{"id":2304,"date":"2016-08-28T22:18:42","date_gmt":"2016-08-28T12:18:42","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/gosciencekids.com\/?p=2304"},"modified":"2016-08-29T13:23:23","modified_gmt":"2016-08-29T03:23:23","slug":"visiting-wildlife-habitat-port-douglas-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/gosciencekids.com\/visiting-wildlife-habitat-port-douglas-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Visiting Wildlife Habitat Port Douglas with Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"

Heading to Port Douglas, in Australia’s Far North Queensland, with kids? The Wildlife Habitat is a fun excursion <\/a>idea, to incorporate animal biology<\/a> into your holiday. Well worth a visit, or three!<\/span><\/em><\/p>\n

\"Tips<\/p>\n

Wildlife Habitat<\/h2>\n

Open: Daily from 8.00am \u2013 5.00pm, except Christmas Day.<\/p>\n

Cost: Adults $34, Children (4-14 years) $17, Family $85. These prices are all for a 5 consecutive day pass. Click here for more information.<\/a><\/p>\n

Location: Port Douglas Rd, Port Douglas. Click here for map<\/a>. There’s plenty of free (but mostly uncovered) parking available out the front. There is also a shuttle bus service to and from Port Douglas for a small fee.<\/p>\n

Suitable for: Everyone! Mostly pram friendly (and you can hire strollers for a small fee).<\/p>\n

The best bits: The 5 day pass means you can come and go as you please. There’s distinct habitat regions, with loads of Australian native animals. Kids can interact with many of the animals.<\/p>\n

The worst bits: The koala section feels uninspired.<\/p>\n

Prices and information correct at time of publication.<\/span><\/p>\n

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Our Review<\/h2>\n

We visited Port Douglas in July 2014 when our kids were 1.5 and 4 years old. We returned again in September the following year, when they were 3 and 5 years old. The Wildlife Habitat was a highlight of both trips!<\/p>\n

The Wildlife Habitat only a few minutes drive out of Port Douglas, and the 5 day pass meant we could come and go as we please. This is so handy with little kids, as we could work around nap times, and keep each visit short and manageable. We tended to visit in the mornings, and then pop back to the hotel for lunch and nap \/ quiet time…<\/p>\n

The Wildlife Habitat is divided into four distinct North Queensland environments: the woodlands, wetlands, savannah and rainforest.<\/p>\n

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The Woodlands<\/h3>\n

The woodlands is the first (and smallest) environment that you encounter when you arrive at Wildlife Habitat. It’s like walking into a small aviary, full of richly-coloured small birds like budgies, finches and quails. It’s location makes it tempting to pass straight through, but if you stop a minute, the little birds are amazing! They’re so colourful, and they constantly hop about, twittering to each other…<\/p>\n

\"Birds\"<\/p>\n

The Wetlands<\/h3>\n

This is the next area that you encounter, and it’s very impressive. Stroll along a network of boardwalks over an enclosed wetlands habitat that’s full of wading birds, like spoonbills, foraging for fish.<\/p>\n

This habitat includes James and Jabby, the world’s only captive breeding pair of black-necked storks, and many of their offspring as well. There’s a tower you can climb to get a different view, and one morning we sat up in the tower for about an hour, just watching the storks tending the eggs in their huge nest.<\/p>\n

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Meet James and Jabby, the only two successfully breeding black-necked storks in the world. James (with the black eyes) is taking a turn to sit on their three eggs so Jabby (with the yellow eyes) can tend the nest and get some lunch. We’ve been watching them for almost an hour….. We even saw them mate, so hopefully there may be a fourth egg in a few days time… Ps if you’re planning to come to the Wildlife Habitat in Port Douglas, make sure to come early in your visit as your ticket is valid for reentry for 5 days. #zoo #zoology #gosciencekids #stork #learningisfun #nature #naturelovers #science<\/a><\/p>\n

A photo posted by Go Science Kids (@gosciencekids) on