animals Archives - Page 3 of 9 - Destination's Journey

4 February 20232 February 2023

Shark and Ray Rescue Centre

Shark and Ray Rescue Centre Port Stephens

Based at Bobs Farm near Port Stephens, the Shark and Ray Rescue Centre is dedicated to the rehabilitation and rehousing of sharks and rays. An association with local Professional Fishermen allows injured sharks, rays, and other marine creatures caught as a by-catch to be saved.

Getting There

Interior of the Shark and Ray Rescue Centre — Interior of the Centre

Housed undercover, the centre operates in all weathers, so is great to visit on a rainy day when other activities in Port Stephens close. With only a 40-minute drive from Newcastle, or 20 minutes from Port Stephens it’s easy to get to. Parking is on site with plenty of room available.

What to See When You Arrive

On arrival, a staff member takes you around the centre, so that you are familiar with what’s on display and how to interact with them.

We chose to walk around the tanks and enclosures to view the displays, but for a small fee you can also get in the tanks and feed the sharks. Several people were doing this, mostly young families. They seemed to be having a great time in the water and the sharks they were with were not dangerous.

Port Jackson Shark Shark and Ray Rescue Centre Port Stephens — Leopard Shark

Birds

The Centre has expanded its operations to include other animals in need, including birds. We were pleased to be able to enter the parrot aviary where a staff member explained about them. Even better, they perched on our shoulders and arms, which was something we were not expecting to do when we arrived.

Eclectus parrot Shark and Ray Rescue Centre Port Stephens — Eclectus parrot

Chestnut Fronted Macaw — Eclectus parrot

Other Displays

Housed in large enclosures and several glass cages, the centre has a collection of lizards on display.

A butterfly house has now opened giving visitors the opportunity to see them up close. Our visit did not match its open times, so we will have to go back to see it.

At times, octopus and other marine creatures may be housed here. This is variable, depending on the need to rehabilitate the.

What Did We Think?

This was a fun and interesting place to visit. A great way to see sharks and rays up close, something you don’t often get to do. The experience with the parrots was also great as was seeing the lizards. It’s wonderful that someone is helping rehabilitate injured marine life and rehousing them.

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

Our photos are available for purchase on

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

17 January 202312 January 2023

Port Macquarie Koala Hospital

Established in 1973 and dedicated to the to rescue, rehabilitation and release of wild koalas, the Port Macquarie Koala Hospital also helps visitor learn about this unique Australian animal.

Located in the NSW mid-north town of Port Macquarie, the hospital is a favourite destination for tourists. On arrival, we were pleased to see that a mobile coffee van was set up near the carpark. After a long drive to get here, this was a great way to start our visit. After a relaxing coffee on some chairs under shady trees, we started our visit.

Entry is free, but donations are welcome, which are used to keep the hospital running. The first exhibit is actually another of Port Macquarie’s attractions, one of the Hello Koala statues. Scattered around town at different businesses there are around 80 of these colourful statues.

The Koalas

Near the statue an information board with photos of koalas under care details the threats they face. The main one is habitat loss – something that is totally preventable, but something our state Government seems reluctant to address. Koalas at the hospital suffer from a range of injuries, from road accidents, dog attacks and bush fires.

The koala enclosures hold animals undergoing rehabilitation. Each enclosure has a description of the koala, the injury they sustained and how they are progressing. As koalas sleep a lot (due to the low food value of the leaves they eat – not the intoxicating effects of the gum leaves – that’s an urban myth) they were hard to see, cuddled up into little furry balls in the trees. We managed to spot them all, but most were too far away or obscured to take photos of.

The last place to visit is a small museum. This details koala evolution and their place in the Australian environment. Several stuffed exhibits allow visitors to see what they look like up close.

The Future

Funding has been secured for a first of its kind wild breeding program. The aim is to breed and release 30 joeys each year, offsetting the current population decline. Also involved in the project are Taronga Zoo, the Australian Museum Research Institute and the University of Sydney.

What Did We Think?

If you are visiting Port Macquarie, this is a must-see destination. Not only do you see koalas, but you also learn about their endangered status and what is being done to save them.

Koala Statue Koala Hospital Port Macquarie — Koala Statue

To see what else there is to do in New South Wales, please see some of our other stories.

3 December 202230 November 2022

Sharks Australian Museum

Sharks at the Australian Museum

Running until January 2023, the Sharks Exhibition at the Australian Museum is a fascinating display detailing everything you would want to know about sharks. From their origins and evolution, to their interactions with humans and the threats to their future, this is a very educational exhibition.

The Displays

Most of the displays have been taken from the museum’s collection, unlike other recent special exhibits which have been sourced internationally. All of the shark models were life-size, which was great because it lets us see how big they really are.

On entering, you are greeted with a prehistoric megalodon jaw, giving you an idea of the size of the largest shark to ever live. Next to this is a model of Helicoprion, with its unusual circular teeth that look like a circular saw.

Once past the prehistoric section, we got to see a range of modern sharks, from the grey nurse and Port Jackson sharks to the dangerous great white and tiger sharks. The largest model was an 8m whale shark (they can grow to 14m).

This was a fun and educational visit and families with kids should love it, with its interactive displays and realistic life-size models.