All About Australia Zoo – Crikey!

 
If you’re considering a Sunshine Coast holiday in Queensland, you should plan a visit to Australia Zoo. Near the Glasshouse Mountains, just north of Brisbane and with plenty of Sunshine Coast accommodation nearby, it’s one of the most popular tourist attractions in all of Australia. It was home of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin.

It all began in 1970: Bob and Lyn Irwin (Steve’s parents) bought some land to start the Beerwah Reptile Park. The park grew and grew and in 1980 it was renamed Queensland Reptile and Fauna Park. In the 80’s the Irwin family spent a lot of their time capturing crocodiles in conjunction with the Queensland wildlife service.

Often times the family would release the crocodiles back into the wild but in the instances that a croc couldn’t be released, it would find a new home at the park. The Irwins eventually opened the Crocodile environmental park on their land as well. This park was very popular because visitors could see live crocodile feedings. The Crocodile hunter (Steve Irwin) became manager of the park in 1992. It was at this time that the park was renamed Australia Zoo. The zoo is now one of the best tourist attractions in Australia. It covers 29 acres and has over a thousand animals!

The zoo is well known for crocs and other reptiles, but it also boasts many other native Australian animals, as well as exotic animals. Visitors to the park will find koalas, echidnas, gliders, possums, and dingoes, wombats, bettongs and Tasmanian devils. Visitors are encouraged to hand feed the kangaroos in an open range area. Other animals from Africa can be found at the Australia zoo as well including, elephants, tigers, cheetahs, and rhinos. Animals from other parts of the world include foxes, lemurs, and camels. The reptiles that the zoo has on display range from boas to alligators. There are also many different species of snakes and turtles.

Besides the animals, there are so many things to do at Australia Zoo and plenty to keep the entire family entertained. At the family shows visitors can get a little more up-close and personal with the animals at the zoo. There is even a show that allows guests to hand feed elephants. Another show allows visitors at the zoo to feed camels and see foxes up close.

There is also the opportunity to go behind the scenes and see the animals. These include Wombat Encounters, Cheetah Walks, Echidna Encounters, Tiger Walks and tours of the Australian Wildlife Hospital. All of these activities do have an additional charge.

Whatever animal it is that you love, you can be sure to find it at Australia Zoo. With plenty of Sunshine Coast accommodation to choose from this is definitely something not to be missed.