Author Archives: sheila_mushroom

We are proud as punch to announce the renewal of our accreditation with ZAA—the Zoo and Aquarium Association Australasia. This accreditation reflects our positive commitment to the highest standards of animal welfare. Members of ZAA are assessed every 3 years. In meeting the criteria for accreditation, our entire team strives to continuously improve the well-being […]

We want to share a success story made possible by the hard work of a dedicated team of both rangers and veterinary staff: Several weeks ago we noticed our male cassowary Troppo was limping, favouring his right leg. We started him on pain meds right away, and kept a close eye on him, but he […]

Now on display in the semi-arid desert area! This is a rare species of dwarf monitor found only the steep rocky terrain of the Hammersley Ranges in Western Australia. It has razor sharp teeth for munching on prey such as insects and small vertebrates. Look at that tail—it can be twice the length of the […]

Ellie earned a Master’s degree in Zoology from Leeds in the UK. She did field work over there studying bats, and is particularly interested in the ecological impacts of climate change. Here at Billabong Sanctuary Ellie is keen to gain experience working with all of our native Australian animals. She’s already started presenting some morning […]

Yes, Australia and Papua New Guinea are home to several species of amazing tree climbing kangaroos, like Dave, our beautiful Lumholtz’s tree kangaroo. This species occurs only in a small area of highland rainforest in tropical north Queensland, mostly on the Atherton Tablelands. Unfortunately, their survival is threatened by land clearing, which fragments their habitat. […]

Originally from Warnambool in Victoria, Bas has done extensive field research in behavioural ecology of Australian fur seals, diving birds and others, both here and in the UK. Working with captive animals is a new experience for him, and he looks forward to learning how their behaviour can contribute to conservation strategies for native animals […]

Starting this Friday March 29th, Roving Rangers return to entertain you during the school holidays! Who are Roving Rangers? They circulate among family groups with a friendly animal, pausing for a chat and a photo opportunity, We modify show times during school holidays to give individual families a more personal experience. You’ll meet some animals […]

They have just been released into their new outdoor den and are enjoying the north Queensland sunshine.   Only one and 2 years old respectively—they still have some growing to do. Lace monitors are the second largest lizard in Australia, reaching lengths of up to 2 metres!   While most are dark bluish grey with […]

Cameron recently re-located from Melbourne to take up his role at Billabong. He brings a wealth of business experience in running companies, staff & financial management, governance and compliance, customer service and strategic planning. However, he’s not one to just sit behind a desk – when he’s not doing paperwork, you’re likely to find him up a […]

Jay worked for years at wildlife and safari parks in South Africa, so has experience with a variety of wildlife, including big cats!  He does have a preference for reptiles, so hopes in time to work mainly with our scaly critters. A keen scuba diver, Jay moved to tropical Queensland to enroll at James Cook […]