Bens View on Sydney Wildlife World » Sydney Wildlife World

06-02-2007

in the business section of saturdays daily telegraph a report revealed that sydney wildlife world has failed to attract the projected number of visitors and consequently the share price of the sydney attractions group has fallen, as has their forecast profit.
one of the biggest shocks has been the low number of international tourists passing through the gates, although some good news is that aquarium attendance increased slightly.
go taronga

30-10-2007

in yesterdays daily telegraph fresh reports that Sydney Attractions group is still failing to attract enough visitors and is now urging shareholders to fight off interest from the Warners Entertainment group

21-01-2008

Perhaps because I went with a group on a tour that I did not enjoy it as much as I thought I would, but it still is a place with some promise. Some of the exhibits are very interesting and engaging while others are not as strong.

There were a few things which surprised me about the place.

They're open till 10pm but some sections close at 5pm, which makes the experience less rewarding.

The butterfly house is over two levels, with the second level a concreted area with vents, and not many butterflies.

I didn't really get the aviary, or maybe I wasn't able to experience all of it, but it seems to have been a tiny elevated area right next to the side of the net/cage. The lower level seems to only be experienced from the other side of glass.

There were many blank walls and corridors which really takes away from the overall experience.

I am disappointed that the venue isn't as great as it could have been.
It's an ackward site, but to have a new, specially built venue be lacking in so many ways is disappointing.
That money could have been spent on improving the aquarium, which in fact lost space due to the SWW.

And why SWW in an already overcrowded market?
Yes, it provides for a convenient attraction in the city, but really, for the money you spend going in I would rather spend a day at the zoo, where you still get to see a great heap of Aussie animals.

There's also Featherdale which is on the itinerary for group tours to the Blue Mountains and which still attracts a fair few people.

22-01-2008

Is Featherdale the park next to the amusement park, i visited that park about 10 years ago, on my way to the blue mountains on a bus tour?

22-01-2008

If you mean wonderland then no. That closed down and the Australian Wildlife Park (as it was called) closed down with it

22-01-2008

I visited the SWW back in May, and was impressed with it simply because I went in with low expectations. It doesn't come close to the great zoos of the world, but for a single building there are a number of species packed inside. The biggest question mark for me was the location, as Darling Harbour obviously has the aquarium next door...and then Taronga is just a ferry away. But with over 4 million in Sydney I suppose that the buildings figure that in the long-term they will survive.

22-01-2008

maybe they wont??? if it continues to lose money or not acheive growth share holders might start singing and dancing.

22-01-2008

Interestingly SWW has just dropped out of ARAZPA - cost cutting?

22-01-2008

not cost cutting? but given that SWW only holds a very select few managed species and of these some arent even engaged in breeding programs (you cant get many cassowary out of one casowary can you?) i dont think its much of a loss to ARAZPA