Billabong Sanctuary....an awesome wildlife experience!

in October, 2022 I spent a lovely day visiting the Australian animals at the Billabong Sanctuary near Townsville. I went there with my mum and my sister and we all had a great time.

The lady at the front desk was very nice and friendly when we first got there and she said they accept the Companion Card so we paid for me and my sister. She gave us a map and told us about all the shows they have on and the animal talks and experiences we could do.

The map had a list of all of the times for the shows and the animal feeding and there also a big sign with all of the times at the front entrance.

We brought some animal food so that we could feed the animals while we were there.

In the middle of the park were was a very beautiful billabong and there was a path that you can walk all the way around the billabong.

There were a lot of animals to see there.

First we saw the wombats and they were very cute. One of them was called Reuben and he was my favourite one, he was asleep.

Then we also looked at the Koalas and my favourite one was called Ruby and she was very pretty and she was asleep too. Some other koalas were awake though and eating leaves. There was also a snake house with some snakes inside their glass cages and we had a look at them. There were also echidnas, lizards, a cassowary and lots of ducks and geese to see.

There was a very friendly emu called Gumby and he really liked looking at everyone up close.

Around the park there were lots of signs telling you information about the animals which I really liked reading.

We also saw kangaroos and crocodiles as well as bilbies. We fed the kangaroos and they were very soft to pat and they were gentle when they ate their food. We watched one having a drink a water from his little sink.

We also got to meet a dingo called Allira and she was a very nice calm dog. We saw her walking around the park with a ranger and we also got to pat her.

I also got to pat Paul the water python and he felt very soft and smooth.

There was a very lovely and colourful blue macaw called Ritchie who could talk and he kept saying hello to us. I really loved having a selfie taken with him.

We had lunch there and they had hot chips, nuggets, sausage rolls, sandwiches, lasagna, fish and chips and some other things. I had chips and gravy and they were yummy. We sat next to the billabong on a table and chairs to eat our lunch. While we were eating we saw ducks and turtles and eels in the water. We also had some nice cold drinks and ice-creams.

After lunch we watched the free-flight bird show and saw a Kite, a Tawny frogmouth and a black cockatoo.

Mick let us hold the black cockatoo whose name was Waru. He liked nibbling on people's beards and jewellery so I took my watch off before I held him.

I also went to the turtle feeding and fed the turtles a piece of fish. They gobbled it up really fast.

There were other shows and special feeding times you could do too, like the Crocodile show and feeding and the wombat experience.

The pathways were very large and easy to walk on and there was lots of shade so it wasn't too hot.

There were lots of seats to sit on too if you got tired and the toilets were very clean and nice and very light and big.

There was also a swimming pool there that you could use if you had your togs.

There was a lot of hand sanitser and taps around the park so you could wash your hands after touching the animals or feeding them.

There was also a drink machine if you needed water and at the office they had sunscreen and insect repellent for you to use for free if you needed it. They also had an outdoor education area for school kids to use on excursions.

All of the staff and the rangers were very nice and friendly and answered our questions very well.

I had a very nice day there and if you are in Townsville I think you should visit and meet the lovely animals.

Tips from my travelling companion -

Billabong Sanctuary was a great wildlife park! It was easy to find and a close 15 minute drive south of Townsville. The staff were very friendly and informative and very supportive to Flynn. Overall it was a really interactive experience as the rangers were readily found walking around the park with the animals for you to touch and take photos of and were happy to answer questions and share information. The facilities were great, there was plenty of seating and it was easy to get food and drinks, there was lots of shade and the paths were flat and accessible. The toilets were clean and there was plenty of parking available. The map and timetable given to us was clear and there was plenty of signage around the park to find your way. I really liked all the extra information given on signs of certain animals and their story. The gift shop sold some lovely items and also had a pictorial history of the park on display to show how it had developed over the years.

It is open from 9-4 and there is plenty to see and do to fill in a full day there. You can also return for a second, consecutive day if you fill in the pass on the front of the map, which is great value if you have time. Flynn found it a very enjoyable experience as it was a quiet and calm environment, even the shows were not loud or too busy and a lot of the experiences were one on one or in small groups, which is a bonus for those who don't really like crowds.

We would certainly recommend it as a great day out!