Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Gold Coast

There are several different opportunities for photos with various animals. After the shows there is usually an opportunity with one or more of the stars of the show and there are specific locations for photos such as the Koala cuddling photo ops! You will usually have to queue up for the photos.

If the professional photographer takes your photo you can purchase these photos to take home as souvenirs. But there are options to grab a selfie or a family shot with some of the animals.

Here are some of the main shows you may want to catch whilst visiting the wildlife park.

• Wild Lorikeet Feeding usually just as the park opens at 8am and at the end of the day around 4pm
• Free Flight Birds of Prey Show - we always try to get this one, it's never the same and always entertaining.
• Australian Sheep Shearing Show - not just the wild animals to learn about here, catch up with life in the outback on a sheep station!
• Blinky Bill's Wildlife to the Rescue Show - the little one's will love this show!
• Dr Doo-Lots & The Creature Teachers Show - another one for the kids (okay the adults will enjoy too!).
• Croc Feeding Show - wouldn't be an Australian animal park without a croc show!
• Aboriginal Dance Show - with interesting cultural dancing and rituals.

Throughout the day there are also various animal feedings that are worth catching too. You may need to pick what interests you most, as trying to fit it all in can be a bit tricky!

Animal feedings include:

• Wombats
• Crocodile
• Tasmanian Devils
• Pelicans
• Eels
• Koalas
• Cassowarries
• Birds - Lorikeets, Forest fringe birds

Tree Top Ropes Challenge at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

This is a challenge with a twist! The ropes courses are quite extensive with 5 courses, 80 challenges and 11 ziplines including Croc Shock! Imagine ziplining over the top of crocodiles! Oh, yes! You can do that!

This is a stand-alone activity, in that you can just do this activity without having to get a general entry ticket for Currumbin, but you will need to book ahead as places are limited.

If you want to spend the whole day at Currumbin, you can take the upgrade on the day (after your ropes session) for entry to the park for the rest of the day. If you think you will do that, I'd recommend trying to go to the first session of the day.

During the week Monday to Friday there are usually two sessions, one at 10am and the other at 1.30pm. To complete all the courses you will need about 3½ hours.

During weekends, Public holidays and Queensland school holidays there are many more sessions usually starting at 8.30am and running every 30 minutes until 2.30pm. The Ropes courses close at 5pm. This activity does not run on Christmas Day 25 December, 26 December nor on ANZAC Day 25 April.

Here are some of the restrictions and requirements:

• Children over 6 years old may take part, but must be able to reach 160cms for the general courses. And you must be able to reach 180cm for the Black Course.
• All under 14s must be supervised by adult. Under 18s need a parent to sign consent form.
• Recommendations for certain physical and health related conditions.
• Long hair needs to be tied back (you wouldn't want it getting caught in the zipline).
• Closed in shoes must be worn. Sneakers okay, thongs and open sandals are not okay.

Tree Top Challenge takes around 3.5 hours to complete. If you want to do this and visit Currumbin on the same day, then the earlier in the day you book your tour the better. This activity does not include entry to the wildlife sanctuary. You can upgrade on the day to get entry for the rest of the day after your Challenge. Book Your Challenge now.

Check out the options for general entry to CWS.

Photos With Animals

There are two options for having your photos taken with Australian animals. There are the paid photo opportunities where you can pose with animals such as koalas, snakes, baby crocodiles and others. And then there are the photos that you can take yourself.

If you are good at selfies, you can manage to get yourself and some of the other animals in their exhibits in your shot.

Feeding an emu by hand.
A highlight for our visitor.

In the area where you can hand feed kangaroos and emus, there are many great opportunities to take selfies or other photos with these cute animals.

You can stroke them as well as feeding them with the special food. But you need to be careful not to scare them.

The professional photos are really great souvenirs and there are several opportunities for these.

Cuddling a koala and having your photo taken is a very popular option. You organise those once you get into the park, but you may have to queue whilst you wait your turn. It's worth organising this as soon as you arrive, so you can plan the rest of your day around it.

If you have a family, you can save money by having one photo taken with one member of the family holding a koala but having everyone else in the photo - you just pay the one fee. That's if you can work out who the lucky one will be without everyone falling out over it.

After the shows, there are often opportunities to have your photo taken with one of the furry, feathered or scaly stars. All professional photos can be viewed at the wall just near the shop on your way out. If you have your photo taken by one of the professionals, they will give you all the information about picking up your pictures.

Buying Tickets for Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

If you are a member of the Queensland National Trust, you will gain free entry through your membership - so that's a nice one! However, you will still need to buy tickets for the extras such as Guided Segway Tour, Tree Tops Rope Challenge, photos with animals etc.

Most visitors need to buy at least a general admission ticket and there are several options including ways to save on your tickets for entry to the wildlife park. There are also suggestions on how best to buy tickets if you want to do some of the other activities inside such as the Segway Safari or the Treetop Challenge Ropes Course.

At Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Children are classified as 4 years to 14 years inclusive. Where you see Concession prices, they are for pensioners, students and seniors. If you buy a concession ticket you must show a valid ID on entry to show your status for the concession.

If you just want to buy entry to Currumbin, then here are the most popular options.

• Latest deals for General Admission - Adults, Children & Concessions
• General Admission Special Deal for Families - Family Passes 2 Adults + 2 Children

There are many other ways to combine Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary entry with other attractions and tours to save money. Check out all the different options for Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Tickets & Deals

Getting To Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary Gold Coast

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is located at 28 Tomewin Street, Currumbin, Queensland, 4223. It is just a few kilometres north of the Gold Coast Airport and about a 25 minute drive south of Surfers Paradise & Broadbeach.

Drive Yourself Options

This is one of the easiest options, but there is no free parking at Currumbin. There is a carpark with meter parking across the road and meter parking along the roads around the sanctuary.

Driving from Surfers Paradise is straight down the Gold Coast Highway, until you reach Tomewin Street, where it is just a left turn and 50 meters to the entrance.

Self drive your own car or hire a car.

Catching Bus To Currumbin

There are several options for getting to Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary if you don't want to drive yourself, including shuttle bus transfers and local buses.

You can take a single return transfer to Currumbin. The best value for transfers is when you package airport & attraction transfers. There are two options one for Gold Coast Airport transfers and for those who fly into Brisbane Airport.

You can catch public transport to Currumbin, but it can be complicated depending upon where you are coming from . Check out all the transport options on the attraction transfers page. There you will find more suggestions for packaging transfers with airport transfers to save money and the pros and cons and tips for using public transport.

Things To Consider

Currumbin Weather

We've been to Currumbin in all kinds of weather: hot, steamy summer days, wet days and winter days. We still love it and there's lots to enjoy if you are prepared!

The closest weather station is at Coolangatta Airport, which is actually fairly closeby, so when you are looking for weather forecasts for Currumbin, that is what you will want to look for.

If you are staying at Surfers Paradise, you may find different weather conditions at Currumbin than you are experiencing at Surfers, so it is a good idea to check before you go. It might be clear at Surfers but raining at Currumbin for example.

You can see the current weather forecast for Currumbin in the widget above. If you want more details about general weather and temperatures at different times of the year you can find them on our weather page.

What to Wear at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

In the hot weather, loose clothing is best and of course sunsceen and hats are a good idea. You may also want some kind of insect repellent - animals and insects tend to go together!

In cooler weather in the winter, you will need to take some warm clothes on the cool days. If it is sunny, you may want layers. It will be cooler in the morning and after about 3pm during the middle of winter (June, July & early August).

For the wet rainy days, or if it is likely to shower during the day, it's best to take a rain poncho, raincoat or rain mac to put on when you need it.

Umbrellas are also okay, but we find it's easier just having a rain jacket with a hood. You can see animals in the trees and have both hands free that way.

If you get caught out in the rain without suitable rain wear, you can buy plastic ponchos, but they are very flimsy and quite expensive.

You won't need to take a towel or swimming cozzies at the sanctuary, there's no where to get wet, unless you decide to leave and head out to the beach at the end of the street!

Things to Take

You are going to be out and about most of the day. In addition to the items mentioned above about things to wear, which depends upon the time of year you visit, you should consider brining the following essentials:

• Water Bottle
• Sunscreen
• Insect Repellent
• Hat
• Sunglasses
• Camera, Video and/or smart phone - for all the photo opportunities!

Accessibility and Getting Around

Currumbin is not a flat venue, there are certain areas with quite steep hills. To save your legs you can use the train, but there are limited stops - but the train doesn't go up any of the hills, so you are on your own for those.

For parents with strollers or prams, most areas are accessible, though some of the steep hills can be challenging!

Food in Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

Lovely place to stop for snacks or lunch.
Sanctuary Cafe.

There are a couple of places to get food in Currumbin, one of our favourites is Sanctuary Cafe. You can't take commercially made food into Currumbin.

The selection of foods are not too bad as "fast" food options go. And you can get gluten free sandwiches and other options in most of the outlets.

Shop at Currumbin Sanctuary

There's a shop at the front of Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary were you can buy the usual souvenirs, plus other items you might need for example:

• Plastic Rain Poncho
• Batteries for cameras
• Disposable cameras
• Sunscreen
• Insect Repellent
• Hats & Caps
• Souvenir T-shirts
• Photos from your animal encounters

Pre-paid Tickets

We buy our tickets ahead of time. Online deals purchased ahead of time are often better than prices at the gate and there are often combinations with other attractions to save money. It's also usually faster at the entry.

Where To Stay Close To Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

If you are a first time visitor to the Gold Coast, I recommend staying in the more common tourist areas (Surfers Paradise, Main Beach or Broadbeach), to help you get your bearings.

If you have visited the Gold Coast before AND if you will have a car, then there are certainly options for staying around this part of the Gold Coast.

Local areas to consider staying in are:

• Coolangatta
• Bilinga & Kirra
• Tugun
• Currumbin
• Palm Beach
• Burleigh Heads
• Elanora

One of the simplest ways to find accommodation in the Gold Coast is to put your dates in the box below and you will be shown a variety of available accommodation to choose from.

You can also use the map feature to see where the accommodation is in relation to Currumbin and other attractions. I like this option as you can easily see what's available plus ratings and reviews so you can decide for yourself the best option for you.

Please consider my recommendation, that if you stay in this area you should consider hiring a car as getting around is a bit more difficult than in the main tourist areas.