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Cairns Tropical Zoo (Closed) Cairns Tropical Zoo news

Discussion in 'Australia' started by Jabiru96, 6 Oct 2015.

  1. Jabiru96

    Jabiru96 Well-Known Member

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  2. Jabiru96

    Jabiru96 Well-Known Member

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  3. kiwimuzz

    kiwimuzz Well-Known Member

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    Cairns Tropical Zoo to close in 6 months

    Sad news in the local paper this morning. Cairns Tropical Zoo to close in 6 months as the land has been sold to developers.
    Sorry I can't post the link from my mobile. Article is on the Cairns post website cairnspost.com.au
    Animals to be relocated to other properties owned by the same family, Hartley's , abd birdworld in Kuranda.
     
  4. Jabiru96

    Jabiru96 Well-Known Member

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  5. kiwimuzz

    kiwimuzz Well-Known Member

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    Cairns Tropical Zoo to close 31 March 2016

    The following press release has been sent to all Cairns based tour desks with a bit more information about the closure of Cairns Tropical Zoo.

    Cairns Tropical Zoo - Press Release
    Cairns Tropical Zoo will close its doors to the public on Thursday 31st March 2016.
    The current owner has operated the business for over 35 years and she has reached that time in her life where she wishes to retire without the relentless stress of business ownership.

    Peter and Angela Freeman have managed Cairns Tropical Zoo for the last 16 years and welcome the opportunity to down size their workload and concentrate their energies on their own business, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures. They will continue to manage the two boutique wildlife parks located in Kuranda, trading as Kuranda Koala Gardens and Kuranda Birdworld, as well as the Zoo business until it's closure.

    When the zoo first opened in 1980, it was in a tranquil bushland setting. Thirty five years later the Zoo is now in the middle of suburbia and a source of aggravation for the nearby residents. The family considered redevelopment of the site into a modern zoo a few years ago but declined to proceed. Regrettably, the two land uses (residential housing and commercial wildlife park) are not a good neighbourly match.

    Taking numerous business and personal issues into account the family has decided to pick out the best of the Cairns Tropical Zoo product and relocate those animals and those experiences to the three sister parks and sell the land to a local developer.

    MMP Architects and La Spina Builders have been engaged to design and build new facilities and new wildlife enclosures at Hartley's Crocodile Adventures and Kuranda Koala Gardens. Construction is scheduled to commence early November 2015 and most should be completed by March 2016 in preparation for the next tourist season.

    From April next year, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures will be able to offer Koala holding opportunities for the first time. In addition, Hartley's visitors will be able to enjoy Wombat Encounters, new bird flights, more Big Croc Feeds, plus a new purpose built Reptile House to display the biggest and most dangerous of Australian snakes. Kuranda Koala Gardens will feature a greater range of Australian mammals and reptiles, and Birdworld will benefit from a significant boost in its bird collection. Wildlife surplus to our needs will be relocated to other zoos and parks through the zoo industry network.

    Regrettably, there will be some redundancies as we cannot re-employ everyone at the other parks as of April 2016. Over the next 6 months, the Zoo will work closely with the Zoological Association of Australasia to find replacements at other institutions. Everyone's employment will continue as normal until the end of March 2016, giving them plenty of time to consider their options.

    The closure on 31st March 2016 will be a sad day for the Zoo staff and many Cairns residents. Over the last 35 years, the Zoo has endured the Pilot strike, SARS, GFC,recessions, cyclones but unfortunately its time has come. The Zoo and its dedicated staff has survived many setbacks but it has reached that point in its life where it is time to be absorbed into the other three wildlife attractions owned by the family.

    Tourism is a tough gig, and the Freeman family are extremely grateful for the support and devotion of the Cairns tourism industry over the many years.

    From the tour desk perspective, the Zoo and its many product offerings including transfers and Zootastic5 will continue as usual up to 31st March 2016.

    Cairns Night Zoo will continue without change up to the 31st March 2016. After that date, Cairns Night Zoo will be offered as a pre-booked group only product at Hartley's Crocodile Adventures.

    Our marketing team will keep you informed with regular updates over the next five months concerning the new tourism experiences that will be on offer at Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, Kuranda Koala Gardens and Birdworld from April.

    Once again, thankyou for all your support and loyalty over the many years.
     
  6. Jabiru96

    Jabiru96 Well-Known Member

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    Cairns Tropical Zoo will officially close this Thursday:

    No Cookies | The Cairns Post

     
  7. kiwimuzz

    kiwimuzz Well-Known Member

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    The Cairns Tropical Zoo site is for sale or lease. It's been locked up for 2 years, but great location and it appears that the enclosures and buildings are untouched. A great opportunity for a zoo chatter with deep pockets to create a great zoo.
     
  8. kiwimuzz

    kiwimuzz Well-Known Member

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