While researching Brisbane we got several recommendations to visit the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is located in Currumbin and is a great addition if you are heading to the Gold Coast airport. There was so much to see and do that we couldn’t even squeeze in a third of it, but that’s ok, that gives us a great excuse to come back and visit.

General FAQs:

Hours are from 8:00 am to 5:00 pm daily (except Christmas & Anzac Day)
General Admission for a Family (2 adults + 2 children): $149.95 AUD
Disabled patrons who present a disability/carers id can receive a discount (may apply to AUS citizens only)
Animal Encounters are additional costs and can be booked in person or online.

Here are some of Roo’s Top Picks for Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary!

Lizards

“I finally got lots of pictures of lizards. They were everywhere in the zoo, and I got to hang out with one when I was at the playground. They feel kinda bumpy, but they weren’t really scared of me.”

If you are into lizards, then Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is a must-do while on the Gold Coast. They roamed free throughout the property and made for an exciting game of iSpy during our visit. Roo was on a quest to see the frilled lizard and had set her mind that these must be it, we later discovered that they are an Australian Water Dragon, but look very similar to the frilled neck lizard (minus the frill of course).

Emus

“It was cool to feed the Emus. I liked its pointy beak, it kind of hurt a little when I fed it out of my hand, so I fed it from the cup. It was HUGE; it was bigger than me!”

Did you know that Emus are Australia’s largest native bird? Well try standing your five years old next to one, and you will be able to get a sense of just how large they indeed are! The Emus roam freely amongst the kangaroos and other wildlife, and you had the opportunity to feed them. Although, I would recommend feeding them from the cup as their beak can be a bit pointy for some hands!

Kangaroos & Wallabies

“The kangaroos were friendly, and we got to feed them! They were beautiful, and there were a lot of them that I got to hop along with. The Wallabies were so cute and little. I learned how kangaroos and wallabies are different, but they both have cool tails.”

The Kangaroo & Wallaby section was my absolute favorite exhibit. The enclosure is large and is filled with Kangaroos of every size. They are friendly and love being fed. I also really appreciated that attentive staff on hand to answer any questions, but to also make sure that the animal interactions were positive from guests. Be sure to bring enough money for feed because it goes quick, and set aside the most time out of your day for this area because it may be hard to pull yourself away from the adorable Roos!

Playgrounds

“I liked that there were playgrounds in the zoo. When I needed a break, I was able to go to the playground and run around. It wasn’t crowded, so I got to have some quiet time. I loved the tunnels and all of the climbing stuff.”

I love attractions that have places for littles to burn off energy! For many children the zoo can be sensory overload when you are on the spectrum, that is amplified by 100. Having a place to burn off energy and take a break from learning is a great way to avoid meltdowns! Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has two playground areas, but if you have a thrill seeker kids can also participate in the Green Challenge High Ropes Course.

Animal Hospital

I liked going to the Animal Hospital because there was a special kids place where I got to wrap up animals and give them a check-up and shots. I checked their heartbeats with the stethoscope.

Our future veterinarian could have spent hours peering into the window at the Currumbin Animal Hospital. She also loved the interactive “sick animal” exhibit in front of the hospital. She got the chance to give the stuffed animals a checkup, shots, and bandage them up. If your little one has an immense love for all things animals, you can even schedule a behind the scenes animal tour, just be prepared to shell out the big bucks for it!

Train

“It was so much fun; I got to see a bunch of lizards. I saw so many animals, and it was nice because I didn’t have to walk.”

The mini train was a fun way to see the expansive Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary grounds, play find the camouflaged lizard, and avoid lots of walking, that allowed for Roo to conserve one of her most precious resources, her energy. Because we stayed that the sanctuary until it closed the train, had stopped running, and let’s just say I wish that we would have caught the last train. Depending on where you are in the park it can be a bit of a trek back to the entrance, so at the very least catch the train coming into the sanctuary to avoid meltdowns or tired legs.

Koalas

“I wish that we had time to touch and take a picture with them. That was disappointing for me, but it was fun to get to see them eating and being awake.”

The koalas were such a hit with our family, but with the limited time, we were unable to take a photo with them. I was shocked at how awake and alert these Koalas were compared to the other wildlife parks we had visited, and it was so much fun to see them munching on gum tree leaves.

Mama Bear’s Tips for Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

• Arrive EARLY. That was my biggest regret for the day. The park is open from 8:00 to 5:00 pm, and while that may seem like a lot of time, there is so much to see and do. I would recommend arriving as close to opening as possible and get a park map right away to plan out your exhibits and show scheduled for the day.
• Indulge in a hands-on experience or show. Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has a plethora of opportunities for you to get up close and personal with your favorite wildlife creatures. The schedule is chock full of feedings and shows from opening to close, so be sure to figure out which are your favorites and plan to do those first.
• Koalas! If you are visiting Australia I am sure seeing a Kangaroo, and a Koala is at the top of your list, so be sure to schedule your Koala experience online, or at the very least take your Koala cuddle picture as soon as you enter the park. We made the mistake of thinking that we could tear Roo away from the exhibits in enough time to take a Koala photo, but by the time we made it back to the front of the sanctuary, Koala photos were done for the day.
• Buy more feed than you think you will need. You may think that Kangaroos aren’t that cool or that you won’t need to feed them more than a cup of food, but then you will interact with them and learn that you were wrong on both fronts. Roo could have fed the Roos all day, and once she discovered that feed was almost universal and the Emus liked it too, it was impossible to stop her from attempting to feed every animal in the area. Thankfully, a kind staff member donated a cup of feed to Roo just as a meltdown was coming on, saving the day. I will be forever grateful!
  
• Eat, Drink, and be Merry. If you have been around our tribe long enough, you will know that a tip I will always repeat will revolve around nourishing and hydration. Practically everyone is prone to being hangry and who wants to be hangry when you are trying to interact with a Kangaroo? Fill up your bellies before coming to the park, but be sure to keep an eye on the time and grab some lunch. It also gets scorching and all that walking is sure to work up a bit of a sweat, so make sure to hydrate adequately throughout the day.

Have you visited the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary? What was your favorite exhibit? Tell us more in the comment section below.