Animals you might see
When you visit Walkabout Park, you go into the animals’ world. We don’t like to put animals in cages, and most animals don’t like being caged
We don’t like to put animals in cages
We have secured 80 acres of Australian bush for our animals to roam in natural bushland.
When you visit Walkabout Park, you go into the animals’ world.
We don’t like to put animals in cages, and most animals don’t like being caged. So, instead, we have secured a 80 acres of Australian bush so as many of the animals as possible can live in their natural habitat.
When an animal must be in a controlled environment, as is the case with some of our reptiles in the High Care area at the Visitor Centre because they need special attention, we work with the animals to keep their worlds interesting and to encourage their natural behaviours.
It is important that our animals are not just fed and kept free of disease, but just like people they must also be mentally stimulated. Even animals get depressed if they are in boring surroundings. Sometimes the animal’s preferred conditions are not what we would expect as humans, though.
For example, many animals are solitary and they don’t like company. So when you see an animal on its own, it is not lonely. In fact, some animals become extremely stressed when forced to live with others of their own kind. If you are concerned about an animal, please talk to one of our team.
Animals in Camps and Enclosures
You can usually see me in the day
Animals in camps and enclosures ~ You can usually see me in the day
Koalas, Dingoes, Flying Foxes, Hairy-nosed Wombats, Sulphur-crested Cockatoos, Galahs, Major Mitchells, Rainbow Lorikeets, Eclectus Parrots, Kookaburras, Pythons, Lizards, Dragons, Echidnas (but not when it’s cold)
Watch me sleep in the day, or visit me at night
Coarse-haired Wombats, Tasmanian Devils, Boobook Owls, Tawny Frogmouths, Eastern Quolls
I hide during the day so book a night tour
Bilbies, Potoroos, Bandicoots, Sugar Gliders, Pygmy Possums, Bettongs, Ring-tail Possums, Brush-tail Possums
Farm animals in petting zoo 10am to 4pm
Animals roaming free
The free-ranging animals at Walkabout Park are accustomed to people and many hang around the Visitor Centre with the visitors.
Animals roaming free
You will see lots of animals, but you might not see all of them on any given day. They do have 80 acres to roam through and, just like people, sometimes they want some alone time.
Friendly free-roaming animals you are sure to see
Emus
Happy Feet the emu and his friends are very friendly. Happy Feet was handraised and is a little confused. He thinks he’s a person and loves to hang out with the kids. He is very gentle although he is big and can be a little awe inspiring. When you visit Walkabout Park we give you some tips on how to discourage an emu if it is being too friendly.
Eastern Grey Kangaroos
Hazel Rose the kangaroo was hand raised by Walkabout Park’s Head Ranger and loves to hang out with visitors on the veranda at the Visitor Centre.
Red Kangaroos
Male red kangaroos are usually red. Female red kangaroos are actually usually a beautiful blue grey. Farmers call them “blue flyers” because of the way they jump huge lengths over fences and across the fields.
Wallaroos
Tegan the wallaroo is a little more shy, but you will usually see her at feeding times at 10am and 4pm.
Parma Wallabies
Parma wallabies are quite shy. Although they do make an appearance during the day, the best time to see them is at night on a nocturnal tour.
Tammar Wallabies
The tammar wallabies are seen all along the Animal Loop tracks and down at the boomerang field. One of a number of small wallaby species, they have a white ‘milk moustache’ which makes them stand out from the other wallabies.
Red-necked Pademelons
Red-necked pademelons are always busy in the underbrush close to the paths where they can easily be seen by visitors.
Reptiles you might see, especially in hot weather
Cunningham Skinks
When you walk the tracks of the “Aboriginal Sites” loop walk, you pass some rocky outcrops near the Hand Stencil Cave. Look at the crevices in the rock and on the ledges for Cunningham skinks, especially on warm days. You may want to look at the Cunningham skinks in the High Care section at the Visitor Centre before you go out so you know what to look for.
Long-necked Turtles
There are almost always long-necked turtles in the rock pools near the Visitor Centre. Occassionally they go walkabout but on any day there will usually be two or three in the ponds. Please don’t pick them up – just enjoy watching them swimming peacefully and hunting for bugs.
Goannas and other Monitor Lizards
Goannas are amazing creatures. They are usually seen in hot weather. These living prehistoric giant lizards walk across the ground like ancient dinosaurs, reaching up to 2 meters in length. If you startle a goanna, it will usually make its way to the nearest tree and the easily walk vertically up the trunk as if it is on level ground. They are usually nervous of people, so will quickly make their escape to hide safely up a tree until you leave.
Diamond Pythons
Diamond pythons are not dangerous to humans as they have no venom. They live in the trees and underbrush and around rocky areas at Walkabout Park. They are hard to see as they are so well camouflaged, but you can join in the ranger-led python encounter if you would like to meet one of Walkabout Park’s very tame snakes.
Other Snakes
This is Australia so there is always the possibility of seeing a venomous snake, even in your back garden. Brown snakes, red-belly black snakes, death adders and tiger snakes do live in this area. There is no need to be afraid. Walkabout Park has been open since 1 April 2001 and there has never been an incident with a snake. We do occassionally see them – there are approximately 10 visitor sightings per year, although the rangers see them more often because we spend a lot of time in the bush. As long as you leave them alone and don’t scare them, you are not at risk.
Nocturnal animals that you might meet on a night tour
Possums and Gliders
Sugar gliders, brush tail possums, ring tail possums and pygmy possums live in the bush in fairly large numbers. They are not seen during the day, but you may see them on nocturnal walks.
Ground dwelling marsupials
Long nosed bandicoots come out to dig for bugs, bettongs hang out in the wombat enclosure with Ally the wombat, and lots of other small creatures can be seen along the paths and in the underbrush.
Flying creatures
Flying foxes, owls and tawny frogmouths hunt in the bush tonight. These animals can also be seen in camps at Walkabout Park where you can visit them at any time of the day. A number of different species of microbats roost and hunt at Walkabout Park in fairly large numers, but these creatures can be difficult to see. Walkabout Park is working with Tim “Batman” Pearson who is researching these animals’ communications using sophisticted sound recording and analysis equipment.
More shy animals that live at Walkabout Park
Ground creatures: Antechinus, Red-crowned toadlets, Eastern bandicoots, Spot-tail quolls.
Tree creatures: Yellow-bellied gliders, Flying foxes, Feather-tail gliders, Eastern pygmy possums
