reptile parks

[Paddy]

i am just back from a quick holiday to sydney and the red centre, and wanted to give a report on the wildlife parks i visited there.

firstly i spent a day at taronga zoo, something i love doing anytime i go to sydney. made it in time for the reptile talk and spent about 2 hours looking through the reptile displays about a dozen times during the day! i can't wait to go back again when all their construction is finished, it will be absolutely amazing. seeing all those lovely herps has re-inspired me to look at expanding my collection again.

then we had a half day visit to featherdale wildlife park, near blacklock or blackwood apparently - meant nothing to a paddy from north queensland!
my initial impression was that it couldn't be that good as it was in a semi built up suburb area of sydney - how wrong could i have been. i reckon it would rate as one of the best wildlife parks i have seen in years (which is a pretty good comparison as i have visited a lot throughout australia, asia and europe). as much as i love seeing all the native animals displayed it was, as always, the reptiles where i spent most of my time daydreaming. once again i was not dissapointed, the displays were absolutely brilliant, well presented and imaculatley cleaned!

next stop was out to the red centre for a few days. while there we did the tourist thing and went for a sunrise breakfast with a view of uluru. it was a really spectacular sight and experience, with the possible exception of the freezing cold temperatures! (and coming from someone born and raised in a cold place i reckon that is saying something!) whilst the breakfat and the scenery were great the wildlife presentation afterwards was the best nit for me. a local demonstration company brought out some examples of the local wildlife for show and tell. we got to see and touch many of the animals including stimsons pythons, a beautiful woma python, blue tongue skink, a thorny devil which was so cool (weren't allowed touch this little fella!) and a couple of beautiful dingoes as well.

our last stop on the way home was to alice springs for a day, so again my itinerary had to include the alice springs reptile park. initially i was surprised at how small an area the park covered, however again it was proven to me that quantity is not better than quality. the displays were all quite effective and clearly and easily presented, labelled etc. the enclosures were spotless and the animals were all in excellent health, obviously well looked after, and all this for the bargain price of $8 per person. amongst my favourites are always the olive pythons and frill necked lizards, both of which looked great. they also had a large enclosure with 20 or 30 little thorny devils to look at. unfortunately the perenties didn't want to come out to play as it was a wee bit chilly again, but hopefully i can get a chance to do some herping up there in summer sometime, would be so much better!

well thank you for taking the time to read my ramblings, i just wanted to give these places a bit of a pat on the back and say well done. if any of you guys work at, or volunteer at, any of these parks you can say well done to yourselves. if you ever get the chance to visit any of these places make sure you take the time to drop in for a look, you will not be dissapointed, i definitely wasn't.

[Greg]

Featherdale's near Blacktown Paddy.

[Daisy]

Wonder where they get all the ants for the thorny devils. I could donate some of the little children of unwed parents from my house.

[ether]

Hey Paddy

What snakes did they use for the reptile talk. When i did my work xp there i helped out with the show and they used a big boa and its young.

Regards Ether

[peterescue]

nice rap Paddy. I have lived in Sydney for over 20 years and never been to Featherdale. i will definately go there soon.
Peter

[Hix]

Originally Posted by Daisy

Wonder where they get all the ants for the thorny devils. I could donate some of the little children of unwed parents from my house.

I was there a year ago and asked the same question. There are two ways of feeding the Devils.

If they are in an outdoor pen/pit, they just put some honey on the ground. The ants come a-runnin', the devils just walk over and start eating.

If the devils are indoors, they put a piece of termite mound outside, driop some hiney into it, wait till it's covered in ants, then puick it up and put it in the exhibit.

They said that the devils were the easiest and cheapest animals to keep.

Hix

[ackie]

Originally Posted by Greg

Featherdale's near Blacktown Paddy.

and near Redfern not that there is anything wrong with the place

[bigguy]

Hix ,Greg Fyfe used to put down a line of honey on a pathway around the back. He would then place a wire cage over the line of ants and simply put the Devils in for a feed. Simple if you have the right ants

[hey_im_sam]

Simple if you have the right ants

I'm guessing you dont have the right ants

[bigguy]

You guessed it. If I had the correct ants I would own some of these myself, but alas Gosford ants just sdont cut it.

Originally Posted by ackie

and near Redfern not that there is anything wrong with the place

Ackie, what the???

Redfern is in the city and blacktown is out west dude.

Id have the accuracy of your street directory checked before you take any journeys mate...lol

[bigguy]

Teamsherman

I think ackie's reference to Redfern was not that its near Featherdale, but to the word Blacktown. Tongue in cheek :wink:

[Greg]

Redfern used to be a great place. My parents were from there and my Nan, was there till her 90's. I can remember a time when it was actually safe to walk around Redfern. Even up Eveleigh street. I've walked it many times years ago. I'm a South Sydney fan for nearly 40 years and can even remember the last time we won a grandfinal and the streets of Redfern were decorated red and green. It was great.
Ahhh, the memories.

[michaelh]

We lived in Redfern until 1998, my youngest was born there and my wife used to walk him around the streets to get him to sleep. We were 2 streets from 'the block'. Don't believe everything you read in the papers. Sure my car was broken into and I wouldn't want to wear a blue uniform but we never felt for our personal safety.

Just my experience.

[Pinkie]

I can remember a time when it was actually safe to walk around Redfern. Even up Eveleigh street. I've walked it many times years ago.

Lucky you Gregski I have walked it at its worst (to get to Syd uni). Was on the news in the background when they found a dead body in somebody's car boot And saw many a drug bust/police raid.

I'm a South Sydney fan for nearly 40 years and can even remember the last time we won a grandfinal and the streets of Redfern were decorated red and green. It was great.

Looks like you might be waiting another 40 years for this to happen again :wink: