Image courtesy of Paul Rushworth
Although Koalas are just as cute as bears they are actually more closely related to wombats! Like wombats, koalas are marsupial mammals – that means the female koala carries its young in a pouch.
The name koala comes from the Aboriginal word meaning “no drink” as koalas get over 90% of their water from eucalyptus leaves. Koalas only drink when they are sick or during times of drought when there is insufficient moisture in the leaves they eat.
Koalas have broad, flat heads with large round hairy ears, flat noses, short, stocky bodies, short legs and large feet with very sharp claws. They are covered in thick ash-grey fur with white on their chest, forelimbs and rump. Koalas that live in the cooler southern parts of Australia have a thicker coat of fur. Their bodies are rounded due to the capacity of their large intestines required to digest eucalyptus leaves.
FASCINATING FACT! Koalas spend 20+ hours each day SLEEPING and resing due to the low amount of energy they obtain from their leafy diet. It’s not just laziness!
They are generally more active at night and communicate using loud grunts and squeals.
Koalas are often called fussy eaters as they feed almost entirely on only fifty of the 500+ species of eucalypt leaves. An adult koala will eat up to ONE KILOGRAM of leaves each night. Different species of eucalypts grow in different parts of Australia, so a koala in Victoria would have a very different diet from one in Queensland.
KOALA SPOTTING! These school holidays you can spot Koalas living in many parks including the Great Otway National Park, Mt Eccles National Park, Grampians National Park, Barmah National Park and French Island National Park. Take a photo and send it into the JR gallery!
Thanks to the Keilor Primary School students who helped to officially open the new playscape at Brimbank Park earlier this year. We’re glad you’ve given it the big thumbs up and look forward to seeing lots more kids and families enjoying this wonderful place with heaps to explore and discover.
The playscape is great for children of all abilities. It features a giant Bunjil’s nest for children to climb, a maze with many elements to discover, and a ‘build-your-own’ cubby house structure.
Bridal Creeper
A weed is a plant that is growing where it’s not wanted. Weeds cause problems in our parks for many reasons:
Did you know that Many weeds can produce large amounts of seed which help their spread via wind, waterways, people (bottom of shoes), vehicles, birds and other animals. Willow trees for example have winged seeds that are carried on the wind tens of kilometres from their source.
When weeds become a problem in your school or garden it can be very helpful to develop a weed management plan. Things to include in a weed management plan include: learning about weeds in your area and how they are spread. Tell people about weeds and discuss problems and solutions. For more information, replacement plant ideas and disposal methods:
Ranger Deb Cross at Gil Groggin Fire north of Buchan
Fire, both as a natural event and its use by Aboriginal people has been a part of the Australian environment for thousands of years. It has shaped our plants and animals into the unique ecosystems we have today; its effects in many areas of Victoria are important for the health of our plants and animals. But is it good or Bad?
Well – it can depend. Most major parks in Victoria require periodic fire to ensure the survival of certain plants and animals. A number of native plants and animals have developed specific ways of surviving fire, in fact many including plants such as banksias and grass trees rely on fire to regenerate seeds and survive.
Today the term ‘prescribed burning’ refers to the use of fire to achieve planned land and resource management objectives. Depending on the environment type, some parks need more frequent fire than others. There are two main reasons that Parks Victoria and the Department of Sustainability conduct prescribed burns in Victoria’s parks:
Prescribed burns are usually conducted in autumn or spring when the weather is milder. Keep an eye out when you’re travelling around at this time of year for the large plumes of smoke coming from the burns.
Blue Ringed Octopus
This beautiful but deadly blue-ring octopus was photographed near Skenes Creek by Ranger Sylvia.
Rockpool rambling is a favourite Summer acitvity for many families and there are plenty of wonders to be found along Victoria’s rocky shores. Just remember to keep your fingers where you can see them to prevent any nasty surprises, avoid handling any plants or animals, and leave everything just as you found it.
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