Tree Planting Day at Ballarat Wildlife Park for koala feed

To feed the parks whopping colony of koalas, now at 35 thanks to their breeding program, the park needs plenty of gum leaves.

The park's marketing manager Darren Collinson said the animals are fed new leaves every day, and it's a lot of gum leaves.

"The trees that have been planted here at the Wildlife Park are hopefully for future feeding for the koalas at the park," he said.

Mr Collinson said he was very grateful so many volunteers took time out of their Sunday to plant some of the 100 trees gathered.

"We put a call out to our keepers and volunteers, and we ended with a really keen group of people who put their hands up very quickly," he said.

Mr Collinson said people have a deep love of koalas.

"They're such an iconic Australia animal, and cute and cuddly," he said.

"They're one of the most popular animals at the park."

Volunteer Shane Taylor, along with his three-year-old Mia, decided to use their Sunday morning to help with the tree planting.

"I wanted to help support the koala's food," Mr Taylor said. "Their food source keeps getting ripped down. Mia wanted to come, she loves the koalas."

Even more feed will be needed soon, with five new joeys now in the colony.

Later in the month, there will be a planting day in Lal Lal for habitat trees.

In just a week since the park launched its appeal for tree donations, it's raised $1000, which will go towards trees for both food and habitat.

Koalas were listed as endangered under national environmental law on February 2022.

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