There's always something happening at Featherdale:
 
National Bilby Day, 12th September 2010
Despite some reports to the contrary, the Bilby is not a mythical creature. It’s alive and real and is managing to cling to survival with the help of Frank Manthey and Dr Peter McRae, co-founders of the Save the Bilby Fund.
Save the Bilby Fund has achieved a great deal since it’s inception. Peter and Frank have built a 25 square km predator proof fence in Currawinya National Park near Charleville by selling the panels for $20 each. This area will be used for release of captive bred bilbies and eventually be used to help secure a sustainable population.
The aim of National Bilby Day is to raise awareness of the plight of this Big eared, long tailed, shy little creature.
Bilbies once roamed the whole continent of Australia. This non-aggressive shy marsupial is easy prey for foxes and feral cats, and since their introduction, Bilby numbers have declined dramatically. The species is now presumed extinct in NSW and is endangered in QLD, Western Australia and Northern Territory. It is believed there are only 400 individual animals left in the wild in Queensland.
Featherdale Wildlife Park, Blacktown’s favourite tourist attraction, displays two of these spectacular little creatures all year round “The staff are getting right behind National Bilby Day. It is extremely important to raise the awareness of the plight of our endangered animals and these Bilbies need all the help they can get”. Park Administration Manager, Lisa Christie said. Visitors to the Park are being encouraged to purchase a Save the Bilby Pin for $2.00 each or to log onto www.savethebilbyfund.icemedia.com.au for further information on how to help.
Featherdale Wildlife Park is open seven days a week and is home to the largest collection of Australian Native Animals. Visitors to the park are offered the rare treat of getting up close and personal with some cute and fuzzy animals.
FEATHERDALE WINS GOLD AT
GREATER SYDNEY TOURISM AWARDS
Featherdale took home the Gold Award in the ‘Tourist Attractions’ category at the 2010 Greater Sydney Tourism Awards held on Wednesday night at the Castle Hill RSL. Held for the first time, the Greater Sydney Tourism Awards showcases the region’s top Tourist Operators. 34 finalists were featured on the night with 15 businesses taking home the coveted Gold Award.
As a result of winning Gold, Featherdale has automatically achieved finalist status at the NSW Tourism Awards to be held in November. In 2009, Featherdale won Gold for ‘Major Tourist Attraction’ at the State Awards.
In accepting the Award for Featherdale, Park Manager, Rick Webb acknowledged the hard work of all the staff at Featherdale, ‘The passion and dedication of our staff is the driving force behind Featherdale and, to be the recipient of this prestigious award is a testament to their continuing hard work’.
Featherdale Wildlife Park is home to the World’s most comprehensive variety of Australian native animals and features NSW’s only FREE all day encounter with a Koala. The Park welcomes over 300,000 international and domestic visitors through its gates each year and has a strong commitment to education and conservation. Featherdale has recently opened an interactive Farmyard, featuring a wide variety of Farmyard favourites. The new exhibit has already proved a popular attraction amongst young and old alike. The upcoming Spring season will again be a busy time for the Park as it welcomes a variety of Spring babies including Quolls, reptiles, joeys and a wide array of bird species.
Wildlife Keeper presentation/feeding times
All Day: Cuddle up to our koalas in the koala sanctuary for some great photos.
9.00am to 10.00am Rapt in Reptiles. Great photo opportunities
10.00am & 2.30pm A prickly echidna experience
10.30am & 3.45pm Penguins at play
11.00am Pelican Feed
2.45pm See life from a different perspective as our flying foxes eat their lunch upside down!
4.00pm A devilish duel over dinner between our cheeky Tasmanian devils
4.15pm See Featherdale's friendly swaggie swing the billy and enjoy some complimentary billy tea.
Measuring over 4.5 metres, Ngukurr, the Saltwater Crocodile is often mistaken by Featherdale’s visitors for a statue as he suns himself in his enclosure. But don’t be fooled, this giant Croc is 500 kgs of lethal quicksilver - as many unsuspecting birds have discovered.
Captured in 1987, after terrorising the local farm-dog population in the Northern Territory, Ngukurr was taken to Janamba Croc Farm to become part of a breeding programme. The troublesome teenager didn’t take too kindly to this and attacked every female crocodile that he was placed with. He was finally sent to Featherdale in 1992 where he now lives a happy and carefree life in a purpose-built enclosure, fully equipped with a heated pool to help brave the Sydney weather.
Often mistaken as cold-blooded, Crocodiles are in fact Ectothermic, which means that they warm up their body using a heat source like the sun. Because they don’t expend energy warming up their own body, Crocodiles need about 85% less food for their size than a warm-blooded animal and subsequently don’t require frequent meals. In order to feed Ngukurr his daily meal during the Summer months, Featherdale’s keepers provide small rations such as a quarter of a chicken. During the cold Winter months, Ngukurr does not require feedings as his metabolism is not active enough to digest the food.
Saltwater Crocodiles like Ngukurr can be very lazy when it comes to dinner. In the wild he’d be hiding in the water with just his nostrils exposed waiting patiently for potential prey such as small mammals to come past. Then he’d attack them with surprising speed using his incredibly powerful jaws. He can close them with up to 3000 pounds per square inch of pressure. That’s enough to crush a car.
Saltwater or Estuarine Crocodiles are one of two crocodile species that are currently found in Australia and have been living here in various forms for almost 200 million years. Saltwater Crocodiles are the largest of any living crocodilian, sometimes reaching lengths of almost 7 metres and weighing well over a tonne. They often live in water that is brackish and are sometimes found up to 15 kilometres out to sea.
The other Australian species found in Australia is the Freshwater or Johnson’s Crocodile. This species only occurs in freshwater rivers, creeks, ponds and streams and doesn’t grow as large as the Saltwater Crocodile. Freshwater Crocodiles occasionally reach 3 metres in length but are not a threat to people or stock. This species only hunts fish in the wild, they use their long slender snout to glide through the water then spear the fish on their teeth.
You can visit Ngukurr at Featherdale Wildlife Park 9am to 5pm daily. Featherdale is located at 217 Kildare Road, Doonside. Phone 02 9622 1644 or visit featherdale.com.au for more information.
From April 1st 2010 to March 31st 2011, a visit to Featherdale Wildlife Park costs just $23.00 per adult, $12.50 per child (3-15years) and $15.00 for Seniors. A Family Pass is just $68.00 and includes admission for two adults and up to four children. Featherdale is located just minutes from Sydney's M7 & M4 junction. www.featherdale.com.au. Telephone: 02 9622 1644
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