Australian High Commissioner Presents Longleat With Iconic Koala Statue

An iconic bronze statue of a bandaged koala sitting on a eucalyptus tree stump has been unveiled by the Australian High Commissioner at Longleat to mark the Wiltshire attraction’s support during the devastating bushfires in 2020.

The statue, which was created by the renowned artistic duo Gillie and Marc, is based on a real koala named Lewis, who was heroically rescued by a woman called Toni Doherty in a video which was seen worldwide.

It was officially presented to Longleat and Ceawlin, Lord Bath by His Excellency the honorable George Brandis QC, the Australian High Commissioner at a ceremony in the park’s Koala Creek exhibit.

Home to a group of southern koalas, the purpose-built enclosure includes a natural stream, eucalyptus trees, climbing poles, naturally-themed indoor and outdoor habitats, viewing areas, interpretation boards as well as a Koala Care unit.

The facility is part of Koala Life, a ground-breaking joint initiative with the Government of South Australia, Cleland Wildlife Park and Longleat to support research and raise funds for koala management and conservation.

In the aftermath of the bushfires, keepers from Koala Creek travelled out to South Australia to help with the recovery programme and in 2020 Longleat donated over £50,000 to support koala conservation and recovery programmes.

“We are extremely grateful to the Australian High Commission and particularly the Commissioner himself for presenting us with this incredibly powerful sculpture,” said Ceawlin, Lord Bath who is patron of Koala Life.

“Our hope is it will act as an inspiration and a reminder, both to us and the many thousands of visitors to Longleat, that we can all help to protect and conserve our precious wildlife in the face of growing threats including global warming, habitat destruction and climate change,” he added.

Lewis’ rescue became a symbol of the damage caused by climate change and the positive affect each individual can have on combating it.

Tragically the koala, who was thought to be around 14 years old, was so severely injured the decision was taken to euthanise him on animal welfare grounds.

Gillie and Marc have been called ‘the most successful and prolific creators of public art in New York’s History’ by the New York Times.

The artistic duo has worked side by side for 27 years and are best known for their beloved characters, Rabbitwoman and Dogman, who tell the autobiographical tale of two opposites coming together to become best friends and soul mates.

Gillie and Marc believe art is a powerful platform for change. Their art is multi-disciplinary, paying homage to the importance of togetherness, as well as the magnificence of the natural world and the necessity of preserving it.