AUSTRALIA ZOO VS WESTERN PLAINS ZOO

Over the past two weeks, we’ve been lucky enough to visit not one but TWO great zoos in Australia. The Australia Zoo in Beerwah QLD and The Western Plains Zoo in Dubbo NSW.

Two zoos separated by 900km and two states, and two zoos that are completely different. My intention was to give a detailed comparison of the two, but after seeing both, I realised that you really can’t compare the two. Where Western Plains Zoo is designed to feel more like a safari, Australia zoo is more hands on with reptile and animal encounters.

So, with that in mind, I couldn’t look at them comparatively because BOTH are just as amazing as each other, but in different ways.

AUSTRALIA ZOO:

Australia Zoo, QLD.

Australia Zoo encapsulates everything that Steve and Terri Irwin stand for. Both wildlife warriors throughout their lives, these values were embedded in their children, Bindi and Robert as well as everyone that works at the zoo.

When you enter the zoo, the ‘zoo crew’ are set up waiting along the footpaths with reptiles and other animals for you to get up close and personal with. The zoo crew are committed to making your visit memorable and their love for animals shines through as they passionately answer any questions you might have about their animals and reptiles while you pat them. And believe me, they know a lot about them!

Animal Hospital, Australia Zoo.

The zoo has an Africa exhibit filled with rhinos, zebras and giraffes (amongst other animals), as well as a tropical climate at Bindi’s island where she filmed Bindi, the Jungle Girl. Here, you can visit Bindi’s treehouse as well as the boa constrictors, lemurs, parrots, aldabran tortoises and red-eared sliders.

A standout was the animal hospital, which you can pay to go and take a look at. The animals and vets are all behind glass windows, but you can stand and watch them tend to the sick and feed the babies in the incubators and honestly, Avery loved this.

Hot Tip: Don’t go on a 40-degree day unless you hire a cart. The sun reflects on the footpath and whether you’re wearing a hat or not, you still get burnt in the face. Plus, the walk between some of the exhibitions is LONG and after a while the heat is nearly unbearable. Take plenty of water!

WESTERN PLAINS ZOO:

Western Plains Zoo, Dubbo NSW.

The Western Plains Zoo on the other hand is much more like a safari. Where you can comfortably walk around at Australia Zoo, your best to either hire a bike or cart, or take your own car around to the Western Plains exhibits in the 5km loop.

While there are some of the same animals in both zoos, the difference is that Australia Zoo has a strong focus on reptiles such as crocodiles, where Western Plains Zoo has a lot of larger, furry animals such as monkeys and lions, as well as less known animals such as the Addax, Blackbuck, Banteng and Tahki.

Amongst the zoo is the Billabong Camp – a campground set up for groups of four or more in permanent tents. They provide dinner and breakfast and you get to listen to the nearby lions roaring during the night. What an experience.

Western Plains Zoo is also set up for you to climb onboard a safari truck and head into the enclosure with the giraffes, white rhinos, Eland and Blackbucks. With the Asian elephants and cheetahs next door, the exhibit feels like you’ve flown to Africa for the day and you’re adventuring in a real-life safari.

A standout is that you can drive your car around the zoo and stop where you like, making the whole experience quite comfortable when you have young kids with you. Plus, there are great parks and rest areas you can stop for lunch at along the way. The café at the start/end of the 5km loop overlooks the spider monkeys and lemurs jumping and swinging through the trees on their own island, only meters away.

Overall, both zoos have their standouts, and both are completely different experiences. Both are educational and fun, but where Western Plains Zoo has larger animals that you can’t touch, Australia Zoo is more about getting up close and personal, so it depends on what kind of experience you’re after.

We loved them both and would recommend getting to each of them at some point with the kids. It’s a great day out, a full-on day that will see your kids climbing into bed happy and exhausted, giving you some time for a much-needed night cap.

ONE OF THE BEST KID-FRIENDLY THINGS TO DO IN TAMWORTH NSW. DID I MENTION IT’S FREE!

This year’s Tamworth Country Music Festival has been huge and between Benny’s gigs we wanted to find something we could do with our little man. We’d heard great things about Tamworth’s Marsupial Park and Adventure Playground, so we jumped in the car and took Avery to see the animals. We weren’t disappointed!

When we arrived, the first thing we noticed was that it was completely FREE! There was a sign and a tin for donations though to help with maintaining the facility, which we were happy to contribute to. But what a great way to engage and introduce the kids to the native animals without emptying your wallet!

The park is well tended with a large variety of native animals such as kangaroos, wallabies, cockatoos, emus and Indian peacocks. There was also a large aviary which you can enter to explore while you try to spot the different species. But watch out for the bossy ducks who love your feet.

There were talking cockatoos and corellas who were worth having a chat to too. Avery found them hilarious and we spent some time trying to get them to talk.

The Adventure Park also lived up to expectations. It was well thought out with two distinct areas. One for under-5s and one for over-5s. The playground was engaging with areas to inspire children to use their imagination, as well as encouraging them to use their fine and gross motor-skills. There was also barbecue facilities and rustic, yet clean bathrooms.

The day was really fun. Avery fell asleep in the car on the way home, which is a sure sign of an energy-filled and entertaining experience.

HOT TIPS:

-       Don’t go when it’s scorching hot.

-       Keep your eyes out for snakes. We were there for five minutes and a massive brown snake slithered across the path in front of us. To be fair, there was a sign to warn you to be alert for snakes.

-       Wear good footwear and take plenty of water. (Note: there are bubblers, but we found these were a bit hot due to the day being hot).

TIPS FOR A KID-FRIENDLY TAMWORTH COUNTRY MUSIC FESTIVAL

The annual Tamworth Country Music Festival (TCMF) is one of the largest music festivals in Australia. The ten-day event celebrates country, folk and bluegrass amongst other various blends of modern country music, while supporting and nurturing community and culture.

Overall the festival is kid-friendly and one I would recommend putting on the bucket list.

In saying this, not everywhere within the festival is suitable for the little ones. Having our three-year-old in tow means that we’ll miss some great performances. Location being the main factor. Some of the pubs and hotels are not set up to cater for children, which is totally fine and, in all honesty, I’m all for a little R&R from the rugrats every now and then.

But, spending time with our little man and introducing him to the soul-filling music that Tamworth offers is worth missing those things. There is so much to take in and our little guy has his eyes permanently fixed on the big guitar.

To make your TCMF a holiday your kids will talk about, I highly recommend the following:

PEEL STREET

This is where community and culture explode into life. What a vibe! The street is closed off during the festival while thousands of people roam and wander, stopping to listen to the talented musicians. Buskers are set up not only on every corner, but in little nooks in shopping centres, cafes and market stalls and food stalls line the road.

THE FAMILY ZONE

This area is set up with rides, food stalls and games to keep the kids occupied. Situated along Kable Avenue, the area includes Dodgem cars, a ferris wheel, jumping castle and a slide as well as a monster truck ride, which our little man LOVED. This is just to name a few. There’s also a Family Zone Stage in the area! To find out the line-up for the Family Zone Stage, go to the TCMF website.

FREE CONCERTS IN TOYOTA PARK AND THE FANZONE

The free concerts are totally worth it for the little ones who get to sit and watch a concert while your wallet stays closed. Both areas are set up for you to sit and relax and enjoy some great music, while the kids dance and let off some steam. Fanzone is located in Peel Street.

FESTIVAL FRINGE

The 'Festival Fringe' runs on selected nights in Fitzroy Street Plaza. It includes fire performers, comedy contortionists, unicyclists, circus acts and other street performers as well as buskers and special pop up performances!

There is also face painting between at certain hours!

THE CALVACADE

The calvacade is a procession of utes and cars showcasing not only the musicians from the festival, but also anyone who has registered their ute and decorated it in the parade’s theme. This usually occurs on the last Saturday of the festival.

THE GOLDEN GUITAR

The giant golden guitar is worth a look at the very least. I’d go as far as to say it’s worth a selfie. Take the kids, do some poses and then check out the tourist centre and wax museum.

THE PLAYGROUND

Spend hours at the Tamworth Regional Playground where children will find endless fun. It has a skywalk, three giant slides, four towers, a bike track, junior and senior fitness circuits, a dual flying fox and a waterfall with a three-metre sway bridge. Parents, there’s also a café/restaurant where you can take a well-earned break.

The experience is one to remember. I totally get why it’s considered one of the coolest music festivals in the world. It’s stinking hot, but that’s easily forgotten with a cold drink and great Aussie music.