Cooberrie Park celebrates 50 years of wildlife rescue and family fun
Posted on December 8th, 2023
Established during December 1973, Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary has been successfully operating for half a century this month, providing a safe and peaceful space for injured wildlife, and generating plenty of exciting, up close and personal encounters for visitors and locals across the Capricorn Coast region.
Sitting proudly upon land that was once cleared farmland, a European Botanist planted thousands of trees across the property, creating a thick, lush landscape. Fast forward 50 years, and the Central Queensland landmark is now home to hundreds of animals, showcasing a top-class tourist attraction that has created tons of enjoyment and unforgettable kodak moments for both young and old.
With countless visions of continuous improvement, the team at Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary, led by tourism stalwarts – the Smedley family – have undertaken major redevelopments and expansions throughout their 20 years of ownership, transforming the Park into a significant attraction, which welcomes thousands of visitors through its doors annually.
Creating an experience that is all about ‘hands on’ and interactive activities including holding a Koala, hand feeding Kangaroos, holding Snakes and meeting Monkeys, the Park rapidly became a ‘must do’ item sitting high on the agenda for domestic and international holiday makers to the region.
The Park also has a wildlife charity onsite, committed to taking care of more than 100 sick, injured, and orphaned wildlife, who are rehabilitated and released back into the wild each year, along with providing permanent homes for wildlife that is unable to be released.
Further expansion to the attraction occurred in 2022, with the introduction of the neighbouring Capricorn Dinosaur Park and Mini Golf which on top of the wildlife sanctuary, provides a jam-packed day of experiences for guests.
Sanctuary Manager, Kieron Smedley is proud to collect this major milestone which highlights his family’s ongoing achievements and commitment to creating a unique product that will be sustainable for the next 50 years.
“Pride in our day-to-day work and continuously planning for our future as a strong family business have been top priority during our years of operation,” Kieron said.
“We are absolutely passionate about this wonderful destination we are fortunate to call home and pleased to be key players in a robust tourism industry.”
“Our future plans include becoming wheelchair accessible in time for the 2032 Olympics, with visitors from around the world expected to arrive and travel extensively throughout Queensland.”
Capricorn Enterprise CEO Mary Carroll commends the Smedley family, their staff, and volunteers for their hard work over many years, which continues to drive visitation across the region.
“The Capricorn Coast destination is brimming with fabulous tours and attractions that keep visitors staying longer and injecting money into our local economy,” Mary said.
“Our membership-based organisation, Capricorn Enterprise has worked alongside Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary for many years, and now the Capricorn Dinosaur Park and Mini Golf, providing ongoing support in ensuring their products are broadly promoted to not only the domestic market, but internationals holidaying across the Southern Great Barrier Reef.”
“We congratulate David, Sue, Kieron and Grant on this brilliant achievement and look forward to watching them further grow and expand into the future.”
Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary and Capricorn Dinosaur Park and Mini Golf is open every day from 10.00am – 3.00pm.
