Amazement Farm and Fun Park

What better way is there to spend a perfect Spring Day on the beautiful Central Coast than to visit ‘Amazement’ Farm and Fun Park, partnered with the Central Coast Zoo. We had heard so many great reports about this family friendly tourist attraction, and wanted to see for ourselves what was so ‘amazing’ about it. We were not disappointed.

We arrived at 10am and were greeted by zookeeper Jen, who kindly advised us how to organise our day, so that we would not miss any of the many fascinating activities taking place. Our first animal encounter was hosted by Zhen, a young zookeeper, very well versed in her furry subjects. Zhen proudly introduced us to a young Wombat named Hazel. As she cradled him in her arms, she quietly walked around the special Animal Encounter enclosure allowing visitors to gently stroke his surprisingly soft fur, whilst explaining his unique attributes. He loved every minute of the attention. Zhen then introduced us to a little Kangaroo joey Uno snuggled securely in his pouch. She explained how his large feet and toes will enable him to hop at extraordinary speeds when he matures, the children were in awe as they gently patted him. The final ‘encounter’ at this session were two tiny Sugar Gliders, who fitted easily into Zhen’s palms, nibbling on rolled oats. She described their special dietary requirements, and the types of flora they need to thrive. This session was very educational and for a nominal fee, visitors can have a photo taken with any one of these beautiful animals.

We prebooked three personal Animal Encounters, to save time waiting in the queue. The first of these was feeding the Little Penguins. These tiny flightless birds are the Parks newest attraction. They have their own enclosure with a large pool, nest boxes and shade cloth to meet all their creature comforts. Klara was delighted to meet them and offer them delicious sardines for morning tea, which they shyly accepted.

By this time, we needed morning tea ourselves and enjoyed a delicious barista coffee and snack at the well-stocked café. Hamburgers, hot chips, and pizzas were on offer, and could be enjoyed in comfortable undercover, or open-air seating. These areas overlooked the well-appointed children’s playground. This area also features multiple magical mazes, and we could hear the laughter of the children as they experienced wonderful adventures finding the exits. We opted to sit outside and were delighted to see two little Ponies being led past, off to be saddled up for their pony ride duties. After our coffee, we explored several lovely aviaries, and a purpose-built Koala enclosure where the inhabitants could climb to great heights in their natural trees. We visited the Llamas and Goats which happily cohabitated in well-appointed yards and shelters.

We were then off to our next Animal Encounters, Meerkats, and Marmoset monkeys. Jen introduced us to Caroline, a zookeeper with many years experience (I discovered we shared the same lecturer, Dr Mike Cannon, who lectured in our TAFE Zookeeping Certificates, ten years apart) It was a delight to listen to this passionate woman talk about the quirky personalities and requirements of these surprisingly feisty little animals. Caroline clearly loves her tiny charges. She had even taught them to run into their habitat when she rang a small dinner bell, where they were rewarded with extra treats. Sitting in the Meerkat enclosure, feeding them delectable mealworms, was the most treasured animal encounter I have ever experienced. From the Meerkats we ventured into the Marmoset monkey enclosure, and once again, with little respect for personal space, these tiny monkeys were hopping on our shoulders and heads, burrowing into our jackets and shirt collars, looking for yummy mealworms. Thank you, Caroline, it was an unforgettable encounter.

We were then off on our next adventure, which was the Maze Express, where we were taken on an enjoyable tour of the Central Coast Zoo habitats. The highlight for me was the pride of Lions and Lionesses, safely retired from their previous circus life, relaxing in their purpose-built enclosure. We saw many animals including Ostriches, Cassowary, Antelope, Aldabra Tortoise and areas where new enclosures are being developed.

On our return, we were enjoyed another scheduled Animal Encounter, one with reptiles, highlighting various Snakes and a beautiful native Blue Tongue Lizard with yellow patterning on his scales. We also met a juvenile Koala named Finn who happily demonstrated how to eat juicy eucalyptus leaves tips, whilst having his coat stroked by visitors.

Not only does this family run organisation care deeply for animal welfare, with wildlife rescue and breeding programs for endangered species, but in conjunction with Central Coast Zoo, it also runs the Amazement Pathways Program. Pathways is about empowering individuals with disabilities on the Central Coast. The Pathways aim is to create an environment where people with disabilities can grow their social, personal, and professional skills in a structured and supportive environment with the help of industry professionals. Participants must have Self-Managed or Plan-Managed funding through NDIS, be aged between 16 – 65 years, and have a keen interest in building skills in Animal Care, Café, or Landscaping/Gardening. No prior experience is necessary, everything is taught on the job. We met several participants during our visit, and they were happy, chatty, and very obviously enjoying their time at the Park and Zoo. What a great idea. More details available on pathways@amazement.com.au.

Well, 4.00 pm arrived very quickly, and we still had not seen all the exhibits or played with the giant ten pin bowling set or ventured into the mazes, we simply ran out of time. We highly recommend ‘Amazement’ Farm and Fun Park, partnered with the Central Coast Zoo as a fantastic, fun filled day out for the whole family. The exhibits and habitats were clean, the animals happy, and the grounds well maintained. Thank you to the friendly staff (especially Jen, Zhen and Caroline), who are knowledgeable, professional, and quite clearly, animal lovers. They enjoy their work, and are happy to share their knowledge, answering all our questions politely and thoroughly. What a wonderful organisation. We can’t wait to return.

Open 7 days 9.30am-4pm, last entry at 3pm.
www.amazement.com.au
170 Yarramalong Rd Wyong Creek NSW 2256

Story by Sharon Risdale