Orphaned baby koala Thurston released back into the south-east Queensland wild

A juvenile orphaned koala named Thurston has been released back into the wild in south-east Queensland.

The 16-month-old was nicknamed after the North Queensland Cowboys co-captain Jonathan Thurston, after the animal was found abandoned on the same day last year the Cowboys won the NRL Grand Final.

Cowboys fan Peter Luker took the young koala in and nursed him back to health.

Yesterday, not-for-profit organisation Queensland Trust for Nature released the young animal into the wild at Koala Crossing, south-west of Brisbane.

The organisation has created the marsupial habitat, and on Facebook said Thurston had taken his first steps in his new home.

“We will be checking on him to see how he gets on,” the Trust wrote.