Billabong Sanctuary facts for kids
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| Location | Nome, North Queensland, Australia |
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| Land area | 11 ha (27 acres) |
| Coordinates | 19°22′29″S 146°54′21″E / 19.3746767°S 146.9057894°E |
| No. of species | 100+ |
The Billabong Sanctuary is a fun wildlife park in Nome, Australia. It's about 17 kilometres (11 mi) south of Townsville in North Queensland. This special place covers 11-hectare (27-acre) (about 27 acres) and is home to many amazing Australian animals.
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Meet the Animals at Billabong
The sanctuary is a permanent home for over 100 different kinds of Australian animals. You can see cool mammals and reptiles here. Some of the animals you might meet include friendly kangaroos and wallabies. You can also spot sleepy koalas and unique wombats.
Don't forget the powerful crocodiles! There are also many beautiful birds, like colorful parrots and the amazing cassowaries.
Visiting Animals
There's a natural lake, called a billabong, right in the middle of the sanctuary. Many wild animals visit this lake throughout the year. Some even choose to have their babies and raise their young right here at the sanctuary!
Explore the Bush
Visitors can explore the 11-hectare (27-acre) of natural tropical bush. You can take a guided tour with an expert or explore on your own. It's a great way to see the animals in a natural setting.
Helping Animals: Breeding Programs
The Billabong Sanctuary works hard to help protect special Australian animals. They have important breeding programs for several species. These programs help make sure these animals have a future.
Some of the animals they help breed include:
- The southern cassowary, a large and colorful bird.
- The huge estuarine crocodile.
- The tiny northern bettong, a small marsupial.
- The cuddly common wombat.
- The famous koala.
- The unique nail-tail wallaby.
- The bright eclectus parrot.
- The sleek black-headed python.
- Since 2016, they've also been helping the Greater bilby, a cute desert animal.
Awards and Recognition
The Billabong Sanctuary has won several awards for its great work. These awards show how much they care about nature and tourism.
Some of their awards include:
- The North Queensland Tourism Awards for Eco-tourism in 2002 and 2006. This means they are great at tourism that helps the environment.
- The Townsville City Council Environmental Excellence Award in 1999. This award recognized their efforts to protect the environment.
