Koala Park started in 1942 - "Our Principal, EJ Semmens BSc, he conceived the idea and pushed forward this idea of about 20 acres fenced park around Slaty Creek in Creswick State Forest ... and 20 or 30, or something like that, bears were located there and we built paths and little bridges and counted bears occasionally and generally assisted in this activity ... ".  Bill Meadows in his Oral History.