Australian Reptile Park

About

The Australian Reptile Park is a wildlife sanctuary park that is located in Somersby near Gosford on the Central Coast of New South Wales, Australia. The Park has one of the largest reptile collections in Australia, with close to 50 species on display. The wide variety of reptile species at the Park includes snakes, lizards (such as Komodo dragons), turtles, tortoises, tuataras, American alligators and crocodiles. The Australian Reptile Park is home to Ploddy The Dinosaur, an icon which can be seen when going north on the Pacific Motorway after crossing the Mooney Mooney Bridge. In addition, the Park features Australian mammals such as kangaroos, wallabies, koalas, Tasmanian devils, bare-nosed wombat, quokkas, echidnas, and dingoes. Australian birds featured include cassowaries. The park is heavily involved in snake and spider venom collection for use in the production of antivenom and is credited for saving the lives of thousands. It is an institutional member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association.

1949 – The Park's founder Eric Worrell starts building Ocean Beach Aquarium at Umina Beach.

1950 – Ocean Beach Aquarium opens to the public. The aquarium includes a variety of marine fish, juvenile crocodile and snake and lizard pits. Worrell begins his snake venom milking work to contribute to the anti-venom manufacturing by the Commonwealth Serum Laboratories.

1955 – Ocean Beach Aquarium contributes to production of first antivenom to taipan envenomation.

1958 – Worrell moves his animal collection to Wyoming, a northern suburb of Gosford, and changes its name to Eric Worrell's Australian Reptile Park.

1963 – "Ploddy" (originally named Dino), the dinosaur erected, the first of Australia's big things.

1970 – The Park begins providing funnel-web spider venom to Seqiris (formerly bioCSL) in the long process of developing an antivenom.

1985 – A management team, including future owners John and Robyn Weigel, is formed to steer the future of park, now named simply the Australian Reptile Park.

1989 – 4.7-metre-long saltwater crocodile is imported from the Northern Territory on a special jet freighter, and named "Eric" in honour of Worrell.

1992 – John and Robyn Weigel become principal owners of the business, and make the decision to relocate the Park.

1996 – A parade is held in Gosford celebrating the relocation of Ploddy the dinosaur to its new home. Over 15,000 well-wishers lined the streets and cheered as Ploddy was ceremoniously transported from Wyoming to her new home in Somersby.

1996 – The Australian Reptile Park relocates to Somersby, NSW at a site adjacent to Old Sydney Town, and reopens on 7 September.

2000 – Just past midnight on 17 July, most of the main park building was destroyed when a faulty electrical wiring caused a fire. Park staff helped fire crews, but ultimately, the building was lost along with most of the hundreds of reptiles and frogs that had been maintained in the building. With a lot of work from the staff, and support from the city and from other zoos around Australia, the zoo was able to re-open its doors on 9 September 2000, just over seven weeks after the fire.

2007 – A main attraction to the park, Eric the crocodile dies. He is replaced by Elvis, a 4.5 metre male saltwater crocodile.

2008 – Park Director, John Weigel, is awarded Member of the Order of Australia for his contribution to Australian Tourism and the production of snake and spider antivenoms.

2011 – John Weigel founds Devil Ark, a conservation breeding facility for the endangered Tasmanian devil in the Barrington Tops that is now part of the larger Aussie Ark.

2013 – The Australian Reptile Park remains the sole supplier of terrestrial snake and funnel-web spider venom to Seqiris for the nation's antivenom program. Over its 60-year history, it is estimated that the Park has assisted in saving close to 20,000 lives.

2013 – In July, more than twenty reptiles were stolen from the Park. Lizards, geckos, snakes and one alligator were taken. A pair of Solomon Islands skinks were recovered in August.

2015 – Australian Reptile Park Director, Tim Faulkner, is named "Conservationist of the Year" for 2015 by The Australian Geographic Society.

2016 – Tim Faulkner and Liz Gabriel named as co-directors alongside John and Robyn Weigel.