Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary at 708 Jesmond Road, Fig Tree Pocket has launched a new Twilight Koala Experience, an exclusive after-hours wildlife encounter designed specifically for corporate groups, incentive programs and private functions of up to 100 guests. While the evening offering focuses on this intimate scale, the sanctuary has also expanded its daytime capacity to accommodate significantly larger delegations within standard operating hours.
The new offering adds an evening dimension to one of Brisbane’s most iconic destinations, giving corporate visitors a guided koala encounter led by the sanctuary’s wildlife team after the regular day visitors have gone home. Groups can also include an after-dark wildlife tour of the sanctuary’s nocturnal precinct, drinks and dinner at the Riverside Café overlooking the Brisbane River, and the option of arriving by river cruise rather than road, a touch that taps into the sanctuary’s long history as a river destination that dates back nearly a century.
For Kenmore and Fig Tree Pocket residents, the development is a reminder of just how significant their local landmark is on the broader tourism and events map, and how it continues to evolve nearly a hundred years after it first opened.
A Heritage Site With a New Chapter
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary opened in 1927 as a refuge for sick, injured and orphaned koalas at a time when the species was being killed for its fur, founded by conservationist Claude Reid with just two koalas named Jack and Jill. The sanctuary’s name comes from a solitary hoop pine planted by the Clarkson family on the original 4.6-hectare site, and the complex has grown through amalgamated land purchases to its current 18 hectares along the northern bank of the Brisbane River.
From its earliest days, the sanctuary was marketed as a river destination, promoted as “the most beautiful trip in Australia” at a time when Brisbane families were discovering the leisure possibilities of the motor car. That river connection has never been lost. The Mirimar river cruise has been ferrying passengers from South Bank to Lone Pine for more than 70 years, and the new corporate offering explicitly includes arrival by river as a premium option, connecting modern corporate guests to the same scenic journey that Brisbane families have taken across generations.
During the Second World War, Lone Pine gained international recognition when American servicemen stationed in Brisbane visited the sanctuary to see native Australian wildlife, including a famous visit from General Douglas MacArthur’s wife, Jean. Today it holds Guinness World Records recognition as the world’s first and largest koala sanctuary, housing over 100 koalas and more than 70 species of native Australian wildlife across its riverside bushland setting.
What the Twilight Koala Experience Offers Corporate Groups
The Twilight Koala Experience was developed in direct response to Brisbane’s growing corporate events sector and the increasing appetite for premium, after-hours experiences that feel uniquely Australian. The guided koala encounter is led by the sanctuary’s wildlife team, giving guests close contact with the animals alongside education about koala conservation and Lone Pine’s ongoing commitment to wildlife protection.
The corporate package is designed as a complete event solution, combining the wildlife encounter with dining at the Riverside Café, the option of a full after-dark tour of the nocturnal precinct where Tasmanian devils, wombats, echidnas and small macropods can be observed in their natural evening behaviours, and arrival by river cruise from South Bank’s Cultural Centre Wharf. The setting, just 12 kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD, makes Lone Pine accessible for conference delegates and incentive groups without the logistics of a long transfer.
Beyond the new twilight offering, Lone Pine is also expanding its daytime corporate and incentive programmes, enabling the sanctuary to host significantly larger groups within standard operating hours. General manager Lyndon Discombe noted that corporate groups are no longer seeking standard event venues but meaningful experiences that create purpose and connection, and that the daytime expansion provides flexibility for conference organisers seeking scale and accessibility in a single venue.
Plan Your Visit
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is located at 708 Jesmond Road, Fig Tree Pocket, approximately 12 kilometres from Brisbane’s CBD. The sanctuary is open every day from 9am to 5pm for general visitors. The Mirimar river cruise departs from Cultural Centre Wharf at South Bank at 10am daily, arriving at Lone Pine approximately 75 minutes later, with the return journey departing at 1.30pm.
Corporate event enquiries and bookings can be made through their website. General admission tickets and wildlife encounter bookings are available here. The sanctuary can also be reached directly on (07) 3378 1366.
Published 26-February-2026.
