Hunter Valley Zoo at Nulkaba has been bought by private wildlife operator Australian Wildlife Parks.
Australian Wildlife Parks (AWP) consists of Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park and Mogo Wildlife Park on the NSW south coast. The addition of Hunter Valley Zoo, in a reported
$10M deal, will make AWP Australia’s largest private collection of animals.
Chief Executive Officer of Australian Wildlife Parks Tony Chiefari said the purchase would further strengthen NSW wildlife tourism.
We are thrilled with the opportunity to further drive growth to the NSW regional tourism industry with Hunter Valley Zoo’s reputation as a must-visit destination in the region,” Chiefari said.
All images @David Li Photography
“Similar to the strategy implemented at Mogo Wildlife Park, which has come off the back of its most impressive year despite bushfires and COVID restrictions, we will continue to build on our successful campaigns by establishing relationships with business, government and
industry, as well as engaging our loyal Australian Wildlife Parks membership base.”
Hunter Valley Zoo opened in 2007 and for the past 14 years has been a popular destination for tourists and locals.
The zoo expanded over time under the previous owner Jason Pearson. It was transformed from an Australian-only collection to now housing exotic species including primates, American alligators, white lions, wolves, meerkats and capybaras.
Zookeeper Chad Staples said he was excited to bring AWP’s ethos of “Animals Always Come First” to the Hunter.
“We look forward, together with the Hunter Valley Zoo team, to continue to deliver world-class care for the diverse collection of native and exotic species at the zoo including lions, alligators, giraffes and koalas,” Staples said.
Information source: Media release, July 18, Australian Wildlife Parks