A re-elected Morrison Government will deliver $200,000 to the Queensland Koala Society at Chandler to develop a pre-release koala enclosure or ‘Koala Kindy.’

LNP Federal Member for Bonner Ross Vasta said the Queensland Koala Society had quickly established itself in the region to help injured wildlife and provide them a safe space to recover.

“Their rehabilitation centre has already created custom enclosures for special-needs koalas, echidnas, bandicoots, gliders and birds,” Mr Vasta said.

“Since starting the centre, Queensland Koala Society founder Angela Christodoulou’s dream had been to develop a koala kindy to help prepare young, rehabilitated koalas to return to the wild and adapt them in a safe environment.

“I am so very excited we will be able to support Angela’s dream and help our furry friends with this project.”

Queensland Koala Society President Angela Christodoulou said the pre-release koala enclosure would not only help with rehabilitation projects but also help with boosting koala population numbers through increased releases after rehabilitation.

“A koala kindy will be amazing. We’ll make this funding work to deliver a facility that will help prepare our rehabilitated koalas to be released back into the wild,” Mrs Christodoulou said.

“This will allow us to help between five and eight koalas at a time.”

Mrs Christodoulou said she was in shock after receiving the news and was grateful that Ross had fought so hard to secure the $200,000 funding for the Koala Kindy.

“In 2019 we started here, and a koala kindy has always been a big part of our plans,” Mrs Christodoulou said.

“Ross is just amazing. He said he was fighting for us and it’s not just words, he delivered, and I am in disbelief over the exciting news.

“It just changes everything here. We have big plans for our site in the future with an education centre and this project and funding is the start of what will all flow on from there.”