On Wednesday, we enjoyed a day packed with memorable wildlife encounters, active thrills, cultural experiences and delicious eats at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. A few steps off the Gold Coast Highway, we entered the beautiful, natural escape from the city – one that people of all ages and interests can appreciate.
Arriving just after lunch, we first explored the gorgeous grounds covered in lush rainforest and eucalyptus and discovered some of the hundreds of the weird and wonderful and adorable and fierce Australian animals on display. We visited Maximus and the other snakes, the crocodiles (both small and massive) and the dingoes, among many other creatures; we then hand-fed and pet several kangaroos and wallabies in an open field, before catching the impressive Free Flight Bird Show.
Next, at 3:00pm, we joined the last Green Challenge, an exhilarating high ropes nature adventure course, of the day. As children are allowed on two of the three courses, we expected it to be a simple rope path from tree to tree, but we were pleasantly shocked with the intensity and diversity of the course’s challenges! The Green Challenge includes sixty-five challenges set amongst the sanctuary’s treetops, such as giant, fast flying foxes and a tarzan swing into a net!
While thrilling and challenging, the course is extremely safe. Participants are dressed in full body suits, gloves and a waist harness that has a pulley system and two carabiners. The course is designed so that you are always attached so a safe point; in fact, we saw this in effective use – my friend slipped jumping from step to step on one of the challenges and simply hung there comfortably (laughing her head off) until she was ready to attempt the jump again!
An exciting flying fox returned us to the ground, concluding the adrenaline-pumping Green Challenge. From here, we made our way to Rainforest Bar to enjoy a drink and await the start of Yanguwah, an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultural show and dinner. The evening show began with an impressive didgeridoo performance, an educational video on the cultures’ histories and a traditional welcome ceremony – during which my partner was appointed the group’s “bala”, meaning strong warrior or leader.
He and the tour guides led us outside to the Kup Murri, where we watched them unearth our dinner that was cooking beneath sand and leaves – a teaser to get our appetites ready for the later meal. Next, we moved to a beautiful outdoor arena set under a big red tent to admire many amazing Aboriginal dance and song performances. Again here, my partner or “bala” was called on to join in the dances – a very entertaining scene.
Next, we explored some of the sanctuary’s grounds and animals by night. We learned about types of present bush tucker and medicine as we walked; watched a Tasmanian Devil feed on a kangaroo tail; hand fed a mob of kangaroos; and held a baby Salt Water Crocodile for a photo!
After these close animal encounters, we indulged in our delicious Kup Murri buffet feast while watching an impressive Torres Strait Islander dance show, which included plenty more fun audience involvement! After the dinner and show, Yanguwah concluded with an opportunity to cuddle a koala for a photo!
Natural, wild, cultural and more – Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary offers a variety of worlds to explore; we highly recommend you discover this oasis from the city by both day and night with a day admission and Yanguwah package deal!
