For what seems like time immemorial, giving a fluffy little koala a cuddle has been an Australian rite of passage for visiting celebrities, tourists and locals alike.And for many of them, a wildlife park in a leafy pocket of Queensland has been the place making dreams come true.

Visitors are "wishing to spend longer with the sanctuary's koalas and their passionate wildlife care team, without necessarily holding them".

Visitors to Brisbane's Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary want to see the animals do what they do best - eat, sleep and relax within their own space, its manager says.

A koala sanctuary has put an end to koala cuddles leaving some visitors disappointed they will no longer be able to hold the cuddly animals.

A Brisbane animal sanctuary has stopped the classic photo opportunity for tourists to cuddle a koala in favour of more immersive experiences with the Australian icon.

Plenty of high-profile figures, including Queensland Premier Steven Miles, have been snapped cuddling the sanctuary's residents, but as of this week those days are over.

Boxing legend Manny Pacquiao and tennis champions Roger Federer, Maria Sharapova and Naomi Osaka, as well as the wives of world leaders, have been among those to hold koalas at the animal sanctuary in Fig Tree Pocket in the inner west.

The Brisbane koala sanctuary has ended the popular practice at the tourist attraction, citing “increasingly strong” visitor feedback.

In just a few weeks, Queen’s Wharf is set to open. Yes, the precinct will be amazing, Cameron Atfield writes, but we mustn’t forget the human cost of the casino. “While it was high-rolling international gamblers The Star Brisbane was aiming to attract,

Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary in Brisbane, which opened in 1927, is a popular destination for getting up close and personal with the loveable Australian marsupial.