Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Over the weekend, my friends and I took a bus journey to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, which is about 30 minutes from campus. We had a very special day planned, as we were not only exploring the animals in the sanctuary, but we were also having lunch with the koalas! This was such a fun experience and although I have already been to a koala sanctuary and held a koala before, this trip was so worth it!
We first started off our day by making our way to the kangaroos! Behind koalas, kangaroos have probably been one of my favorite animals I have seen here! Seeing them at Currumbin was a different experience than seeing them at the other sanctuary I have been to, because they were much more chill here. When we walked into the kangaroo area, I was amazed with how many kangaroos were napping or just laying in a circle with each other!
Of course, I had to grab a selfie with one of them… but look how cute! This little guy was just chilling and didn’t mind the company at all! Another difference I noticed between my two different encounters was that the kangaroos at Currumbin were much softer! There fur was like a more fluffy, clean texture, almost like they just had a bath!
This was a really cool sighting! This is a mama and her baby, who is about 11 months old. The baby looked as though she was milking out of her mother’s pouch, which was so interesting to see. Once the baby was finished, the baby just flopped over for a nap right next to her mama! We were not aloud to touch the baby, probably for protective reasons, but it was still so precious to watch.
Once we finished with the kangaroos and saw some other interesting birds and other creatures along the way, we made our way over to lunch with the koalas! This was such a cool experience they offered for not much more money than the general admission ticket. We started off holding this beautiful girl, Ginger! Ginger is 16 years old and she is an absolute angel. One of the fascinating things the koala keepers said was that they only allow the koalas to be out of their habitats at most 30 minutes, unless they start showing behaviors they want to go back sooner. I think this is awesome, because too much socialization can lead animals to be stressed or act up, so it is important the koala keepers know the appropriate times to be out.
We then enjoyed a fabulous charcuterie board, along with the option of alcoholic or non-alcoholic drinks! This was one of the best boards I have ever had! My favorite toppings on the board were the dried apricots, brie cheese slices, white cheddar cheese slices, salmon, and the cracker sticks on the side. It was so yummy and while we were enjoying our meal, the koalas they brought out were enjoying theirs on the eucalyptus trees next to us!
Towards the end of our lunch, the koala keeper brought out a joey (baby koala). It was only a short time we got to see him, but he was so cute and so tiny! Throughout the sanctuary, we got to see more joeys in the koala nursery, but it was cool to see this one up close!
Koalas love their eucalyptus! That is their main source of food, so there were eucalyptus trees and leaves everywhere! They even have this ‘Koala Pantry’, which is a hydrated room where they store the eucalyptus trees! It was a very refreshing, calming room!
Finally, after stopping to see some more animals like snakes, wallabies, and dingos, we headed over to the Currumbin Wildlife Hospital, which is one of the best in the country! We didn’t get to see too much action, but we did see a bird getting operated on with a little breathing mask on, perfect to fit over their little mouths, along with this adorable baby bat! I am not sure why this bat or the bird was in the hospital, but I know they are in great hands!
This was overall a great experience and I recommend it to anyone traveling here! It is a great place to not only take children, but adults as well. I feel like I am learning so much about the beautiful nature around me, especially koala bears. I cannot wait to share my upcoming adventures with you all, as I will be traveling to Byron Bay and North Stradbroke Island! Down the road, I hope to also make it to Sydney and the Whitsundays!
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary YouTube Vlog
Keep doing what makes YOU happy!
Jessica
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