Brisbane Day Trips Daisy Hill Conservation Park
Brisbane - Australia
Visit Daisy Hill Conservation Park – Half to full day trip
Escape the city with your family and meet the resident koalas, walk in the wild, cycle on a track or settle into the saddle while you ride your horse. Keep an eye out for wildlife around you when you are doing any of these. Pack a picnic and relax afterwards in the shade of ancient trees.
Koala at Daisy Hill Koala Centre - an educational and informative sanctuary
Back to nature in one of Queensland’s conservation parks at Daisy Hill
Is it worth a visit?
Having settled in Brisbane since March this year, we are constantly looking for things to do. The capital of Australia’s sunshine State, Queensland is commonly referred to as Brisvegas due to its glitzy nightlife.
But what if that vibe is not for you? Whilst the inner city has much to offer and the Brisbane River has its own rhythm, short half to full day trips to explore other areas might be more in line with what you would like to do.
As for us, we love to be outdoors and are always keen on budget friendly hidden gems. We have discovered a versatile area in Daisy Hill Conservation Park for the whole family.
Sleeping koala
Want to be notified of more Roaming Fox Blogs?
Koala Centre at Daisy Hill
A few weeks ago we visited the conservation park. Our main aim was to see koalas. Since our arrival in Brisbane we have searched for them in the trees on many of our short bushwalks but have not been successful. We heard that Daisy Hill has a koala sanctuary so did a cheeky cheat by going to the centre where we met 3 rescues.
We walked around the informative educational centre and listened to a talk by a knowledgeable koala keeper. The three survivors were all born in the wild and are now healthy but cannot be returned to their natural habitat because they were either orphaned or ill.
Their illnesses have left them infertile and sterile koalas cannot be released because it causes male koalas to expend their energy unnecessarily by chasing a non-fertile koala.
Their diet in the wild as well as at the sanctuary consists of eucalyptus leaves which are not easy to digest and are low in nutrients. Koalas therefore need to conserve their energy and that is why they sleep between 18 and 22 hours a day.
There is a strict policy in place that visitors may not handle or pat the koalas but we were fortunate to see them within a couple of metres.
Interesting comparison between a human and the pectoral fin of a humpback whale. Puts it into perspective.
About Daisy Hill Conservation Park
The Daisy Hill Conservation Park consists of 570ha of eucalypt forest, melaleuca wetlands and billabongs. The forest and wetlands area is a bushland retreat that is home to many native wildlife. We went for a walk on one of the many trails and saw a wallaby, numerous birds including pale-headed rosellas, a Pacific Bassa and numerous kookaburras.
There is an extensive network of recreational trails, dedicated and shared tracks for hiking, mountain biking and horse riding to suit all levels of expertise.
There is a grassy picnic zone at the Daisy Hill day-use area with parking for cars and buses. The facilities consist of picnic tables, barbecues, toilets and sheltered pagodas otherwise known as shelter sheds. There is also suitable access for wheelchairs and strollers.
One of the trails at Daisy Hill
About Daisy Hill Koala Centre and sanctuary
At the sanctuary you can meet the survivor koalas and discover their life cycle and unique biology. In the Woodland Theatre inside the centre you can watch short films about conservation, not only of koalas but about other Australian fauna and flora.
When we were at the centre, we saw a new temporary display for the annual whale migration.
Admission into the centre as well as the park is free. The informational talk is also free. The centre has ramp access to all areas. The koala centre is open 7 days a week from 10 am to 4 pm apart from Christmas Day, New Year’s Day and Good Friday.
Where is Daisy Hill Conservation Park?
Situated in the southern suburbs of Brisbane, the park plays a significant role in preserving wildlife as well as providing visitors with a variety of recreational activities.
Essentials to bring to Daisy Hill Conservation Park
No bins are provided so bring rubbish bags to take your refuse home if you are picnicking.
If you plan to walk, bring sturdy shoes as there is uneven terrain.
It is worth bringing sunscreen, insect repellent and protective clothing, including a hat.
If you are keen on birdwatching, don’t forget your binoculars. They might help you spot koalas in the wild too.
Picnic area for day visitors at Daisy Hill
THE TALE OF THE CHEEKY KOOKABURRAS
After we walked around the koala sanctuary centre whilst educating ourselves about the wildlife of Australia, we took our flask and mugs to the picnic area to have some tea and biscuits before we set off on our walk through the forest.
We noticed a warning on one of the picnic tables:
Beware of swooping kookaburras.
As we leisurely sipped our tea and nibbled at our biscuits, we were witnesses to those sneaky kookaburras.
A few families were relaxing, enjoying being outdoors. A couple were cooking sausages and bacon on one of the barbecues near us when a kookaburra and a partner in crime magpie swooped over the barbecue to steal what they were cooking. Sadly that was the end of the couple’s picnic.
After our walk we returned to another section of the picnic area to eat our lunch. Most of the day visitors had already left. As we sat down, a kookaburra immediately flew towards us and sat on one of the branches above our heads, only a couple of metres away. No sooner had he landed when another one flew in our direction and swooped at us.
Because we are used to thieving monkeys in our game reserves in South Africa we were more cautious about leaving food out. Nevertheless, as we ate, one still attempted to sneak a grab at the food in my hand when I wanted to put it in my mouth. Swift action from Paul and I, we managed to avoid that incident and finished our lunch.
Even a tame wallaby came to inspect us but did not get too close.
Wallaby at the picnic area
It is certainly worth spending a half or full day at Daisy Hill Conservation Park. If you love riding your mountain bike, this is a perfect spot with numerous trails to choose from and with varying levels of difficulty. If walking in nature is more your idea of fun, you can do that too. Looking for a place to ride your horse? Once again, a good spot.
There are paths dedicated to specific activities but there are shared paths too which will probably be busy during weekends, so watch out for cyclists dashing past you.
Just keep an eye on the kookaburras – you might spit the dummy if you were be pecked by those large, strong beaks. Spit the dummy? It’s Aussie slang for when you get very upset. Yip, I’m increasing my vocabulary.
Listening to one of the rangers at the Koala Centre
On Pinterest?
Pin on Pinterest
Click on image and pin to save for later
Find me on Social Media
About the Author
ALMA VAN AS | ROAMING FOX
Alma is a South African travel blogger and writer now residing in Australia. She hopes to inspire you with facts and fables about her adventures, road trips and international travel.
Step by step instructions on how to leave a comment on my blog:
Type in your comment in the comment box.
Click ‘Post Comment’
Briefly a message should appear saying you are not logged in, then a box with ‘Post a Comment’ will appear for you to complete with your name, email address and website URL (if you have one).
Fill in your first name and email address in the appropriate section. (Your email will not be made public and will not be used for any other purpose than for you to get a notification of a reply to your comment.)
Click ‘Comment as Guest’ and you’re good to go!
To subscribe to my blogs, please fill out the SUBSCRIBE form.
Thank you.
I know it is quite a process, but it helps keep our websites secure. Your email address will not be shared or displayed.
You might have heard of the lookout at Mount Coot-tha that offers a spectacular view of Brisbane but have you heard of the botanical paradise at its base?