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!

Plumed Whistling-Ducks

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

Wanda, the Bare-nosed Wombat.

Fish, the Olive Python.

River Turtle during feeding time. Eating some fish!

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

Major Mitchell’s Cockatoo

Sally! An 8 year old Estuarine croc.

Frill-Necked Lizard

Koalas sleep up to 22 hours a day!

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

River Turtle

Eastern Water Dragon

Bush Stone-Curlew

She woke up!

So sleepy zzzzz

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

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

Snappy Tom, the Estuarine Crocodile, getting some food.

Lace Monitor

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!

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

Jaws. Estuarine (salt water) Crocodile.