Australia is well renowned for its rather large collection of reptiles, many of whom are listed in the world’s most dangerous, unusual or rare lists. Drive an hour north of Sydney and explore the Australian Reptile Park where you can safely get up and close to a multitude of these fascinating creatures. It’s a hands-on zoo, set in Australian native bushland where everyone in your family can experience and learn all about Australian reptiles as well as a number of other native animals and exotic creatures.
Visiting the Australian Reptile Park with Kids
Table of Contents
The Exhibits
The Australian Reptile Park has around 8 different exhibit spaces which focus on a specfic animal type. Exploring each exhibit offers you an insiders experience into the world of these animals and an opportunity to learn how we can better care for them in their natural environments.
Lost World of Reptiles
Walking through the giant jaws of a crocodile and into this exhibit and you could easily forget that you are at the Australian Reptile Park and imagine that you are in an Indiana Jones movie! Within this space, you will find the park’s largest reptile collection where you can discover Australia’s most venomous snake, Alligator Snapping Turtles, a 6 metre long reticulated python and so much more!
Spider World
Have you ever wondered how to milk a spider? It’s within this space that you can learn a plethora of information about spiders in Australia and abroad and even peek into the life-saving spider milking venom room.
Elvis’ Crocodile Exhibit
Elvis is the Australian Reptile Parks crankiest occupant. First arriving at the park in September 2007, Eric is one aggressive crocodile who made headlines in Northern Australia for attacking boats in Darwin’s harbour. He never seems to be completely happy, although he does seem to enjoy feeding time.
Alligator Lagoon
Whilst alligators are not native to Australia you can see the largest American alligator population in Australia at the Australian Reptile Park lagoon. Unlike the Australian crocodile, alligators are happy to live together and there are over 40 adult alligators living together in the lagoon. The lagoon replicates the Florida everglades so well that it has become the only location in Australia where alligators have bred successfully. The kids will love watching the lagoon and spotting the alligators swimming.
Nocturnal House
Back in the 1970s the founder of the Australian Reptile Park, Eric Worrell, built the first Noctarium in the Southern Hemisphere. Today you can visit its modern recreation which showcases some of Australia’s most unique nocturnal species. Just remember to warn the kids that it is dark inside!
Frog Hollow
While you won’t find the cast of the Wind in the Willows here, you will learn about many of the native Australia frog species and perhaps glance an infamous cane toad.
Platypus House
When it comes to animals, monotremes are super unique: mammals that lay eggs! Who could imagine? Paying tribute to one of these animals is the Platypus House where the kids can meet Platypus “Pete” who lives with a number of native birds and fish. Here you can view the complicated set of burrowing tunnels that Pete uses to connect his nighttime creek to his outdoor pond and nest boxes.
Eric’s Nature Walk
The Australian Reptile Park is set in a wonderful bushland space. Visitors can set off on Eric’s Nature Walk and enjoy the beautiful surroundings while exploring the Nocturnal House, an aviary full of native birds and an interactive display of a typical frog pond. Make sure to marvel at the incredible waratah plants.
The Animals
The Australian Reptile Park is home to a plethora of animals including amphibians, birds, reptiles, mammals and spiders making it the perfect spot to not only learn about reptiles but a whole range of animals.
Amphibians
As you know, both frogs and toads fall within this group of animals. At the Australian Reptile Park, the kids can learn about the rare green and gold bell frog, green tree frogs, the magnificent tree frog, Person’s tree frog, striped marsh frog, and the horrid cane toad. Do you have a favourite?
Birds
The Australian Reptile Park has quite an array of bird life within the park. The parks resident birds included the Australian Bustard, Banded Lapwing, Bar Shouldered Dove, Black Wingerd Stilt, barn owl, blue faced honeyeater, Boobook owl, Brown cuckoo dove, blue winged kookaburra, bush stone curlew, Cape Barren goose, Cassowary, Emu, Common bronzewing, green catbird, king parrot, rainbow lorrikeet, regent honeyeater, laughing kookaburra, major Mitchell cockatoo, tawny frogmouth, topknow pigeon, satin bowerbird, scaly breasted lorikeet, white headed pigeon, Toressian imperial pigeon, white browed woodswallow, and the wonga pigeon just to name a few!
Mammals
Whilst reptiles are the big draw card bring visitors to the Australian Reptile Park, mammals are spread across the park and have love the park. When you visit you will be able to see wombats, dingoes, wallabies, kangaroos, koalas, eastern quoll, feathertail gliders, echidnas, greater bilby, grey headed flying fox, mountain pygmy possum, kangaroo island kangaroo, quokka, playtypus, ringtailed possum, and Tassie devils. You never know, you may get a chance to touch or feed one too!
Reptiles
Of course you can’t visit the Australian Reptile Park with kids without learning all about the very animal type the place was set up for….reptiles! Here you can see alligator snapping turtles, a Galapogas tortoise, saltwater crocodiles, freshwater crocodiles, American alligators, ball python, Bavay’s gecko, black headed python, blotched blue tongue lizard, broad shelled long necked turtle, brown tree snake, Burmese python, central netted dragon, coastal taipan, diamond python, Cunningham’s skink, corn snake, common death adder, eastern bearded dragon, eastern blue tongue lizard, eastern brown snake, eastern long necked turtle, fierce snake, eastern water skink, eastern water dragon, Fijian banded iguana, Fijian crested iguana, freckled monitor, frilled necked lizard, gila monster, green anaconda, green iguana, Hosmer’s skink, green tree python, jungle carpet python, king brown snake, king cobra, Komodo dragon, lace monitor, land mullet, leopard tortoise, lowland copperhead, Madagascan giant day gecko, mainland tiger snake, Manning River turtle, Mertens water monitor, Murry River turtle, New Caledonian Giant gecko, olive python, perentie, Phillipine sailfin lizard, red bellied black snake, reticulated python, rough scaled python, scheltopusik, shingleback lizard, short tailed pygmy monitor, Solomon Island skink, southern forest dragon, spotted python.
Woah! What a list. No wonder the Australian Reptile Park is reputed to have Australia’s largest collection of reptiles! I wonder if you can spot them all on your visit.
Little Kids 2 Zookeeper Experience
Sunshine and her two cousins were invited to participate in one of the Little Kids 2 Keeper programs during the school holidays. Thankfully the program doesn’t start until midday which allows families driving up from Sydney time to get to the Australian Reptile Park.
The Little Kids 2 Keeper program is for children aged 7-12-year-olds although there is a Mini Kids 2 Keeper program for younger children and a Big Kids 2 Keeper program for older adolescents. Each program has been developed to cater for the specific age groups.
The experience is fully escorted by the Australian Reptile Park team who take the kids on an experience which is guaranteed to entertain and educate. After you drop your kids off, they set off on an exclusive behind the scenes access tour where they will learn the ins and outs of zoo keeping. Sunshine is still talking about how they washed Hugo the giant Galapagos Tortoise and fed turtles.
Across the afternoon, participants usually get the chance to:
- feed a tawny frogmouth
- meet and touch a koala
- handle a range of reptiles including snakes, lizards and tortoises
- a VIP space at Elvis’ crocodile show
- up close experience with Hugo
- a bush walk
and, much more!
Elvis and his Crocodile Show
While we mentioned Elvis when talking about our exhibits above, he really deserves a little more detail. Elvis celebrated his 50th birthday back in 2016 but hitting half a century doesn’t seem to have quietened him down at all. He’s appeared in dozen of news articles thanks to his cranky reputation.
For some Australians, first learning about Elvis is through a video where he took on a lawn mower! Yep, a few years ago during the regular mowing of his exhibit, Elvis charged at his keeper who used the mower as a barrier before it was dragged into the water by Australia’s crankiest crocodile.
Vistitors to the Australian Reptile Park can watch Elvis be fed on the weekend at 1.30 pm. (but check the show times as they are subjected to change).
Planning Your Visit to the Australian Reptile Park
A visit to the Australian Reptile Park with kids is a fantastic day trip from Sydney and a wonderful way to get up and close to some of Australia’s most unique animals. For full details about the park, head to the Australian Reptile Park website.
Visiting Hours
The Australian Reptile Park is open 9.00 am to 5.00 pm every day of the year, 7 days a week, except Christmas Day. Its the perfect family attraction!
Admission Price
At the time of publication, the Australian Reptile Park was $105.oo for two adults + 2 children. Head to the ticket page to check the current pricing.
How to Get There
The easiest way to get to the Australian Reptile Park is by car. It is located around 60 minutes north of Sydney and about the same from Newcastle. Take the Gosford exit off the M1 Freeway and follow the signs to the location at Somersby on the Pacific Highway.
Sunshine and her cousins were guests of the Australian Reptile Park. Myself and the two mums paid for admission on the day. Of course, all opinions are our own.
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