A most bearable job, by gum

Kangaroo feeding in Lone Pine sanctuary. (Photo source: China Daily)

The cute inhabitants at Brisbane's Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary have an enviable 'work week' with only three tasks on their to-do list: nap, eat leaves and cuddle, Ou Shuyi finds in Brisbane.

The best job in the world? Forget the island caretaker on Australia's Great Barrier Reef. Here's a more appealing offer: sleeping 20 hours and working a maximum of 30 minutes a day, having every third day off, free lodging and food, and generous retirement benefits. Any requirements? Applicants must be cute, fluffy and, above all, a koala.

The 130 adorable creatures living in the Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane are the lucky ones to have this job. Their routine work involves nothing more than a 30-minute cuddling time with visitors.

"If the koalas feel restless in that 30 minutes, they can go straight home," says Sandy So, senior marketing officer with the sanctuary.

For the rest of the day, they stay on the tree, either munching on fresh leaves or napping - sometimes they sleep more than 20 hours a day.

"Their sedentary lifestyle is closely related to their diet - eucalyptus is their only food source. The leaves contain a high percentage of water but has limited nutritional and caloric content, which are not a very good energy provider," So explains.

"The word 'koala' is an aborigine word, meaning 'does not drink'," So explains. Koalas rarely descend from the trees in search of water - or anything else, and only drought forces them to leave their home in the hunt of a drink.

Founded in 1927 by the Clarkson family, Lone Pine is officially recognized as the world's oldest and largest koala sanctuary by the Guinness World Records and rated by AOL as one of the world's top 10 zoos.

The sanctuary started off with only two koalas on 4.7 hectares of land. Now it is home to 130 koalas and set on 20 hectares of beautiful natural forest overlooking the Brisbane River.

Koala cuddling is banned in many states in Australia, and Queensland is one of the few states where you can snuggle up to koalas.

The Lone Pine is popular among both Australians and international visitors alike, says So, who's from Hong Kong and has worked with the sanctuary for about three years.

The sanctuary has a long list of celebrity guests, including Chinese kung fu star Jackie Chan.

The koalas in the sanctuary are used to human interaction as they experience it from a very early age, so visitors need not worry about being attacked by these chubby little things, So says.

Usually at the age of 12, the koalas will retire and live in the retirement center until the end of their days. Sarah, the oldest koala ever in captivity, died in the sanctuary in 2001 at age 23.

In addition to iconic koalas, visitors can also encounter Australian wildlife in activities, such as kangaroo feeding, platypus presentations and bird of prey shows.

Two of the biggest draws are the barking owl and the barn owl - one recognizable for its bark-like call and the other for its heart-shaped face.

Visitors can watch these owls gracefully soar into the sky and then dive down to catch a baby mouse held by the keeper.

The sanctuary also offers a glimpse of Aussie outback farm life in sheepdog shows and sheep-shearing shows.

"We've seen an increasing number of Chinese mainland visitors, particularly in self-guided tours," So says.

Chinese visitors are showing more interest and enthusiasm in getting close to nature and animals, she adds.