Hi my name is Janet I wrote the book KOALA DOWN UNDER while studying at The University of Wollongong. Kim Koala is a cheeky Koala bear only found in Australia her adventures though comical have an underlying message for children worldwide. I was stimulated to write the book for my daughters Donna and Michelle dec. Son Craig grandchildren Hannah and Thomas and little Alexander, my father George McCullagh dec. My uncle Ronald McCullagh dec. who both travelled from Scotland in 1951 after serving in the British navy in World War 2, they loved this great country as my mother Isabel dec. Aunt May myself my brothers RON and George, cousins Roy Sandra and Ken who is Ken kookaburra in the book still do. Also my good friend Lorraine Thomas Horne, Emma Emu, who sadly passed away from Melanoma cancer, my dear friend Wendy who is always there for me, my friend Trevor, Wallie Wombat and my New Zealand friend Joseph Rawiri Joe the Kangaroo Peter Bernardi a gentle Italian who drove a taxi, Peter Platypus. Kim Koala is taken from my niece Kym McCullagh Luccitti who is a beautiful girl extremely talented but quite cheeky. Ben the Aboriginie is taken from my late father in law Ben Thomas a school teacher with a heart of gold also my cousin Roys son Benjamin McCullagh Dennis a talented man also quite cheeky!I must mention the Japanese and other overseas students I met whilst studying at The University of Wollongong they loved Koala Down Under. Janet and the girls at Fernwood Gym Woonona for having faith in me and Koala Down Under. I hope the Adventures of Kim Koala will delight and help all children to understand anything is possible if you try hard enough and Australia is a country where our Aboriginal people are talented and gentle. Our overseas visitors must know the extreme heat in Australia must be addressed and how cold it becomes in our winters. Through Fire Flood and Drought this great country somehow survives, but we do need to address the SPF 30 plus warnings and SLIP SLOP SLAP all the time for our Melanoma cancer rate is sadly the highest in the world. A dollar from the sale of every Koala Down Under book will be be deposited in an account in the bank to be distributed between Kids Wish Foundation Aboriginal Childrens Education and the Cancer Council.
