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An Apollonaut travel guide
The place behind the visit.
A former poultry farm, a family of founders and a large collection of Australian animals offer several ways into the story of Featherdale.
On this page
From poultry farm to wildlife park
The 7-acre site in Doonside was bought in 1953 by Charles and Marjorie Wigg and run as a poultry farm. Their son-in-law, Bruce Kubbere, opened it as a wildlife park in 1972.
In 1975 the park was threatened by plans to rezone the area for public housing, a decision reversed by the Premier of New South Wales, Sir Robert Askin.
A park of Australian animals
Featherdale says around 50 koalas live across six habitat areas on its site, alongside kangaroos and wallabies, wombats, reptiles and a large number of native birds.
The park is accredited by the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia. It describes its own work in conservation and education on its website; this page does not add claims of its own.
Featherdale today
Featherdale was sold in 1996 and again in 2013, and it is now part of the Australian Wildlife Parks group. The park remembers Bruce Kubbere and his late wife, Margaret, as its founders.
This history belongs to the place and the people who shaped it. The History page offers a longer introduction, and the timeline gives a short route through selected milestones.
Read at the source
Sources & further reading
- Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park: About us
- Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park: Visit
- Wikipedia: Featherdale Wildlife Park
Links lead to the original publishers.
