Frequently Asked Questions

Do all visitors have to go on a tour?

No. You don’t have to go on a tour if you prefer not to. You can relax at the Visitor Centre where many of the free-ranging animals usually hang out, or you can wander around by yourself and see how many different animals you can spot. Or you can head out along the tracks to visit the Aboriginal sites.

However, we do recommend that you join in the ranger-led activities. The rangers are specialist guides who can explain the significance of the ancient Aboriginal heritage sites at the park, indulge your five senses in an interactive bush tucker and bush medicine experience, and help you get up close and personal with an amazing array of Australian animals.

How many animals are roaming freely at Walkabout Park?

Walkabout Park protects over 100 types of bird, such the Superb Lyrebird, the Laughing Kookaburra and the uncommon Rock Warbler. There are more than 40 types of reptiles and frogs, from the Diamond Python to the Giant Goanna and the Eastern Froglet. It is hard for us to know exactly how many animals inhabit the sanctuary as many, especially birds, reptiles and some frogs, can come and go as they please.

However, we do have approximately 20 Eastern Grey Kangaroos, 20 Swamp Wallabies, 6 Emus, 20 Tamar Wallabies, 35 Red-Necked Pademelons, 16 Parma Wallabies, 40 Rufous Bettongs and many Bandicoots, along with the many other more secretive critters like Eastern Pygmy Possums and Sugar Gliders that we don’t have an exact number for, living free in the sanctuary. We have lots of very special creatures, such as Zoe the Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Tegan the Wallaroo, who make an unusual couple as they hang out together in the underbrush.

Why are some animals kept in enclosures?

At Walkabout Park, we don’t believe in keeping animals in cages to entertain our human visitors. We are not a traditional zoo. We are a working wildlife sanctuary! However, some animals need to be kept in purpose-built enclosures for safety reasons or specialised animal care reasons.

One specialised reason for enclosures is for those animals that are part of national ‘breed for release back into the wild’ programs, such as the Eastern Quolls. You will see our Koalas, Grey-headed Flying-foxes, Bilbies and Dingoes, as well as Ally and Hippo the Wombats, and some of our reptiles, in enclosures in the Visitors’ Centre and along the Animal Loop Walk.

Are there snakes at Walkabout Park?

Yes, this is Australia. There are several species of snake at Walkabout Park. The most commonly seen is the Diamond Python, which is non-venomous. Other species that inhabit the park, although not often seen, are the Red-Bellied Black Snake, Eastern Brown Snake, Tiger Snake and Death Adder. Because of their shy, secretive natures, and also because they hibernate during the cooler months emerging around September, these species are rarely seen. If you do see a snake, stand absolutely still until the snake passes, or if it is resting peacefully then move slowly away from the snake. It is a thrilling experience to be able to see a snake in the wild – a privilege that very few people get in thier lifetime as these animals are such elusive creatures.

If you’d like a chance to meet a snake, visit Neil the Diamond Python, our Rainbow Serpent the Olive Python, and their other scaley friends in our Visitors’ Centre or at the Python House, or have an even closer encounter during our daily “Pat a Python” animal encounter.

Are there wombats at Walkabout Park?

Yes, there are. Ally, our female hand-raised wombat, is one of our favourites. Calga is one of the few places close to Sydney where wombats still womble around in the wild so please be careful when driving in the area, especially at dawn and dusk when they are most active.

Wombats are nocturnal, but Ally can usually be seen sleeping peacefully in her window box. At night she spends her time burrowing outside in the wombat camp and nosing around foraging for food. If you visit us at night for a nocturnal tour or a Wild Sleep Out, you will see lots of other creatures hanging out with Ally, such as Rufous Bettongs and Brush Tail Possums.  Interestingly, although wombats are solitary and can be quite fierce towards other wombats, they seem quite happy to share their dinner with different smaller species.

Walkabout Adventure Tour

Are nocturnal guided tours available?

Our night time ranger-led ours take you into the after dark world of the Rufous Bettong, Long-nosed Bandicoot, Brushtail and Ringtail Possum, Sugar Glider, Common Wombat, Tawny Frogmouth, Powerful Owl as well as the Eastern Grey Kangaroo and various wallaby species.

You can choose whether to just do the tour and then head home, or to stay overnight for a Wild Sleep Out. Sitting out under the southern skies, under the Milky Way and the brightest stars, is a magnificent way to end the evening. Visitors are always astonished by the amazing number of stars that can be seen from the Park’s exposed sandstone outcrops, far away from the glare of the city lights.

Does Walkabout Park have to feed the free-ranging animals?

There is enough food in our sanctuary for the animals to feed on as they would in the wild. The animals at Walkabout Park have 80 acres of natural food and the numbers of animals in the sanctuary are managed at a level where the ecosystem is sustainable.

However, we do distribute a small amount of food each morning and evening so that the animals will make an appearance. Not only is this great for visitors but, even more importantly, it gives the rangers the chance to health-check the animals. The animals eat the food over a period of about 30 minutes, then head off into the bush to find wild foods. This is a great time to interact with the animals.

Can visitors buy food (for themselves) at Walkabout Park?

We have a kiosk where you can buy delicious pre-made sandwiches, as well as hot pies, fish and chips, and other light meals. There is a great machine that makes excellent barrista quality coffee with fresh ground beans and fresh milk. Snacks, cold drinks and ice-creams can be purchased from the gift shop. We have a fenced area with picnic tables where you can enjoy your meal.

You are welcome to bring a picnic lunch with you.

We have two BBQ’s where you can BBQ your own food. We do ask that you drop a donation in the donation box at reception to cover the cost of gas, cleaning and wear and tear. BBQ’s are available on a ‘first-come-first-served’ basis and we ask people to use them and then move to the picnic area. The reason for this is two-fold. The most important reason is that the emus will circle the BBQ’s hoping for a snack which is not good for them so we do ask everyone to only eat inside the enclosed emu-proof picnic area. The second reason is so that others can get use the BBQ too.

Can visitors feed the animals?

The only animals that you are allowed to feed are the goats and alpacas and guinea pigs in the petting zoo.

We do not allow hand feeding of any of the other animals. Even our rangers never hand feed them. Walkabout Park is a sanctuary where the animals are not restricted to small enclosures, the sanctuary is their home. Feeding encourages unnatural behaviour including stealing food from visitors which can be scarey, and possibly dangerous, for small children.

Australian animals also breed more or less frequently depending on conditions so, if you feed them they can respond by overbreeding causing overpopulation and too much strain on the bush. Only at a sanctuary like Walkabout Park can the public see native animals feeding naturally in a wild environment.