The hospital's fundraising campaign sought to raise $25,000 but the campaign has now topped $1.8 million.

Clinical director Cheyne Flanagan found out about the current total and new campaign record when contacted by the ABC.

"That's just gobsmacking. That's the power of the koala throughout the world," she said.

"It validates how important the conservation of koalas has to be."

Breeding program planned:

The funds raised were originally to be spent on building and distributing wildlife drinking stations in areas affected by bushfires.

That will now happen on a much larger scale than first anticipated with 100 currently under production and the first set to be deployed this weekend.

The large sum raised means the hospital will also set up a wild koala breeding program to be called Koala Ark.

And in order to prevent the devastation seen in recent months — where the habitat of a genetically diverse population of koalas monitored by the hospital was destroyed by bushfire — it'll be made up of two completely different sites.

"In discussions we think probably the best thing, in light of the fire situation, is to have two breeding facilities at two completely independent sites," Ms Flanagan said.

"Perish the thought if you had one functioning and it burnt down.

"We've lost our insurance policy so we're going to have two and keep them well and truly separate from each other."

The koala hospital estimated at least 350 genetically-diverse koalas had perished in a fire south of Port Macquarie.

Combined with other fires, the loss to the population is expected to be much higher.

"That estimate of 350 is beyond conservative, it's probably double that amount," Ms Flanagan said.

"You add up the whole of NSW in the fires we've probably lost in the order of thousands."

Donors from around the world

GoFundMe said close to 42,000 donations have been made to the fund from over 90 countries in just under three weeks.

One of the donors, Andrea Bell, said "Thank you for helping these adorable animals. This Thanksgiving [in the US] I am thankful for you".

"In loving memory of sweet Lewis and the wonderful lady and team that tried their hardest to help him … and to all the sweet koalas and other beautiful animals affected by this tragedy … my heart is heavy … I'm so sad. All my prayers," donor Tony Green said.

"I donated because makes me cry every time I watch it in UK," donor Catherine Johns said.

Securing a future food supply:

The Port Macquarie Koala Hospital is also part of a new partnership with the Mid North Coast Correctional Centre to create a new food supply for its koalas and others being cared for around the state.

Inmates will plant a eucalyptus forest the size of 25 football fields.

"Our aim is to plant at least 1,000 seedlings each year over the next six years," Corrective Services Industries overseer Adam Moffitt said.

The koala hospital donated the seedlings.

Habitat coordinator Steve Withnall said the collaboration comes at a good time, but the trees will not be mature enough for leaves to be harvested for about six years.

"It means a whole lot for the koala population," Mr Withnall said.

"Supplies of leaf are very hard to get especially in the quantity we need."

A koala in care needs around half a kilo of leaves each day and variety is important, so four different types of eucalyptus are being planted.

"It's the same as yourself. If you eat just lettuce it's not much of a meal," he said.

"They like a variety and they get differing nutrition from different leaves at different times of the year."

"The variety means there's a reasonable diet, it's a fairly thin diet already.