04/09/2026
From bucket to bush 🪣 —> 🌳
Meet our latest release: Opie. 🐨💝
On the 27th of August, our busiest day of trauma season so far, we finished off our day with a late-night call for a displaced koala in Springfield.
Opie had been found on the porch of a home after the homeowner returned from a nighttime walk with their dog. Thankfully, they were able to safely contain him until rescue could arrive.
Opie appeared to be in good health and around 3–4 years old — which puts him right at the age he'd begin seeking out a territory of his own.
Our caller informed us that a fire had recently torn through the neighbouring wildlife corridor, leaving little to no vegetation for the resident koalas.
Sadly, this area is also a hotspot for vehicle strikes. With such little area left for wildlife to disperse through, competition for the remaining habitat is fierce, and is forcing them to cross incredibly busy, high-speed roads.💔
Our caller told us that, despite living in the area and actively searching for them, he had never seen a live koala — only deceased ones on the roadside. Hearing that was gut-wrenching, and made finding little Opie alive and well all the more special.💝
Opie was a sweet little guy, so transferring him from beneath his bucket and into our carry cage was a piece of cake. We got our gorgeous young man loaded up into the car and transported to RSPCA Wacol for a much-needed health check.
The following day, we received the welcome news that Opie was in perfect health. He scored an 8/10 body score and was aged at 3 years old.
With a clean bill of health, Opie was cleared for release that weekend!
Then it was onto our next challenge…
Where do we put the little bu**er? 🔍
Given the information we had received from our caller, we knew finding a suitable release location might be tricky — but nothing could have prepared us for just how fragmented the habitat throughout Springfield had become.
When releasing a koala, the national Code of Practice requires them to be returned to their original location wherever possible. Koalas have an incredible attachment to their home ranges and, if moved, will often stop at nothing to find their way back.
However, where returning them to their original location presents a significant threat — such as dogs, land clearing, roads, or other hazards — there is some flexibility to relocate them to a more suitable site.
As Opie had not yet established a territory of his own, and with approval, he was able to be relocated to a local reserve. 🌿
..we just had to find one.
We had consulted with Dr Google and added a couple reserves to our list of potential release sites. But what Google failed to mention was that almost every one of them was being encroached upon by housing developments or carved up by new roads, resulting in patches of habitat that aren't safe for worms, let alone a spritely young bear.
Driving through the city was a stark contrast to what we're used to seeing through Somerset. The sheer volume of habitat destruction was devastating.
Seeing what tiny slivers of habitat remained, each with a slapped-on “Wildlife Corridor” sign, was honestly blood-boiling.
Then there was the incomplete wildlife fencing — fencing that was not only useless in its attempt to keep animals away from the roads, but in some cases actually created a trap for wildlife struggling to move safely through the landscape. Along every road, we saw endless bodies of roadkill at various stages of decay.💔
It certainly wasn't an enjoyable experience.
Thankfully, we eventually found a safe release site with plenty of lush vegetation and acres of land for our beautiful little Opie to explore and disperse safely, and he certainly wasted no time making his way to freedom. 🏃♂️
It was so good to see him looking around and taking everything in. Even better was seeing just how relaxed he was in his new home!
We're hopeful we'll get to see our gorgeous boy again in the future — but also hope the other members of his colony are lucky enough to avoid the destruction happening on their doorstep. 🤞
What is being allowed to happen to our greenspaces throughout the Ipswich Region — and across Australia in general — is appalling. Our wildlife deserves better, and so do we, for that matter.
Nature is the best therapy there is, and we are losing it at a terrifying rate.
If you live throughout Ipswich — regardless of whether you've ever seen a koala or not — please remember that they are still here.
They are being forced into areas that are no longer safe. Even the smallest actions can make a huge difference. ❤️🩹
Saving a local rescuer's number in your phone and slowing down on our roads are two of the easiest ways you can help protect our wildlife.
We are based in Ipswich and specialise in koala rescue. Please feel free to save and share our number. We are available 24/7.
☎️ 0400 256 656
Don't hesitate to reach out if you find a koala in need!
📍 We service Ipswich, lower parts of Brisbane, the Scenic Rim, Somerset Region and Lockyer Valley — a.k.a. SE QLD.
Thank you to Santosh for your quick thinking and getting Opie the help he needed. Your call has given this beautiful boy the chance he deserves to live a long and healthy life. ✨️
Stay healthy and happy, Ope. 🐨💚
