British expat’s wild claim about Australia: ‘It’s a scam’

A British woman living in Australia has expressed her disappointment at her six-month stay so far, admitting she has yet to see the one thing she moved to Australia for, despite doing everything she could. She’s so upset about yet to see one of Australia’s most recognized icons that she’s even warned others not to visit, calling the country “a scam.”

Ella Wilson said she was desperate to see a native koala in the wild, admitting it is one of Australia’s top attractions. Based in Noosa, the UK native said she followed signs and visited areas known for thriving koala habitats; Despite this, she has yet to see any.

“I’ve seen one at Brisbane Zoo, but not in the wild yet,” Wilson told Yahoo News Australia. “I was in a national park in Noosa and asked the information lady if she saw any there. She said to go to Tewantin as 300 had been seen.”

So Wilson made the 17-kilometer journey to Tewantin National Park, which “is a well-known habitat for koalas,” the Queensland government website states. He said there is plenty of signage and information warning visitors to “be careful of koalas”.

However, an hour later and with a “neck ache” from looking up into the trees, Wilson shared his dissatisfaction at not being able to see a single one. Sharing his thoughts in a video on TikTok, he said: “Australia is a scam. Don’t come.

“I was told where I am now that there are over 300 koalas living here. I’ve been walking for over an hour, looking at every tree. My neck hurts. There’s nothing,” he said. in the video.

“I just don’t think they live here (in Australia). Where are they? Absolutely nowhere,” he continued. “I’ve been in Australia for almost six months. I haven’t seen a single one.

“All the ‘beware of koalas’ signs can absolutely work. Have you ever seen a koala crossing the road? Anyone? No. No, you haven’t. It’s a scam and they don’t exist.”

Koala population declines in Australia

While it is true that the koala population in Australia is declining due to habitat loss, with fears of mass extinction in some states, it is estimated that there are currently up to 57,000 left in the wild across eastern Australia.

These figures are recorded by the Australian Koala Foundation; however, the government estimate is much higher (more than 400,000) and habitats are known in the southeast and east of the country, along the coasts of Queensland, New South Wales, South Australia and Victoria. . The native animal is now considered endangered in Queensland, New South Wales and the ACT.

Australians admit they ‘never’ saw a koala in the wild

Wilson told Yahoo that he’s “very sad” and hopes to see at least one eventually. However, in response to her complaint, one social media user admitted: “I have lived in Australia since 1995 and I have yet to see a koala in the wild.”

“I’ve lived in Oz for 40 years, I’ve never seen a koala in the wild and I hike a lot,” another shared.

One person suggested he visit Port Macquarie, a town in New South Wales that is home to more than 2,000 koalas. But even there, major development has forced native animals from their home.

Many environmental groups continue their efforts to save the dwindling population and have emphasized that habitat clearing needs to stop if the species has any chance of surviving.

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