The Animals of Featherdale Wildlife Park

Get to know some of Australia’s cutest to weirdest creatures at the renowned Featherdale Wildlife Park!

Featherdale Wildlife Park covers seven acres of lush bushland packed full of native creatures and fun animal encounters. Located near the Blue Mountains and just 40 minutes west of Sydney’s Central Business District, the park provides visitors with the chance to get up close and personal with some of Australia’s best-loved creatures. There are plenty of animals to discover, and you can learn about their unique habitats and behaviours as you go.

At the park, you can find more than 1,700 creatures, ranging from vibrant birds and reptiles to mammals and Australian marsupials. It is one of the country’s largest collections of critters, promising a fun-filled day out for all the family.

History of Featherdale Wildlife Park

The land bushland park sprawls out on was once a poultry farm. It wasn’t until 1972 that Featherdale opened as a wildlife park. Since then, it has won the best Major Tourist attraction award twice – once in 2005 and once in 2009. It hasn’t always had a smooth ride, throughout its entire existence however, almost threatened with closure in 1975 as part of a redevelopment for public housing. But luckily, the decision was revoked by Sir Robert Askin, leaving the park still one of the top tourist destinations within the area.

The Animals of Featherdale Wildlife Park

The animals are the stars of the show here, drawing in visitors from far and wide. With a huge collection of native and international species to admire, there is something new to be discovered around every twist and turn. Each enclosure is built with the animal in mind, suiting their natural habitat to a tee.

If you’d prefer getting up close and personal with the creatures, you can join one of Featherdale’s close encounter experience. Cuddle up to a koala, hand feed baby kangaroos and wallabies, and get a hands-on experience with many of the park’s loveable animals. The marsupials tend to be the star of the show, promising traditional Australian snapshots of wombats, Tasmanian devils, possums, koalas, and kangaroos.

If you are after a more daring experience, you can even get friendly with the reptiles, including the large snakes of Australia and a 4.5 metre saltwater crocodile. Learning more about these incredible reptiles within the Reptilian Pavilion. If birds are more your calling, you can marvel at the eclectic range of colourful birds that call the park home.

Facilities at Featherdale Wildlife Park

As well as countless animal enclosures that are home to almost 2,000 creatures, the park has a selection of other facilities visitors can enjoy! The Billabong Café serves a range of traditional Australian fare, letting you refuel after hours of animal sightseeing before either heading off to do even more, or packing up for the day. If you’d prefer eating al fresco, around the park you’ll also find several dappled picnic spots, each with their own self-use BBQs. Before you leave, you can visit one of the country’s biggest souvenir shops, filled to the brim with stuff cuddly koala bears, and even aussie style shot glasses!

Cameron Ward

Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward turned his travel passion into a thriving Australian tourism business. Before he co-founded his own business, Sightseeing Tours Australia, he was enjoying being a Melbourne tour guide. Even now, Cameron delights in helping visitors from all around the world get the most out of their incredible Australian trip. You’ll see Cameron leading tours or writing about his favourite Australian places where he shares his local insights.