The Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary was formerly the Macadamia Castle, entertaining families since 1975. It’s now owned and operated by the Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital, a not for profit who invest every dollar spent at the Sanctuary into conservation, rehabilitation and the future of Australian wildlife.
This iconic venue is home to a range of animals, from kangaroos and koalas, to farmyard goats, a bird aviary, a baby chick house and a reptile display. There are heaps of free Keeper Talks and Animal Encounters, ranging from farmyard feeding and rabbit petting, to the Owl Experience (paid) where Socrates the barn owl lands on your gloved hand. They also have an extensive school holiday program, where kids can become a Keeper for a Day. If you live close by, their Puggles Playgroup runs during the term for children under the age of 5 and includes entry to the Sanctuary for just $10.
Firstly, let’s be clear – the Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is very new and can not be compared to the long running and well established Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary. The Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary is run by a dedicated crew of staff on a shoe-string budget, putting as much funds as possible back in to supporting the Byron Bay Wildlife Hospital. Don’t expect shiny and dazzling, but see it as an opportunity to get really up close and personal with the animals while contributing financially to a great cause.
The benefits of a smaller sanctuary are the personal encounters that are possible. They hold a daily Free Flight Bird show, and instead of hundreds packed into an amphitheatre, there were 15 of us across 4 rows of seats in the lakeside amphitheatre. The birds flew, walked and sat right in front of us, and we could speak directly to the presenter with any questions. Daily farmyard feeding saw us feeding the goats for free (you can pay $3 for a bag of feed if you are not there at the right time) and chatting with their keeper – the fences are so low one of the goats actually jumped out he was so excited, and sent the keeper running to catch him! Rabbit petting is a fun highlight particularly for Queenslanders, and again is included in the entry price.
The Sanctuary also has a small playground, splash pad and an 18-hole mini golf course. This is all located together in one part of the park, and I can see the Sanctuary would really shine in its best light in summertime! We visited in Winter, so the splash pad was closed, but in summertime to be able to use the playground, splash pad and mini golf is definitely an added bonus. They even have BBQs and you are welcome to bring your own picnic with you. There is also a cafe onsite where you can sit indoors and enjoy a bite to eat, an ice cream or of course, macadamias!
My best tip is to look at the program of events and time your visit with the encounters you want to do. We arrived at 11am and were at the Sanctuary until about 1pm, joining in the Farmyard feeding and Free Flight Birds show.
Need to know:
Location: 419 Hinterland Way, Knockrow, NSW
Website: https://byronbaywildlifesanctuary.com.au/
Prices (as at June 2024):
| Adult | $ 29.5 |
| Junior | $ 19 |
| Senior | $ 25 |
| Concession | $ 22 |
| Family (2 Adult + 2 Junior) | $ 90 |
