Billabong Sanctuary

Hands down, Billabong Sanctuary was our favorite part of Townsville. We got there just before 10:00 a.m. (just in time to feed a Cassowary some grapes!), and ended up spending about 7 hours there! They have shows about every half hour, and many of the shows are interactive.

There are plenty opportunities to feed or interact with some of their animals. We got to feed a Cassowary, feed a river turtle, pet a Wombat, watch some huge crocodiles eat, hold (and have our teeth cleaned by…) a Rainbow Lorikeet, stand next to a massive Wedge-tailed Eagle, hold an Olive Python, and hold a little 8 year old Estuarine crocodile!

Here are some of our favorite pictures. Cheers!

Sally! An 8 year old Estuarine croc.

Jaws. Estuarine (salt water) Crocodile.

Plumed Whistling-Ducks

Fish, the Olive Python.

River Turtle during feeding time. Eating some fish!

Koalas sleep up to 22 hours a day!

So sleepy zzzzz

“I am one with the tree,” Tawny Frogmouth.

Bush Stone-Curlew

She woke up!

Frill-Necked Lizard

Eastern Water Dragon

Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo

Roxy, the Barking Owl. Their call sounds like a dog barking.

Lace Monitor

Snappy Tom, the Estuarine Crocodile, getting some food.

Caesar – Estuarine Crocodile. Hatched at Hartley’s Creek Zoo in 1978.

River Turtle

Wanda, the Bare-nosed Wombat.

Jupiter the Estuarine Crocodile – Over 1,000 lbs and estimated to be 60 years old.

A male Eclectus Parrot. The females are bright red and blue.

Jaws bit his first three “girlfriends” on the head and killed them. His new girlfriend, Madonna, bit him when they were first introduced. They’ve gotten along well ever since!

Cassowary – Australia’s largest land animal. We got to feed her grapes!