ABOUT HELLO KOALAS

 I feel very honored to be part of the ‘Hello Koala’s’ family and this outstanding creative draw card for Tourism on the Mid North Coast.  The Koala Sculpture Trail, has not only promoted the many talented artists in the area, but injected an excitement for locals and visitors to explore the beauty of this part of the coast. 

 I love receiving random photos of families with the Koalas and it’s a constant reminder of the great pleasure the trail  brings to so many locals and travellers.

MEET MY KOALAS

I was delighted to be asked to create four of the character’s for the Hello Koala Trail and am indebted to Margret Meagher for her inspiration and encouragement throughout this creative journey

With a lifetime involved with children, dance, theatre and music, it was a passion to create Koala’s that were unique, fun and each had a special story to tell, from their life on the stage. Let me introduce you our little performing Koala family.

PK SPARKLES and KALIDO are actually  twins, but like all twins, there are a few things that set them apart.

 PK SPARKLES is actually Pippas ‘stage name’ . PK  is short is short for Pippa Koala.

SPARKLES, is after Shirley Temple, who’s mother was often heard calling  “Sparkle Shirley Sparkle.”

You can pick PK SPARKLES by her yellow and red feet. Her highly decorated body reflects all her theatrical passions, music, dance, colour and fun. Can you spot any other differences between them ?

 KALIDO is PK’S twin and a shy young man, but once he hits the stage, he comes to life. KALIDO has  one purple foot. Another little difference is that Kalido, is an amazing singer… sadly PK is not !

You can meet Kalido and PK Sparkles at The Glasshouse in Port Macquarie.

A few years later a gorgeous new character danced her way into the trail.. 

Meet LADY LOLA

When Lola she was a little Koala  she was called Co Co and all she dreamed about was dancing.

She eventually lived her dream and became a ballerina and changed her name to Lola !

Lola wears a beautiful blue tutu painted with peacock feathers. She has lots of beads and sequins and feathers decorating her tutu.

You can meet Lola at The Glasshouse in Port Macquarie, where she lives always dressed and ready to meet her fans and perform.

New to the Koala Trail are the latest editions Unity and Harmony both celebrating the LGBTQAI+ community and release in 2023 with World Pride.

Both of these colourful, flamboyant, fun characters that have the colours and flags of the many diverse groups within the LGBTQAI+ community are a celebration. A way to recognise these individuals as seen and valued members of our community.  I also hope they will inspire and encourage everyone within this community, to feel safe and confident to be themselves and stand in their own truth.

We are so blessed to live in Australia at this time, where both recognition and inclusivity have finally become valued in our community. Sadly there as still countries around the world where the LGBTQAI+ are vilified and attacked, this is why continued visibility is still so important.

The LGBTQAI+ community is a small but important part of our everyday life, where individuals and families, from many backgrounds, age groups and demographic’s, work across all industries contributing as a valued part of our community.