Cleland Conservation Park, Adelaide

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When in Adelaide the majority of visitors want to get up close to Australias local wild life..well at CLELAND WILDLIFE PARK this is the place where you can pat a Kangaroo or a koala..great photo opportunities to be photographed up close with all animals..There are daily keeper talks on various wildlife..There are Koala closeups and hands on..11.00 AM to 12 noon daily also at 2 00 PM till 4.00 PM daily..walk amongst many different kangaroo and wallaby species even rare rock wallabies..walk in bird aviaries..just walk slowly and quietly for best photo results..
open daily from 9.30AM till 5.00 PM except Xmas day..

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When in Adelaide the majority of visitors want to get up close to Australias local wild life..well here at the CLELAND WILDLIFE SANCTUARY this is a place where you can pat a Kangaroo or a koala..great photo opportunities to be photographed up close with all animals..There are daily keeper talks on various wildlife..There are Koala closeups and hands on..11.00 AM to 12 noon daily also at 2 00 PM till 4.00 PM daily..walk amongst many different kangaroo and wallaby species even rare rock wallabies..walk in bird aviaries..just walk slowly and quietly for best photo results..
open daily from 9.30AM till 5.00 PM except Xmas day..

One of my main objectives while in Oz was to get my hands on one of these cuddly critters. While most wildlife parks in Australia are eco-friendly and wise enough to not allow guests to get too up close and personal with the animals, I searched and searched until I found one with no such qualms…hurrah!!

These beautiful parkland's are situated just 12km from the city center and offer magnificent views of Mt Lofty and the scenic Waterfall Gully. Highlights are the new Ocean to Outback Interpretive Center which is an interactive journey through South Australia's diverse landscapes. There are daily animal feeding presentations, koala close up and handling sessions and 90 minute guided nocturnal wildlife tours.

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At Cleland Wildlife Park you will see different kind of Australian animals. There are Tasmnanian Devils, koala's, kangeroo's, dingo's, birds... If you want you can have a photo taken with holding a koala.

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I visited Cleland Wildlife Park a few days into my visit to Australia in April 2006. I was taken there by a couple of locals after telling them that I had never seen a kangaroo!

This wildlife park is located near Mount Lofty Summit, about a 20 minute drive from Adelaide, and is a great place to get up close to the native animals.

Upon entering the park, you can purchase bags of animal feed with which to feed the various animals in the park. You are free to wander around at your leisure and to get right up close to the animals. Having kangaroos, wallabies and emus eating from my hand is an experience that will live with me forever.

The animals that you can see at the park include:

Western Grey Kangaroos;
Yellow-footed Rock Wallabies;
Red Kangaroos;
Tasmanian Devils;
Dingoes;
Koalas;
Emus;
Potoroos;
Bandicoots;
Bettongs;
Cape Barren Geese;
Dama Wallabies;
Kangaroo Island Kangaroos;
Swamp Wallabies;
Wombats.

There is also an "Ocean to Outback" house which houses a selection of snakes, lizards, small mammals and insects.

At certain times of day you can watch the animals being fed (that is, those animals that you can't feed yourself). Feeding times are as follows:

Lorikeets: 12:30pm
Tasmanian Devils: 2:00pm
Dingoes: 2:30pm
Swamp aviary birds: 2:45pm
Pelicans/waterbirds: 3:00pm
Bush birds: 3:15pm
Snakes/reptiles: 1:30pm (Sundays only)

You can have your photograph taken while holding a koala for a cost of 12 AUD.

Opening times

Open daily (except Christmas Day) from 9:30am - 5pm. No entry after 4:30pm.

Entrance fees

Adults: 13.50 AUD
Concessions: 11 AUD
Children: 8 AUD
Family: 36.50 AUD

"Just 12 kilometres from Adelaide City centre, Cleland Conservation Park conserves a vital area of natural bushland on the Adelaide Hills face and includes the internationally popular Cleland Wildlife Park, the viewing platform of Mt Lofty Summit and scenic Waterfall Gully. The area has a rich history of Aboriginal occupation and European settlement.

Within its 1,000 hectares, Cleland Conservation Park offers visitors a variety of walking trails that provide fascinating insights into the diverse wildlife and cultural heritage of the area. Vegetation on the higher slopes is predominantly stringybark forest with a complex understorey of small trees and shrubs. The lower woodlands on the northern side of the Park contain significant stands of Blue Gum and Manna Gum which give way to open grasslands.

Cleland Wildlife Park is a must-see attraction and photo opportunity for visitors from all over the world. Here you come face-to-face and hands-on with Australia's unique wildlife and can join animal attendants on the animal feed runs from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm daily or discover the world of nocturnal animals on a guided nightwalk. Bookings (61 8) 8339 2444 are essential for the nightwalks. The Yurridla Trail, offers a chance to hear Aboriginal guides bring to life their Dreaming stories and explain the inseparable relationship between Aboriginal culture and Australian wildlife.

Picturesque Waterfall Gully offers visitors a variety of bushwalking opportunities, spectacular waterfalls and ideal picnic spots."

(Cleland website)

Driving from the city, take Glen Osmond Road to the South Eastern Freeway. Exit at Crafers and turn left at the roundabout. Follow Summit Road (Mt Lofty Scenic Route) to the Cleland turn-off.

Located at Mt Lofty, Cleland Wildlife Park gives visitors the opportunity to get up close with animals and marsupials that are renown in the Australian outback and wilderness.