At Gorge Wildlife park at Cudlee Creek you can cuddle a koala i did they are so cute and cudly you can also feed all the animals its a really excellent day out.

I thought Gorge wildlfe park was a shocking place. Dirty, unkempt with miserable, cramped animals. Avoid at all costs. Private park run for profit. Animal welfare does not come into it.

I've been to Gorge Wildlife Park twice and didn't think it was at all 'shocking' and we loved being able to walk among the kangaroos and wallabies and be able to feed them. Its also FREE to cuddle a koala. Cleland is way too commercialised in my opinion.

We too have visited the Gorge Wildlife Park and found it a great day out. Will definatly be taking the kids there when we finally make the move

There are definitely two sides to the park. The free range Aussie wildlife which is great, and then the cooped up "exotic" animals. I would have to agree that the condition some of those poor animals are in is quite shocking (especially the bigger animals - the image of tha panther padding up and down what must have been a 4m long cage still remains with me). :angry: Very small cages, that don't look like they've been designed to benefit the animals mental health...

Cleland may be more commercialised, but at least the animals look well looked after and have a bit of freedom. :unsure:

Jackie want's to start a protest up there, but I think I've managed to persuade her to wait until we've got our little citizineship certificates first :doh:

Fully agree with The Merry's on this one. We actually went with the Merry family to The Gorge wildlife park (Cudlee Creek) last year and we all commented on the state/size of cages for the wild cats.
We actually went there to see Koala's, Kangaroos, Wombats and other Australian animals NOT "wild cats" and we wouldn't have missed them if they weren't there.
VERY DISTURBING!

We have also visited Cleland and although much more commercialised, the animals were better cared for. Yes you have to pay to have your photo taken with the Koala's but if it helps the park pay for better facilities for then SO WHAT!

If cuddling a Koala for FREE is how people choose to visit one wildlife park over another then in my opinion they need to consider if they are a person of good moral principles.

I won't be visiting The Gorge/Cudlee Creek again UNLESS I go with Jackie and help support her in her protest.

Deb

I would have to say I prefer Cleland every time having been to both more than once.
A lot more sense of space and freedom for the animals, although the Dingos and the Tas Devil seem a bit cramped.

At both places you can buy 'feed'. At Cleland it is a specific animal food, at Cudlee Creek it is Arnett biscuits - Rich tea or something. I just wonder how good this is for the animals, could be they are perfectly ok with it, but it didn't seem right.

The staff at both places seemed to care for the animals, and none looked in poor condition.