David Fleay Wildlife Park Gold Coast

4.3

Google reviews (771 total)

Google reviews for David Fleay Wildlife Park

4.3 Write a review

  • 5 Chris Spillane
    2 months ago

    This wildlife park is a good size for spending a few hours. You can see it all in around 2 hours. However, if you wish to make a day of it there are plenty of seats spread throughout the park where you can sit and enjoy the pleasant atmosphere there. There are a number of talks throughout the day all worh attending. Walking around is easy as the footpaths are fairly flat. Plenty of room foe wheelchair access as well

  • 4 Margaret Lees
    3 weeks ago

    Well looked after but unfortunately some of the exhibits where under reconstruction so there where no kangaroos and only 1 kola. Plenty of birds and ducks. The nocturnal animals are always good to see they where very active. Staff are very friendly

  • 4 Mason Bowler
    a month ago

    Wonderful smaller place for the little ones to wander around. A much more personal bird show due to the smaller size. You can tell the rangers really care for the animals. Great experience for the price. Can’t wait for the park to become abit more developed.

  • 3 stuart phippard
    3 months ago

    As a local I found it quite disappointing. Park itself is nice and the staff friendly, but the animal content leaves a lot to be desired. We saw one dingo, one emu, one koala, one platypus, and felt sorry for the animals. Hopefully they all had companions who weren't there at the time. Would probably be good for tourists who don't have a lot of time and want to see some native animals in a flying visit, but if you have more time I'd recommend looking at other options.

  • 5 Jules India
    3 months ago

    The staff were outstanding. Very cheerful and happy to share their time and knowledge. Really seem to love their job. Each handler talk is really worth experiencing. We spent time with the emu handler and it was great. The park is small, but feels like you are in the natural Australian bush setting. The park was so clean and tidy. Wear insect repellant in summer.

  • More info and reviews

Park open 9am to 4pm, seven days a week

Our wildlife and Park Rangers look forward to welcoming you to the park. As part of our COVID-safe plan, we have implemented some changes—please ensure you review all information before you visit.

Virtual tour—MyRanger app

Discover the beauty and diversity of David Fleay Wildlife Park through the virtual ranger guided tours. Get up close and personal with some of the park’s unique animals through the Augmented Reality experiences. It’s like having a personal ranger in the palm of your hand.

Be inspired: 5 things you didn’t know you could do at David Fleay Wildlife Park

Tucked away in the heart of Burleigh Heads is David Fleay Wildlife Park—a park unlike any other. Cute and quirky critters—tick! Wildlife shows—tick! But what makes Fleay’s different? Here are our top 5 things you didn’t know you could do at Fleay’s. Photo credit: Steve Browne © Queensland Government

Join the Park Rangers at David Fleay Wildlife Park to learn more about Queensland’s unique wildlife! Photo credit: Maxime Coquard © Queensland Government

Things to do

    Photo credit: Maxime Coquard, Queensland Government

    Meet our amazing wildlife

    In 1951, Australian naturalist, David Fleay, created a wildlife park where visitors could enjoy and learn about wildlife in as close to their natural environment as possible. Today, you can learn how our dedicated Rangers care for our wildlife, listen to their stories, and see Australia’s iconic wildlife, from the comfort and safety of boardwalks and in a nocturnal house.

    Dr David Fleay has inspired many people to embrace the diversity of our natural environment and its protection. The environmental education and conservation role of the park is just one of his many legacies.

    Join us at David Fleay Wildlife Park and be inspired!

    A cassowary

    Photo credit: © Robert Ashdown, Queensland Government

    Explore different habitats

    Spot koalas, pademelons, dingoes and rock wallabies as you stroll along boardwalks that take you though many different natural habitats and pathways that lead you through shady rainforest and tall eucalypt forest settings.

    Discover the near-threatened Lumholtz's tree-kangaroo, adapted for life in the trees instead of the ground. They often rest in the forks of branches, so take a closer look—you'll be surprise at how well they are hidden.

    See an amazing variety of Australian birds including magestic wedge-tailed eagles, noisy lorikeets, graceful emus and and elegant brolgas.

    Spy on our ‘rainforest gardeners’, endangered southern cassowaries (pictured) from the rainforests of North Queensland, busy spreading the seeds of rainforest fruits in their dung.

    Take a close look at one of the oldest and most successful predators on the planet—the crocodile. Discover the differences between freshwater and estuarine (saltwater) crocodiles from the safety of the boardwalk that leads you through the park's wetlands.

    Watch Wally in his watery enclosure as he goes about his normal day's activities.

    Watch Wally in his watery enclosure as he goes about his normal day's activities.

    Photo credit: Maxime Coquard, Queensland Government

    Visit the Bilbies on the Gold Coast. They are a long way from their hot, dry grasslands of outback Queensland.

    Visit the Bilbies on the Gold Coast. They are a long way from their hot, dry grasslands of outback Queensland.

    Photo credit: Maxime Coquard, Queensland Government

    Visit the nocturnal house

    Peek on some of Australia’s rarest and most unusual creatures in the nocturnal house.

    Many of our native animals are nocturnal (active at night) and rarely seen but in the nocturnal house, you can get up close and personal with some of these fascinating night creatures.

    Meet Wally, our resident platypus. Spend time getting to know him as you watch his playful antics as he forages and feeds, occasionally demonstrating his wet and wild ability to turn a waterfall into a water slide! Platypus are particularly difficult to spot ‘in the wild’ so meeting Wally is a very special experience!

    Watch some of our cutest animals, the gliders, at play. You’ll be captivated by the beautiful mahogany glider, once thought to be extinct, that was ‘rediscovered’ in 1989. Since then, lots of effort has been put into producing a strong colony that can be reintroduced to the wild in the future.

    You’ll be captivated by the elusive Bridled nailtail wallabies, once thought to be extinct for over 30 years! The Queensland Government has been working hard to re-establish the species at our scientific reserve. Fleay’s is the only place in the world that visitors can see them up close.

    See the greater bilby and be delighted by its Easter bunny-like appearance!

    Bilbies are endangered and much effort is being made to conserve them. In Currawinya National Park, near Cunnamulla, a 25sq km electrified fence protects the bilbies from their predators.

    As bilbies live in the hot, dry grasslands of outback Queensland, this is probably the best chance you will ever have to see these fascinating creatures!

    Spy on the speedy spinifex hopping mice, a tiny insect-eating marsupial with razor-sharp teeth, nimble jaws and lots of personality!

    Enjoy ranger wildlife talks

    Across the day our Ranger team will provide a range of talks and presentations – don’t miss our 11:00am Reptile chat and 1:00pm Fleays in Flight show within the Amphitheatre. On arrival ask our Admission staff for details on other wildlife talks that may be scheduled for the day.

    Relax in the cafe

    Why not enjoy a relaxing snack or lunch on our deck listening to the local wildlife Choir….you may even enjoy a visitor from our Ranger and wildlife Ambassador team.

    Birthdays, weddings and venue hire

    The restaurant and surrounding park grounds make David Fleay's Wildlife Park a great place for events, whether special occasions or regular meetings. Have a birthday party with a difference, with your very own Wildlife Ranger and native Australian critters! Why not wedding photos with wildlife! The choice is yours. Read more about the cafe.

    Volunteer with bush tucker garden refurbishment.

    Volunteer with bush tucker garden refurbishment.

    Photo credit: Jen Bartlett, Queensland Government

    Volunteering

    Our volunteers are the life-blood of our iconic wildlife park. Whether as a boardwalk visitor guide, assisting a wildlife ranger to look after the park's many animals (pictured), doing general maintenance or horticulture (pictured), undertaking administration, cafe hospitality or storytelling, come and make a difference and help deliver a great experience for our visitors.

    Please contact the park to find out more about our volunteer program.

    Explore more Gateway Visitor Centres

    Why not take some time to discover other Gateway Visitor Centres in Queensland’s National Parks:

    • Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre at Enoggera Reservoir in Brisbane. This bushland oasis located on the edge of D’Aguilar National Park and just 12km from the heart of the city, is perfect for families, friends and visitors to Brisbane. Explore the Information Centre and enjoy a variety of outdoor recreational activities in picturesque surrounds.
    • Mon Repos Turtle Centre at Bargara in Bundaberg. Learn about the special journey turtles and people have taken and join a Ranger on a Turtle Encounter to catch a glimpse of a turtle’s world—at least for one night! (operates November – end March).
    • Daisy Hill Koala Centre is a dedicated koala education facility nestled among eucalypt trees just 25km south of Brisbane. Meet our resident koalas, explore the interactive displays and learn about how you can contribute to koala conservation.

    School excursions

    View information on our school excursions which feature environmental education activities linked with the Australian Curriculum.

    Holiday program

    View information about upcoming school holiday programs at David Fleay Wildlife Park and Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre.

    • School excursions

      Information for schools visiting David Fleay Wildlife Park.

    • Holiday programs

      The Park Rangers at David Fleay Wildlife Park and Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre present their activities program for the upcoming school holidays.

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