponsor of The Big Koala and is also the sponsor of Hello Koalas sculpture 'Kirralee', painted by local artist Beverley Coleman, and sitting proudly in the front window of Regional Australia Bank's 41 Horton Street Branch in Port Macquarie.
Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail was established in 2014 and the hope for creating The Big Koala remained a dream of founder Margret Meagher until Forestry Corporation of NSW set out to build a tourism and education precinct in the Cowarra State Forest, 15 minutes from Port Macquarie in the east and 10 minutes from Wauchope in the west.
Pauline Roods was commissioned to paint The Big Koala and local industrial artist John Belfield, from John's River, was commissioned to make the fibreglass sculpture, utilising a large mould John fashioned out of fibreglass too.
The design features 31 koalas, ranging in height from 30 to 55 cm, living happily in their forest home.
The Big Koala has inspired the development of a second Hello Koalas children's book with the publication date is September 2024 to commemorate the 10th anniversary of The Hello Koalas Sculpture Trail which launched in 2014.
Watch 'The Making of The Big Koala' You Tube link
https://youtu.be/cbGvZJt7mZk
