Former Gunnedah local living in UK raises $195k for koalas, Waulinbakh Wildlife Sanctuary

Born and raised in Gunnedah – known as the koala capital of the world – Edward Hoddle has taken his hometown’s passion for wildlife global, raising more than £101,000 (approx. $195,000 AUD) at a major London charity gala in support of Australian conservation.

Currently based in the UK, Hoddle founded the Koala Gala in 2024, inspired by the alarming decline in koala populations across Australia. The second annual gala, held last month at the historic 800 year old Merchant Taylors’ Hall in London, brought together 275 guests from across Britain and Australia to support the work of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy (AWC).

The funds raised will directly support Waulinbakh Wildlife Sanctuary in New South Wales — a critical refuge for koalas and other threatened species such as the Yellow-bellied Glider and Glossy Black Cockatoo.

“Growing up in Gunnedah, I saw first-hand how closely our identity is tied to the koala,” Edward said. “That connection doesn’t fade when you move abroad. The Koala Gala gives Australians overseas a way to give back — and to help protect the species that make our country so unique.”

While funds from the event go to Waulinbakh, the AWC also manages conservation efforts in the Gunnedah region, including the Pilliga State Conservation Area, home to important populations of koalas and native wildlife.

AWC’s science-based conservation model is among the most effective in Australia, combining land management, feral predator control, and ecological research.

Edward, who works in heritage tourism and studied at the University of Sydney and the University of Oxford, chairs AWC’s UK fundraising committee and works in heritage and tourism strategy. He describes the gala as “a meaningful way for the Australian diaspora to support urgent conservation work back home”.

The gala’s success was boosted by a week-long matched funding campaign through the ‘Big Give’, lifting the night’s original total of £64,971 to £101,693 — approximately $195,000 AUD.

The event drew high-profile guests from across British and Australian society, including Hon. George Brandis KC, former Australian High Commissioner to the UK; Rt. Hon. Liz Truss, former UK Prime Minister; Elizabeth Bowes, Deputy Head of the Australian High Commission in London; Tim Allard, CEO of the Australian Wildlife Conservancy; Kathy Lette, bestselling Australian author and Lady Colin Campbell, author and media personality, among others.

This year’s gala also acknowledged His Majesty The King’s Royal Patronage of AWC, highlighting the international importance of Australia’s biodiversity crisis.

The Australian Wildlife Conservancy now protects more than 12.9 million hectares of land across 33 sanctuaries, making it the largest private manager of conservation land in the country — including in Pilliga, near Gunnedah.

“Whether it’s in the Pilliga or at Waulinbakh, the message is the same — Australia’s wildlife needs our help, and there’s no time to lose,” Edward said.

More pics: gunnedahtimes.com.au