🌳 Exploring IndigiScapes on the Redlands Coast
Early September, we headed to the Eco Market at Redlands IndigiScapes Centre with our family for some time outdoors. There’s nothing quite like being surrounded by the bushland of the Redlands Coast. 🌿✨
IndigiScapes, run by Redland City Council, is home to an incredible native plant nursery. They even have free koala food trees! As a Redland City Council resident you can pop into the nursery and grab five free koala food trees for your backyard or property!
Locals can buy everything from trees to shrubs—plants that not only look stunning in your yard but also provide food and shelter for native birds like rainbow lorikeets, kookaburras, and if you’re lucky… a gorgeous koala like Bubbles 🐨💜
👉🏽Did you know:
Scientific name & conservation status of koalas is: Phascolarctos cinereus and that in Queensland, koalas are endangered.
🎤 Ranger Stacey & the Koala Fair Highlights
One of the highlights was hearing from Ranger Stacey—her energy always makes learning about the environment so engaging! The Koala Fair, supported by Griffith University and Wildlife Watcher was another standout. Make sure you follow them learn about Koala maps, ways to help koalas.
We discovered more about Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane—the world’s largest koala sanctuary 🐨🌏. They offer everything from free tours to personal wildlife adventures where you can meet dingoes, kangaroos, platypuses, lorikeets, and of course, koalas. Visiting is now on our must-do list!
🐨 Fun Koala Facts We Learned
Meeting a beautiful koala on the day gave us the chance to learn more about these iconic animals:
- 🗓️September is Save the Koala Month: This month is dedicated to awareness, education and doing our bit to save our beautiful koalas.
- 🌏 Regional differences: Koalas in Queensland are generally smaller, with lighter silver-grey fur to keep them cool. Down south, they tend to be larger with darker fur and broader faces.
- 👍 Double thumbs: Koalas have two thumbs on each front paw! This helps them climb trees and grip branches securely.
- 🌿 Special diet: They mainly eat eucalyptus leaves, which are tough, low in nutrients, and even toxic to many other animals. Koalas have a slow metabolism to process them.
- 😴 Sleepy lifestyle: Koalas can sleep up to 18–20 hours a day, conserving energy from their limited diet.
🙌🏽Supporting Wildlife Rescue & Local Volunteers
Another highlight was chatting with passionate volunteers from Wildlife Rescue. They care for animals and maintain local parks and tracks across the Redlands Coast. With spring bringing warmer weather, animals are on the move, often crossing roads or entering backyards. 🚗🌿
👉 Look out for wildlife crossing signs and always drive at safe speeds to protect both yourself and our native animals.
We also learned about upcoming community workshops like tree planting on Russell Island 🌱 for glossy black cockatoos. These events are a wonderful way to give back, and we’re already signed up!
Help plant 600 seedlings to help support the glossy black-cockatoo.
Date and time
Sat, 18 Oct 2025 9:30 AM – 11:00 AM AEST
Location
64 Inlet Avenue Russell Island, QLD 4184
🍕 Tasty Food & Market Finds
The market buzzed with delicious food options—fresh wood-fired pizzas, vegan donuts 🍩, and the popular IndigiScapes Café serving up local flavours.
Stalls showcased the best of local makers, from handmade crafts to sustainable goods. There was even a secondhand book stall proving that repurposing and recycling can give treasures a second life 📚♻️.
🌞 Why We’ll Be Back
The Eco Market wasn’t just about shopping—it was a full morning out for families and friends. With playgrounds for kids, shady spots for grandparents, and workshops for curious learners, there was truly something for everyone.
We can’t wait for the next Eco Market to continue celebrating the Redlands Coast bushland, waterways, and wildlife. Events like this remind us of the importance of protecting our environment while enjoying community spirit. 💚🐨🌏
Make sure you plan ahead because parking can be a bit tricky, but nothing the amazing staff at IndigiScapes can’t handle. Bring a hat, water and a smile and you’ll certainly have a beautiful day!
✨ That’s a wrap from Bubbles the Koala’s day out at IndigiScapes!
