Do your kids love seeing animals? Here are some places in the Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Hunter area that gives families the opportunities to see Australian natives and exotic creatures.
From wildlife sanctuaries and family-friendly zoos and wildlife sanctuaries to picturesque beaches and lakes where nature thrives, this region offers a variety of opportunities to connect with creatures big and small.
In addition to seeing native wildlife roaming free in their natural surroundings, Newcastle and the Hunter boasts several top-tier animal attractions like Blackbutt Reserve, Hunter Valley Wildlife Park and Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary. Here, you can get up close and personal with some native or exotic critters or admire fascinating species from a safe distance, making it an ideal destination for animal lovers of all ages.
Aussie Ark
Address: Tomalla Road, Tomalla, NSW
Cost: Yes
Website: Aussie Ark
Located at Tomalla, near the Barrington Tops, Aussie Ark is a dedicated Tasmanian Devil and Australian Native Animal Breeding Centre where you can get up close and personal to endangered species including Tasmanian Devils and Spotted Quoll.
‘Devils in the Wild’ tours are available throughout the year. These tours are 2.5 hours long and available dates and times can be found on the Aussie Ark website. For more information, including tips on making the most of your visit, read the Newy with Kids review of Aussie Ark.
Australian Reptile Park
Address: Pacific Highway, Somersby, NSW
Cost: Yes
Website: Australian Reptile Park
The Australian Reptile Park is a hands-on zoo located in a natural bush setting on the Central Coast (60 minutes from Newcastle). It’s home to exotic reptiles from around the world and a wide variety of Australian native animals.
Enjoy live shows, themed exhibits and behind the scenes tours. For more information, including tips on making the most of your visit, read the Newy with Kids Review of the Australian Reptile Park.
Blackbutt Reserve
Address: Carnley Avenue, Kotara, NSW
Cost: Free admission but parking fee applies
Website: Blackbutt Reserve
Blackbutt Reserve is a 182 hectare reserve in the middle of Newcastle’s suburbs which features walking trails, children’s playgrounds and tranquil picnic areas with free electric barbeques.
However, its wildlife exhibits are the main attraction as it is home to koalas, emus, wallabies, wombats and peacocks. A series of boardwalks make it easy to push a stroller and let young ones view the creatures up close in the enclosures.
It’s free to visit Blackbutt Reserve but there’s payment for parking. For more information, including tips on making the most of your visit, read the Newy with Kids review of Blackbutt Reserve.
Dolphins
Go to a headland and watch for dolphins. There’s pods of dolphins which can be spotted at Newcastle Beach, Bar Beach and Merewether. They’ve even been spotted in Newcastle Harbour.
The best spot though to see dolphins is to head north of Newcastle. Port Stephens is known as the dolphin capital of Australia, and you can take a dolphin watching cruise to see these friendly creatures up close. Moonshadow Cruises and Imagine Cruises run dolphin and whale watching cruises from Nelson Bay in Port Stephens.
Hunter Valley Wildlife Park
Address: Lomas Lane, Nulkaba, NSW
Cost: Yes
Website: Hunter Valley Wildlife Park
Hunter Valley Wildlife Park, located just outside Cessnock is part of Australian Wildlife Parks and offers the opportunity for visitors to get up close to both wild and domestic animals.
Housing a huge menagerie of Australian native, domestic farm, and exotic animals including giraffes, lions, zebras, American alligators, camels, monkeys, meerkats, koalas, kangaroos, lemurs, deer and more.
There’s interactive walk-through yards as well as shows and Keeper Talks. For more information, including tips on making the most of your visit, read the Newy with Kids review of Hunter Valley Wildlife Park.
Hunter Wetlands Centre
Address: 1 Wetlands Place, Shortland, NSW
Cost: Yes
Website: Hunter Wetlands Centre
There’s lots of opportunities to see different animals at the Hunter Wetlands Centre in Shortland and it changes with the seasons. Visit the Freckled Duck enclosure to see one the world’s rarest ducks or climb the Egret Tower for a birds eye view of the egrets that call this place home. Take a walk or bike ride around the site; book a tour or go canoeing.
Don’t miss the large tanks containing snakes, lizards, turtles and fish at the main entrance to the Centre. Friendly staff members often bring the reptiles out of their tank so the kids can touch them. Towards the back of the centre there is a great Discovery Playground. Kids can also try dipnetting. There’s Magpie Geese feeding daily as well as reptile talks which are usually held on weekends during the school term and daily during school holidays.
You can eat at the cafe, bring a picnic or use the BBQ facilities. For more information, including tips on making the most of your visit, read the Newy with Kids review of the Hunter Wetlands Centre.
Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters
Address: 2 Jessie Road, Anna Bay, NSW
Cost: Yes
Website: Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters
Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters is a unique interactive aquarium that allows visitors to experience ocean life and interact with the sharks and stingrays. Have a close encounter in the water with up to 190 Sharks and Rays.
As well as meeting the sharks and rays, you’ll also get to interact with them in their world by feeding them with special feeding sticks and patting them softly on their backs. For more information, including tips on making the most of your visit, read the Newy with Kids review of Irukandji Shark & Ray Encounters.
Myuna Bay Rest Area
For a fun family day out, head to Myuna Bay Rest Area, located on the western side of Lake Macquarie. There you can enjoy a play or picnic at a lakeside playground, swim in the lake and go for a walk and spot turtles too.
The outlet canal is a great place to spot turtles, rays and birdlife. For more information, including tips on making the most of your visit, read the Newy with Kids review of Myuna Bay Rest Area.
Oakvale Wildlife Park
Address: 3 Oakvale Drive, Salt Ash, NSW
Cost: Yes
Website: Oakvale Wildlife Park
Enjoy a fun family day out with your kids at Oakvale Wildlife Park & Splash Bay in Port Stephens. Set on 25 acres at Salt Ash, Oakvale Wildlife Park is home to Australian natives, domestic farm and exotic animals such as koalas, kangaroos, Tasmanian devils, goats, sheep, rabbits, alligators and ostriches.
Kids can feed free-ranging animals such as kangaroos and goats, bottle-feed baby farm animals and go for a tractor trailer ride around the farm. Schedule your day around the daily talks about koalas, Tasmanian devil and cassowary as well as a reptile show. For more information, including tips on making the most of your visit, read the Newy with Kids review of Oakvale Wildlife Park.
Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
Address: 562 Gan Gan Rd, One Mile NSW
Cost: Yes
Website: Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary
Learn about koala conservation by visiting the Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary. This facility supports the long-term rehabilitation and preservation of koalas. This joint venture between Port Stephens Council and Port Stephens Koalas is a place where people can visit and observe sick, injured and orphaned koalas receiving care.
The Sanctuary features a Story Walk. This is a 250-metre long pathway that tells the story through larger than life sculptures and signs about “Kasey”, a locally rescued koala who was nursed back to health. You can also see who is at the Koala Hospital. Visitors can look through a purpose-built viewing window as veterinary staff care for sick and injured koalas (depending on treatment times). Read our review of Port Stephens Koala Sanctuary to find out more
Tilligerry Habitat
Address: 2E King Albert Avenue, Tanilba Bay, NSW
Cost: No
Website: Tilligerry Habitat
Another spot to see This foreshore reserve in Port Stephens is a favourite feeding and resting spot for local koalas. The Tilligerry Habitat is a community based Ecotourism Information Centre which organises guided walks including koala spotting and a range of other eco activities. For more information, including tips on making the most of your visit, read the Newy with Kids review of Tilligerry Habitat.
Whale watching
From June to November get ready to spot whales off the NSW coast as 20,000 humpback whales are expected to travel past Newcastle, Lake Macquarie and Port Stephens on their annual migration.
Watching the whale migration from land is a fun and free outdoor activity to do, especially with kids. Look for the telltale blows of water and the flash of black and white as they splash the water with their fins. Here’s our guide to best spots for whale watching in the region.
To get up close to whales, head out on one of the local whale watching tours. CoastXP runs whale watching cruises from its base in Honeysuckle. It’s a fun family-friendly tour that explores the coast of Newcastle and gets you close to migrating whales. Also leaving from Honeysuckle is Nova Cruises which feature vessels with indoor and outdoor areas. Moonshadow Cruises and Imagine Cruises run whale watching cruises from Nelson Bay in Port Stephens.
Featured image: Hunter Valley Wildlife Park