Dora The Explorer star Isabel Moner cuddles a koala on the Gold Coast

IF her encounter with a koala at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is any indication, Dora The Explorer star Isabela Moner is going to love living and working on the Goldie.

DORA has begun exploring the Gold Coast — and she’s already fallen head over heels in love with a local.

US actress Isabela Moner, the star of a new live-action version of iconic Nickelodeon cartoon Dora The Explorer, has been enjoying our perfect winter weather while she slips in some sightseeing before cameras begin rolling on the film’s two-month Gold Coast shoot on August 6.

Dora the Explorer star Isabela Moner at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast

The singer and actress was on cloud nine this week after a day out at Currumbin Wildlife where she enjoyed a dream-come-true close encounter with a koala.

Moner is shown tenderly holding and hugging one of the sanctuary’s resident koalas in a video posted on Instagram and captioned: Met my Stitch today.

HOW TO APPLY FOR A DORA THE EXPLORER JOB

An obviously delighted Moner is wide-eyed with wonder as she cuddles her new furry friend.

“Oh, I’m so happy,” she sighs breathlessly after the koala gently nuzzles her cheek with its nose.

Isabela Moner

Moner, whose post was tagged #currumbinwidlifesanctuary #seeaustralia, looks set to become the latest Hollywood star happy to sing the Gold Coast’s praise as a great place to live, work and play.

The Transformers: The Last Knight and Sicario: Day of the Soldado actress also uploaded a photo of herself preparing to hit the beach in a one-piece swimsuit, captioning it: “It’s the most wonderful time of the year … apparently. It’s winter here and it’s very warm.”

GET A NEW SET OF HEADPHONES WITH YOUR DIGITAL SUBSCRIPTION

Dora the Explorer star Isabela Moner at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast

As production ramps up, Dora director James Bobin has added more names to his cast. Micke Moreno, who appeared alongside Benicio Del Toro in Escobar: Paradise Lost, will play Dora’s cousin Diego with Adriana Barraza, whose credits include Babel, Drag Me to Hell and Thor, to play Dora’s grandmother, Abuela Valerie. ATG hears locals in the film’s supporting cast will work on their American accents with a dialect coach.

Currently in pre-production at Village Roadshow Studios, Dora will also shoot on location at a site along Old Tamborine Rd, Oxenford, where crew have spent the past few weeks building sets.