How a local koala joey inspired Crescent Head's newest mural

“The message is clear: drive carefully, protect habitat and manage pets responsibly.”

Author

Ellie Chamberlain
March 17, 2026

A once unremarkable toilet block on Baker Drive in Crescent Head has been transformed into a piece of art with a point: protecting koalas is a must.

What happened: Abai the koala was just a joey when she was struck by a vehicle while crossing Crescent Head Road in 2023.

She was successfully rehabilitated at the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital and released back into the wild in 2024. Now, her picture is painted as a mural near where she was hurt and then released once healthy.

INDO’s newest Crescent Head mural tells Abai’s story of rehabilitation. Image supplied

The mural: Patrick Indo, who goes by the name INDO, is the artist behind the mural. Koalas in the Macleay is a large-scale tribute to Abai and her endangered species.

Commissioned by Kempsey Shire Council and Port Macquarie Koala Hospital, the artist says his work is about the importance of conservation.

  • In 2022, koalas were listed as endangered in New South Wales, Queensland and the Australian Capital Territory.

  • The 2020 parliamentary inquiry into NSW koala populations and habitat concluded that, without action, koalas in NSW could be extinct by 2050 due to increasing and cumulative threats from habitat loss, fragmentation and climate change. Intense and more frequent heatwaves are causing drought and bushfires that directly impact koala populations across the east coast.

Indo says his mural urges residents and visitors to consider their role in ensuring the survival of koala populations in the area.

Koalas in NSW, QLD and the ACT were listed as endangered in 2022. Image supplied

The message: The artist says the project blends art and education, and encourages responsibility.  

  • “The message is clear: drive carefully, protect habitat and manage pets responsibly,” Indo said.

  • “In Crescent Head, a simple building now tells a vital story — one of resilience, community and the urgent need to ensure koalas remain part of the Macleay landscape for generations to come.”

Indo says the work also acknowledges the “deep cultural history” of the region. 

“For the Dunghutti people, the koala — known as yarri — has long been part of Songlines and local identity,” Indo said. “By weaving this heritage into the composition, the mural connects past, present and future.”