Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary has become one of the most frequented places our tribe visits here on the Gold Coast. Only a 30-minute drive (or 1.5-hour bus ride if you don’t have a car at your disposal, like me) from Labrador, Currumbin is home to many wonderful Australian creatures.
When we first arrived in Australia, we decided to check it out as one of our family adventures. Finally, the kids had a chance to get up close and personal with some of their favorite animals. Alan and I struggled to contain our joy in finding such a gem so close to our new home. Upon arriving, we opted to buy the annual membership as we knew it would be somewhere the kids and I could head on a day we needed a break from our ‘norm’. And it has been just that!
We have now visited three times and each time we have checked off more of the sanctuary’s offerings, but we have yet to see and do it all! Our goal is to know the park like the back of our hands by the time we head back to the USA. The kids’ goal is to hold as many of the precious animals as they can – but this all costs extra, so we have to spread it out a bit for our budget!
Stay tuned for another Currumbin post in a few months with more of what this amazing place offers to all who enter.
Here are some of the highlights of what we have enjoyed at Currumbin thus far…
Koala Watching
These are our favorite animals to observe. When asleep in a gum tree, they are peaceful creatures that have the cutest little faces. When awake, they seem to move methodically and with great purpose – always to find more leaves to nibble and perhaps a higher branch to rest upon. We have yet to snuggle one of these incredible creatures (like mentioned above, an extra cost at Currumbin), but it will be something we do on one of our next visits!
Kangaroo Feeding
The absolute highlight of every visit is spending time feeding the kangaroos! This animal, probably the most famous Australian icon, is simply incredible! On our last visit, we took time to pat the KING of the roos (he’s the daddy to many of the little joeys hanging out in their mummy’s pouches). We learned that there are other male roos who are in the running for the king title – they will fight for this right. In the wild, they would fight to the death, but in captivity, the older roos head on over to the ‘retirement’ section before the dual can take place. It is in retirement where these kings will still be able to live like royalty, but not be threatened by the younger, more dapper of roos. All of our kiddos enjoy getting up close and personal with these animals. They are gentle (as long as you stand to their side) and enjoy a pat and a nibble of food!
Free Flight Bird Show
There are a few shows at Currumbin that are definitely worth seeing on a visit! One of our favorites is the Bird Show. Australia is home to hundreds of species of birds – many you will not find anywhere else in the world. This show is incredibly educational, entertaining, and worth the 30 minutes of your time! The animal trainers have worked very hard to develop a show that helps educate the audience about their role in helping to protect these creatures from endangerment or extinction. Unfortunately, several are close to being added to those lists. Our family favorite is the pelican, but the eagle is something that is breathtaking to witness when in flight.
Koala Hosptial
Toward the back of the sanctuary lies the animal hospital. Every year thousands of injured wild animals arrive at the hospital with the hope of complete rehabilitation and release back into the wild. On our second visit to Currumbin, we headed back to the hospital to check it out – to our great surprise, floor to ceiling windows line the walkway along the entire building – you can literally see everything happening inside the hospital. We watched a woman mix several different meals in the kitchen and then we came to the best thing of all! A sweet little koala arrived to the operating room. A group of nurses and vets worked on this little guy for a while – eventually, a nurse came outside to share about the process (it is evident this is common practice). This little guy, Noddy, continues to show up on the same doorstep in an area neighborhood. When a koala begins to display this sort of behavior, it means something is wrong. Luckily the homeowners are aware enough to get the koala help each time he returns. On this particular visit, they did heaps of testing and learned he was suffering from chlamydia. (A very common disease in koalas – who knew?!) My four kiddos got to witness the exam first-hand! What a marvelous experience. We affectionately named him Noddy the Naughty koala! We also witnessed an exam on a snake (we are not sure what type he was), but one of the doctors came out to inform us that they were actually putting him down as he was very ill. Another wonderful teachable moment, but a sad part of the story of wildlife and human interaction. Our tribe could literally spend hours at the hospital watching, discussing, and learning all that occurs each day!
Blinky Bill Treehouse
Blinky Bill is a quintessential Australian storybook character, turned movie star. He also is a mascot for the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary! There is an entire section just for Blinky! Our four have thoroughly enjoyed climbing the treehouse and sliding down a giant slide as it winds its way down back to the reptile area. You can find nocturnal animals as well as other slither-y and slimy creatures that call Australia home. We have yet to see the Blinky Bill Adventure Show, but it is on our radar for an upcoming visit.
Wild Island Adventure Playground
My children have playground radars that are unlike anything I have ever seen! I think they can smell them from hundreds of miles away. The moment we stepped foot inside the sanctuary, they somehow knew there was a playground (or maybe they are good map readers). It was one of the first things we did at Currumbin – and we were not disappointed! With climbing structures, crawl-through giant logs, a flying fox (z-line), sandpit with dino bones, a climbing web, and access to the Eel Show, the Adventure Playground is a wonderful place to spend an hour or more! We have packed our own food (although the food offered at the restaurants and cafes in the park are actually quite reasonable and yummy) and enjoyed picnics at the provided covered tables. Just be aware that the frilled-neck lizards get friendly when you have food! It’s possible five of them chased me out of the picnic area on our last visit! There are also water fountains in the playground where you can easily fill up your water bottles – a nice perk!
Aboriginal Show
Each day at 3:15 pm there is an Aboriginal Dance Show that is definitely worth a watch. It is certainly entertaining, but more importantly, it is extremely educational. Australia’s first people are the Aboriginals. Every ounce of land here in Oz has a name and a people-group who call it their home. Jellurgal is the mountain and area around Currumbin. The Yugambeh Aboriginal people group share their heritage, their language, their dance, and their talents through a beautifully artistic show. I do want to expose my children to more of the history, the Dreamtime stories, and the value of knowing and understanding and supporting the native people of Australia. This show is a good place to begin the conversation!
Currumbin Train
An added bonus to Currumbin is the train that journeys all throughout the park! It is very easy to walk the entire way, but the train is simply fun for all (and great if your kids are hungry/sleepy/whiny/sad/sick/grumpy…you get the point)! There are several stops throughout the park so you can choose your journey based on what you want to see. Oh, and it’s FREE! You can hop on and off as much as you wish…but know that the trains stop running during the Free Flight Bird Show.
Rainbow Lorikeet Feeding
Daily at 8 am and 4 pm beautifully colored rainbow lorikeets ascend on Currumbin for feeding. Visitors can enjoy their quirky behaviors while offering them a sweet nectar in dishes. It is a sight to behold when these wild creatures soar from the area treetops to enjoy their ‘milk and honey’. They are not shy creatures and typically land on heads, arms, and hands – which is a highlight for most (unless you have a bird phobia). The greatest part of this “show” is that is it free – it takes place outside of the sanctuary – accessible to by anyone who wishes to enjoy!
