Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary on the Gold Coast has been a firm family favourite for more than 70 years, thanks to its array of amazing wildlife, interactive shows and attractions like Blinky Bill’s treehouse.
Now, families will have even more reasons to make like a lorikeet and fly into the sanctuary this summer, thanks to its latest addition: the Wild Island Adventure Splash and Play Zone.
Situated just past the pelican lagoon, you can’t miss the entrance to the Wild Island Adventure Splash and Play Zone – a tunnel of boulders surrounded by giant statues of formidable-looking Australian animals including a goanna, crocodile and wedge-tailed eagle.
Once inside the walls, the space opens out into a mini-water park with timed water jets, streams, waterfalls to run through, a tipping bucket (get ready to get drenched!) and more larger-than-life sculptures of Aussie animals to help spark imaginative play.
Beyond the mini-water park is a green oasis of subtropical, shady parklands with the pelican lagoon on the left, and the older playground area (which is still happily in use) on the right-hand side, next to the Wild Things Candy Store.
Within the parklands is a brand new playground, complete with a fort, wobbly rope bridges, spider web, shaded slides, and an awesome flying fox. There are also interactive elements where you can learn more about spiders and other creepy crawlies that call the local rainforest home.
And while it does promise a wild time for kids, it’s actually a pretty tranquil spot for parents to relax in. You could pack a picnic and spread a rug on the manicured grass or make use of one of the shaded seating areas. If you don’t have time to pack and prepare your own food, Wild Burgers is only a stone’s throw away and sells all the kiddie favourites like hotdogs, fish and chips and burgers.
Accessibility thumbs up
The Wild Island precinct is also wheelchair, pram, and walker-friendly. In addition, as part of this multi-million dollar precinct upgrade, the sanctuary now has new centralised bathrooms with a comfortable parents’ room, offering two private areas for baby feeding, a play area for toddlers, three baby change tables and sink, and a kitchenette for warming up baby bottles and food. The entry to the parents’ room is via an automatic sliding door to make it easier to manoeuvre prams and wheelchairs.
More to do at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
It’s easy to spend quite a few hours in the Wild Island area of the sanctuary, so it’s worth factoring that in when planning your day. But the animals are the true stars of the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, and so a visit is not complete without hand-feeding a kangaroo, cuddling a koala or setting yourselves a mission to find the most unusual animal (there’s plenty to choose from!). It’s also well-worth catching one of their memorable animal/bird shows. To find out more about the wildlife and other activities on offer, read our full review of the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary.
Entry to Wild Island is included with the price of your ticket or membership to the sanctuary. To purchase tickets online, and find out how to get to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, visit www.currumbinsanctuary.com.au
Join the conversation