Wild Walkabout - Virtual Visit
Put on your hiking boots, step through your screen, and join us on a Wild Walkabout in the Australian bush. OK, we know, it is a virtual tour so footwear is optional. But in the world of a ranger, everyone wears boots!
Wherever you are in the world, we're just inside your screen. Our gates might be closed, but the animals and rangers are still here every day and we would love to take you on a Wild Walkabout.
Our sanctuary is set in 80 acres of fox-proofed natural bushland, so there's lots to see and so much to do. You choose your adventure. You choose the time. We'll meet at your place, then together we will step through your screen and into Australia's wide world of wildlife.
Heritage Listed to protect Calga's sacred cultural landscape. On Lonely Planet's list of "World's top 10 things to do with Animals. There are so many reasons to visit our wildlife sanctuary.
6 EASY STEPS TO A VIRTUAL VISIT
Design your own adventure!
Step into the animals' natural world. The animals set the pace and the weather sets the scene. With nature in control, every time you visit it will be unique and special. We may not know exactly how each day will go, but we do know it will be fun and fascinating.
STEP 1: Click to open BUY TICKETS, VOUCHER, ADOPTIONS & DONATIONS
STEP 2: Select the DATE you want to visit
STEP 3: Choose your VIRTUAL TOUR [#A Wildlife; #B Bushtucker; #C Talkabout]
STEP 4: Choose your starting SESSION TIME then click to buy 1 ticket [Private Family and Friends; Work Team; School Classroom]
STEP 5: ADD TO CART
STEP 6: If you want back-to-back sessions, add them to your cart one-at-a-time [Single session 20 minutes; Double session 50 mins; Triple session 80 mins]
When you have added all your sessions, CONTINUE to the checkout.
#A: Wildlife Walkabout - Animals in the Australian Bush
Wildlife Walkabout
Different ways to meet the Wildlife:
- Go for a walk around the Animal Loop to meet some of the animals in permanent care.
- Explore the bush to visit the free-ranging friendly wild wildlife and experience the animals' world.
- Go behind the scenes for a ranger's view of how we care for our animals.
What you can expect:
Most animals in our sanctuary live wild and free. Our sanctuary is wild Australian bushland alive with free-ranging wildlife. Different animals need different levels of care. Some, especially wild rescues and animals in our 'breed-for-release' rewilding programs, need a lot of extra care. Meet the rangers looking after the animals and their wild bush home.
In 20 minutes you can get to know one animal really well, or 2 animals kind of well, or go for a walk and see lots of free-ranging friendly wild animals eating and relaxing in their natural bush home. Our absolute priority is the animals in our care, so we let our animals choose whether or not they want to interact with us. Most of them have a very close and trusting relationship with the rangers, and will almost always be happy to meet you. Please understand, however, if a particular animal doesn't want to hang out with us today. Their friends are always standing by to say "Hi".
#B: Bushtucker Walkabout - Aboriginal Lessons from the Bush
Bushtucker Walkabout
Wild Resources:
- Plants and animals
- Fire and water
- Ridgelines and shelters
What you can expect:
Walkabout Park is Heritage Listed because the Aboriginal cultural landscape of the Calga Valley is sacred. A wonderful way to experience the Australian bush is to learn the lessons handed down by Australia's original people over the thousands of years that people have gone walkabout On Country on this continent. This knowledge is just as relevant today. A fascinating place to start your learning journey is with how Aboriginal people used, and still use, plants for food ('bush tucker'), bush medicine and tools.
If you're visiting for 20 minutes we won't walk too far, there's lots growing nearby. If you visit for longer, we'll head out to explore the bush tracks. Identify the plants and their uses. Look for termites' nests. Find native bees. Build a shelter. Learn how to find everything you need in the wild Australian bush.
#C: Talkabout Walkabout - Our Sanctuary's Origin Stories
Talkabout Walkabout
Our Stories:
- People are animals too. Sustainably rational activism to save culture and the environment.
- The knowledge of original nations. Why Aboriginal cultural concepts matter more than ever before.
- Australia's megafires. How the feeling of fear changes when you live next door to catastrophic danger.
- Sanctuary life behind the gates. Locking down to keep our people safe to keep the animals safe.
- Wild-life after wild fire. Walkabout's habitat protection and rewilding projects, after the fires (and after lockdown).
What you can expect:
We love what we do, and we're happy to share our stories about our sanctuary. About why we're still here despite all the odds, and how we are looking after 100's of animals in a global pandemic, and what we did to survive Australia's megafires, and when we will be 'normal' again. Central to all our stories is our relationship with our local community and our worldwide friends. Step into our world, hang out with us and let's Talkabout Walkabout.
Background:
Founded in 2005, our Walkabout Park team has spent the last 15 years fighting for surival and defending the sanctuary against dangers that made us feel like we were living in a movie script. But we only believe in happy endings and that good will prevail, so we never gave up, and we'll never give up.
People are animals too
We took on the Australian government and international mining to save the Calga Valley from destruction. It cost a million dollars and the first 10 years of our sanctuary's existence before finally winning in the Land and Environment Court in 2015. We lived in an alternate reality of politics, Aboriginal lore and activists. We were told we couldn't win. We did.
The knowledge of original nations
Then we worked with our local Aboriginal community for another 4 years to win Heritage Listing and permanent protection for the Calga Valley. In the face of furious and protracted legal opposition from our mining neighbour who wanted to be allowed to dig a 56 hectare wide 30 meter deep crater into the wild landscape and change it forever into something more like a moonscape, in 2019 we won again.
Australia's megafires
Just 2 weeks after the Heritage Listing came through, on 15 November 2019 we were told that the fires were coming and they would reach us in days. We evacuated 300 animals and our community cared for them for weeks in 28 different locations across a 400km radius, while we formed a fire fighting team to defend the animals' bush home. We watched the flames at night and breathed the choking smoke for weeks, as the fire raged just the other side of the creek.
Sanctuary life in lockdown
As we faced down the fires, although we couldn't know it at the time, we were learning how to survive the economic and social disruption that COVID-19 would bring. We don't know what the world is going to be like after this, but we're ready for it whatever it is. Bring it on!
Wild-life after the fires
What's next? The Walkabout team has always protected wild habitat, allowing animals to look after themselves in nature. We have a huge job ahead to bring endangered species back from the brink of extinction, especially after Australia's 2019-2020 supercharged mega-bushfires. At Walkabout Park we've always operated 'below the radar', just getting on with the job of saving animals and avoiding the politics of high profile organisations. Our plan is to keep working the way we always have, but on a much bigger scale.
Session Length - Single, Double or Triple?
Single or Multiple Sessions
Your first session is 20 minutes. For each additional session that you add on back-to-back, we add 20 minutes PLUS a bonus free 10 minutes. You decide how long you want your adventure to go on for.
Single Session
20 minutes
A Single Session is good for "Speed Dating". If you've physically visited our wildlife sanctuary before, you'll know all about our Animal Speed Dates. You can get to know one animal really well, or two animals reasonably well, in 20 minutes. And if you're planning to visit regularly, 20 minutes touch-time to say "hello" is perfect.
Double Session
50 minutes (pay for 40 and get 10 free)
A Double Session is a good idea if you want to do more walking OR more talking. Our sanctuary is 80 acres and we've got lots of walking tracks, and there are lots of stories to tell and things to talk about. If you want more interaction and more time for conversations with your ranger, we recommend a Double Session.
Triple Session
80 minutes (pay for 60 and get 20 free)
A Triple Session is perfect if you want to do more walking AND more talking.
Ticket Type - Private, Team or School?
Types of Tickets
Private Ticket for Family and Friends
Private tickets for your family and friends. We'll create a wild space at your place.
- Up to 12 people
- Up to 2 email connection addresses, we'll send you an invitation with instructions on how to join
- 20 minutes sessions, you can book more than one session
- $80 AUD (around US$52*) for first session
Team Ticket for Work Teams
Team tickets for your corporate colleagues. We'll bring the Aussie bush to your meeting.
- Up to 100 participants
- Unlimited email connection addresses, you set up the meeting and send us an invitation to join
- 20 minutes sessions, you can book more than one session
- $400 AUD (around US$257*) for first session
School Ticket for School Excursions
School tickets for students and teachers. Whether your students are at school or at home or both, we'll bring the Australian bush live and alive into your classroom.
We'll take the classroom outdoors. Tell us what you want the students to learn about so we can make it happen. Animal Shelters. People and Culture. The Weather. Eco-systems. HSC. Biology. History. From kindergarten to HSC, our experienced rangers will adapt the workshop so your students get an age- and stage-appropriate experience of the Australian bush.
- Up to 30 students
- Unlimited email connection addresses, you set up the class and send us an invitation to join
- 20 minutes sessions, you can book more than one session
- $160 AUD (around US$103*) for first session
*exchange rate at 2 May 2020
How to join using your phone or computer
How to Join
If you're already using a virtual meeting app to catch up with people, you'll know how this works. If not, don't worry, it's easy. Just follow the instructions when you receive them.
We recommend the biggest screen you have access to. Although your phone should work fine, the things you see will be teeny tiny.
If you have any problems linking in, phone us on +61 2 43751100. Don't be late, our animals want to meet you and they will be waiting for you.
Family and Friends
If you've booked a private tour for Family and Friends (or just for you), we'll send you an invitation. We usually use Zoom but we might use a different app. Don't worry. All you need to do is click on the app a few minutes before your adventure is due to start, and we'll join in shortly. Don't be late, our animals really want to hang out with you, so they will be waiting.
Work Teams
If you've booked a tour for your Work Team, you're probably using your own app to set up your meetings. Send us an invitation using your app, and we'll join you when it is time for your adventure to start.
If you'd prefer us to set up the meeting and you only have one or two email addresses linking in:
Let us know and we'll send you an invistation. We usually use Zoom but we might use a different app. Don't worry. All you need to do is click on the app a few minutes before your adventure is due to start, and we'll join in shortly.
School Excursions
If you've booked a School Exursion, you're probably using your own app to set up online classes. Send us an invitation using your app, and we'll join you when it is time for your adventure to start.
If you'd prefer us to set up the meeting and you only have one or two email addresses linking in:
Let us know and we'll send you an invitation. We usually use Zoom but we might use a different app. All you need to do is click on the app a few minutes before your adventure is due to start, and we'll join in shortly.
