Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Location	28 Tomewin Street, Currumbin, Queensland, Australia
Built	1947 onwards
Queensland Heritage Register
Official name: Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Type	state heritage (landscape, built)
Designated	18 September 2009
Reference no.	602720
Significant period	1947 onwards
Significant components	watercourse – creek, aviary, animal enclosure/s, pens/cages, trees – remnant scrub, zoological garden, miniature tram/train, other – recreation/entertainment: component
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The Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is a famous animal park located at 28 Tomewin Street in Currumbin, Queensland, Australia. It first opened its doors in 1947. This special place is known around the world for its amazing daily feeding of wild rainbow lorikeets. These colourful birds fly in by the hundreds to enjoy a special treat!

The sanctuary was started by Alex Griffiths. He was a beekeeper and flower grower. He originally wanted to stop the lorikeets from eating his flowers. Over time, it grew into a huge tourist spot. It is now home to one of the biggest collections of Australian native animals. The sanctuary also has a fun miniature railway that started in 1964. There is also a wildlife hospital and newer areas like the Lost Valley, which opened in 2017.

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is important because it helped shape nature-based tourism in Queensland. It started as a small local bird feeding spot and became a world-famous attraction. It is one of the oldest tourist places still running on the Gold Coast. Many generations of Queenslanders love this sanctuary. It has been featured in tourism ads for a long time. People even supported it against building plans nearby in the 1950s. It was also part of Queensland’s 150th anniversary celebrations. The sanctuary is also strongly connected to Alex Griffiths' life work.

History of Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

The Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary began in 1947. It was started by Alex Griffiths. He was a beekeeper and grew flowers. He created a small tourist spot focused on feeding lorikeets. At first, it was informal, but it became very popular in the 1950s. By 1953, it was known as the Currumbin Bird Sanctuary.

Early Growth and International Fame

By the mid-1950s, it was a major attraction on the South Coast. Thousands of visitors came during holidays. Mr. Griffiths did not charge an entry fee. Instead, he accepted donations. He also became known for caring for injured wildlife. This was the first tourist place in the area to show animals in a natural setting.

In the 1950s, Mr. Griffiths bought more land to expand the sanctuary. He also used public areas nearby. In 1956, people, led by Mr. Griffiths, stopped a plan to mine sand near Flat Rock Creek. That same year, a photographer from National Geographic magazine, Paul Zahl, took pictures of the lorikeet feeding. This made the sanctuary famous around the world. By then, Mr. Griffiths was also looking after injured animals. He had a growing collection of native Australian animals.

Major Expansions and New Features

The sanctuary grew a lot in the 1960s. In 1964, Mr. Griffiths added a miniature railway. He also built a rock shop that showed minerals and jewellery. A butterfly display was added too. These new buildings had a special octagonal shape. Other buildings later used this same style. In 1968, he bought more land west of the Gold Coast Highway. This area became known as the Western Reserve. He planned to build aviaries, lagoons for waterbirds, and extend the railway there. A tunnel was built under the highway in 1974. This tunnel connected the original sanctuary to the new reserve.

By the early 1970s, the sanctuary had a snack bar (kiosk), a fern garden, the lorikeet-feeding area, the rock shop, aviaries, an aquarium, and play areas for kids. In 1972, a new three-story octagonal kiosk was finished. It had a large painting by Queensland artist Hugh Sawrey. That year, Mr. Griffiths started looking for an organisation to manage the sanctuary for the long term. He began talking with the National Trust of Queensland.

Gifting to the National Trust

In 1976, Mr. Griffiths officially gave the sanctuary to the National Trust. A special law, the Currumbin Bird Sanctuary Act 1976, was passed. This law allowed the land to be transferred. Mr. Griffiths' companies were closed in early 1977. This allowed the sanctuary to run as a business. The properties were officially transferred in March 1978. Mr. Griffiths was made the lifetime chairman of an advisory board. However, he later stepped down.

During the 1980s and 1990s, the National Trust made many changes. They added a children’s playground (1985–86). They also updated the Rainforest Aviary (1987) and built a Sub-Tropical Aviary (1988). Other additions included an education centre, a koala exhibit, a crocodile display, and aviaries for cockatoos and Tasmanian devils. A special garden called Flora Gully was created for rare plants. The Trust also updated the main office building and expanded the Kiosk.

In 1995, the Trust decided that Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary should be a leader in showing and protecting Australian animals and plants. The name was officially changed that year to reflect this goal. In 1996, the sanctuary had many visitors. This included 82,000 local people, 96,000 from other parts of Australia, and 340,000 international tourists.

Alex Griffiths passed away in 1998. He received many awards for his work. These included the Member of the Order of Australia in 1976 and an honorary doctorate from Griffith University in 1995. A local park was named after him in 1999.

The sanctuary's importance to the local area was noted in 1997. In 2009, it was added to the Queensland Heritage Register. This recognised its historical and cultural value.

Exploring Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

The Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary covers a large area. It includes 39.6 hectares of land that is heritage-listed. It also has 5.2 hectares of leased land along Flat Rock Creek and under the Gold Coast Highway. The heritage area includes the properties given to the National Trust in 1976.

The sanctuary has two main parts. There is the main sanctuary in Currumbin. This part is split by the Gold Coast Highway. There is also a separate property called Coolamon. This is about nine kilometres southwest in the Currumbin Valley. It is next to the Nicoll Scrub National Park.

Within the main sanctuary, only the buildings and features from Alex Griffiths’ time (before 1976) are considered historically important. These include parts of the miniature railway, the 1972 Kiosk building, the original Rock Shop and its annex (1964–65), the lorikeet-feeding area, early aviaries, and the tunnel built around 1974.

Entrance to the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, 20

Main Sanctuary Areas

The main sanctuary is close to the coast. It is less than 300 metres from the ocean. Unlike many parts of the Gold Coast, this area does not have tall buildings. The Gold Coast Highway and Tomewin Street cut through the sanctuary. It has four main sections:

• the original sanctuary site (south of Tomewin Street)
• reserve lands along Flat Rock Creek (leased from the Gold Coast City Council)
• a car park and picnic ground (north of Tomewin Street)
• the Western Reserve (west of the highway)

A tunnel under the highway connects the eastern and western parts of the main sanctuary.

East Side of the Highway

The eastern side of the sanctuary, south of Tomewin Street, is where you find the main entrance. This area has several important historical buildings. These include the Spirit of the Outback Store (which was the original Rock Shop, built 1964–65). There is also the three-story Kiosk building (1972). Parts of the miniature train line are here too. The Rainforest Pool Aviary (built before 1970) is also on this side. The lorikeet-feeding area has been a main attraction since the 1950s. It is still in its original spot.

The 1972 Kiosk has a cafe, meeting rooms, and offices. It still has its octagonal shape. It opens onto a large deck where you can watch the lorikeet feeding. The old Rock Shop and its annex are also nearby and are historically interesting.

A tunnel for people and the miniature railway was built around 1974. This tunnel connects the eastern area to the Western Reserve. Alex Griffiths lived in a house near here from 1971 to 1998. This house is within the heritage area, but the house itself is not considered historically important.

North of Tomewin Street

Northwest of Tomewin Street, there is a 1.6-hectare area. This part of the sanctuary has a car park. It also has a grassy picnic area with old trees. These trees include hoop pines and Moreton Bay figs.

Reserves and Tunnels

About 5.1 hectares of reserve land are along Flat Rock Creek. This area has lagoons that are home to many birds.

A concrete tunnel goes under the Gold Coast Highway. It connects the eastern part of the sanctuary to the Western Reserve. The miniature railway and a walking path use this tunnel.

Western Reserve

The Western Reserve is an 18.7-hectare area west of the Gold Coast Highway. It is part of the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. It has many popular tourist attractions. Only the parts of the miniature railway and early landscaping (like bridges and ponds) from Alex Griffiths’ time are considered historically important. Newer animal enclosures and play areas are not heritage-listed.

Coolamon Property

Coolamon is an 18-hectare property in Currumbin Valley. The Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary uses it to release rehabilitated wildlife. It used to be a public picnic area. The site has roads, fences, and parts of old visitor facilities. It is next to Nicoll Scrub National Park. It is also close to the border between Queensland and New South Wales.

Animals at Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary

The sanctuary is home to many different Australian animals and some from other parts of the world. Here are some of the animals you might see:

Alex Griffith's Aviary

Entrance Exhibits

Ngagan (Reptile) & Nocturnal Species Den

Chungurra (Pelican) Country

• Australian pelican

Forest Fringe Aviary

Garima (Conservation) Country

Garima (Conservation} Aviaries

Bubura (Bush) Country

Muni (Kangaroo) Country

Lost Valley

Scales & Tails Show

Land of the Parrots Aviary

• Apostlebird
• Buff-banded rail
• Princess parrot
• Superb parrot

Wild Skies Show

Tortoise Village

• Radiated tortoise

Outback Springs

• Central bearded dragon
• Crowned stick insect
• Cunningham’s skink
• Peppermint stick insect
• Shingleback

Other Species

• Kroombit tinker frog
• Rainbow lorikeet (wild roaming)

Frog Breeding and Conservation

In 2008, a special facility was built at the sanctuary. Its purpose was to breed frogs. Scientists focused on the critically endangered Kroombit tinker frog. In November 2020, it was thought that fewer than 200 of these frogs were left in the wild. They live in tropical rainforests at Kroombit Tops National Park. This park is about 70 km southwest of Gladstone. The biggest threats to these frogs are climate change, less habitat, and a disease called chytrid fungus.

In 2020, scientists at the sanctuary achieved a major breakthrough. They successfully bred the Kroombit tinker frog in captivity for the very first time! This gave great hope for saving the species from extinction. They had been trying since around 2000. The work could only properly begin when Currumbin offered its special facility. They managed to get their captive frogs to lay eggs. The first tadpole then turned into a frog in November 2020.

Heritage Listing and Awards

Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary was officially listed on the Queensland Heritage Register on September 18, 2009. This means it is recognised as an important historical site.

In 2009, during Queensland's Q150 celebrations, the Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary received an award. It was named one of the Q150 Icons of Queensland. This was for its important role as a special "location" in the state.