Billabong Sanctuary offers Australia’s Best Interactive Wildlife Experience!

We invite YOU to Get in Touch with your Wild Side!

Cuddle a Koala! Pat a Python! Eyeball an Emu! Tickle a Wombat’s Toes!

Located just 17 km south of Townsville, a coastal city in north Queensland, we pride ourselves on delivering personal, meaningful interaction with Australia’s best-loved native animals. Stroll through 25 acres of tropical bushland and get acquainted with colourful birds, amazing mammals, and awesome reptiles. We have about 75 species on display, all housed in enclosures that reflect their natural habitat, such as cassowaries in a rainforest setting, koalas within native woodland, giant crocodiles in wetland lagoons, and bilbies in a semi-arid desert.
At the heart of the sanctuary is a large billabong which is teeming with fish, turtles and waterbirds—ibis, cormorants, egrets, magpie-geese and even the occasional pelican. You can hand-feed the turtles and, for a bit of fun, you can cheer on your favourite racing reptile at the daily turtle races. Kangaroos and whistling ducks are free-ranging throughout the park, and will happily eat from your hand.
Throughout the day Rangers present dynamic, interactive wildlife talks and feeding shows. Visitors are encouraged to feed the cassowaries, hold some friendly snakes and lizards (including a baby crocodile!), and pose with a dingo and a lorikeet. We are one of the few places in the world where you can hold a koala for a souvenir photo. Even if you’ve never heard of a wombat, once you meet Wanda and Reuben you will fall in love with these adorable ‘bulldozers of the bush’. Twice-daily crocodile feeding shows are an awesome display of power as these mighty reptiles surge out of the water to grab chunks of meat from the Ranger. During summer months visitors can even pole-feed our frisky freshwater crocs. At the free-flight bird show, you will be in awe at the aerial acrobatics as raptors swoop over your head to land on the Ranger’s glove. You could meet Thunder, the magnificent wedge-tailed eagle, and stand next to him for a photo with Australia’s largest bird of prey. Say ‘Hello’ to Jacko, our sulphur-crested cockatoo perched beside the koalas, (He’ll answer back!) and to Ash, a gorgeous red-tailed black cockatoo. If you offer him a sunflower seed, he’ll show off his beautiful tail feathers.
Billabong Sanctuary is family-friendly with plenty of shaded picnic areas and free gas barbecues. You could also order a delectable meal from Blinky Bill’s café or enjoy one of our wickedly delicious homemade pastries. When it’s time for a break, relax under the palm trees by our tropical pool. We have a well-stocked gift shop for that special souvenir or a present for the folks back home.

Here is just a sample of what recent visitors thought about their visit:
“Wowzers! ” 5/5 Georgia M
…..this will be a day I remember for the rest of my life… I've seen Roos in the wild, seen crocs in the rivers, amongst other things but nothing came close to this place it was just awesome. The shows were excellent; the team were friendly and knowledgeable. Just can't rate this place highly enough. You have to go and see for yourselves it's great.

“Great Place to get to know Aussie Animals” 5/5 OziDiver, New Jersey
This is a great place to get up close with a full range of Aussie animals, and get to know all about them. If you have ever dreamed of holding a koala or a wombat, petting a kangaroo or getting close up with a python, then this is the place to do ……..Go on, you know you want to cuddle that koala

“Fantastic day out” 5/5 Marion W

. I loved the passionate talks and interaction the staff had about and with all the animals; how all staff were so knowledgeable about the animals. I particularly appreciated the opportunity to take my own photos of the animals and pet those I was allowed to and no pressure to buy anything unless I wanted to…. my emotional memory was petting and sitting with a dingo. All these things made our last visit to Billabong Sanctuary so special.

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