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!

Koalas sleep up to 22 hours a day!

Snappy Tom, the Estuarine Crocodile, getting some food.

Eastern Water Dragon

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

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

River Turtle during feeding time. Eating some fish!

Bush Stone-Curlew

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

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!

So sleepy zzzzz

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

Wanda, the Bare-nosed Wombat.

Plumed Whistling-Ducks

Jaws. Estuarine (salt water) Crocodile.

She woke up!

River Turtle

Fish, the Olive Python.

Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo

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

Sally! An 8 year old Estuarine croc.

Frill-Necked Lizard

Lace Monitor

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