 LOCATION:
Bradleys Head Road
, P.O.Box 20
, Mosman, Sydney, NSW 2088
, Australia
Phone: 0061-2-9969-2777
Fax: 9978-4613
URL: http://www.zoo.nsw.gov.au/
 KEY WORDS:
Mixed species, aviary, immersion, naturalistic habitat
 ANIMALS:
| Family: | Species: | Common Name: | Capacity: |
| Alisterus scapularis | King Parrot | 2.0.0 |
| Bettongia penillata | Brush-tailed Bettong | 1.0 |
| Burhinus grallarius | Bush Stone-curlew | 1.1.0 |
| Callocephalon fimbriatum | Gang-Gang Cockatoo | 1.1.0 |
| Calyptorhynchus funereus | Yellow-tail Black Cockatoo | 1.1.0 |
| Calyptorhynchus lathami | Glossy Black Cockatoo | 1.1.0 |
| Chelodina longicollis | Eastern Snake-necked Turtle | 0.0.10 |
| Dacelo novaeguineae | Kookaburra | 0.0.4 |
| Egernia cunninghami | Cunningham Skink | 0.0.8 |
| Egernia major | Land Mullet | 0.1.0 |
| Geopelia striata placida | Peaceful Dove | |
| Glossopsitta pusilla | Little Lorikeet | 5.5.0 |
| Halcyon sanctus | Sacred Kingfisher | 0.0.2 |
| Lichenostomus melanops | Yellow-tufted Honeyeater | 1.0.0 |
| Macropus parma | Parma wallaby | 1.1.0 |
| Malurus lamberti lamberti | Variegated Fairy-wren | 0.0.3 |
| Morelia spilota | Diamond Python | 1.1.0 |
| Morelia spilota varigata | Carpet Python | 1.1.0 |
| Neochmia temporalis | Red-Browed Finch | 0.0.30 |
| Ornithorhynchus anatinus | Platypus | 1.2.0 |
| Petrogale penicillata | Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby | 1.2.0 |
| Phalacrocorax melanoleucos | Little Pied Cormorant | 0.0.3 |
| Phyisignathus lesueurii lesueurii | Eastern Water Dragon | 3.1.0 |
| Pitta versicolor | Noisy Pitta | 0.1.0 |
| Platycercus eximius | Eastern Rosella | 0.5.0 |
| Plectorhyncha lanceolata | Striped Honeyeater | 2.0.0 |
| Pogona barbata | Coastal Bearded Dragon | 2.0.0 |
| Psephotus haematonotus | Red Rumped Parrot | 2.2.0 |
| Ptilinopus regina | Rose-crowned Fruit Dover | 0.30 |
| Ptilonorhychus violaceus | Satin Bowerbird | 1.1.0 |
| Rhipidura leucophrys | Willie Wagtail | 1.0 |
| Sphecotheres viridis | Figbird | 1.2.0 |
| Stagonopleura guttata | Diamond Firetail Finch | 0.0.15 |
| Tachyglossus aculeatus | Short-beaked Echidna | 0.0.1 |
| Tiliqua scincoides scincoides | Eastern Blue-tongued Lizard | 0.0.15 |
| Trichoglossus haematodus | Rainbow Lorikeet | 0.2.0 |
| Xanthomyza phrygia | Regent Honeyeater | 5.0.0 |
| Zosterops lateralis | Silvereye | 0.0.5 |
 DESCRIPTION:
The Streets 'Creatures of the Wollemi' display is one of the most ambitious ever presented by Taronga Zoo. The "Creatures of the Wollemi" focuses on the unique flora and fauna of Australian east coast sandstone escarpments. It was designed to display the animals and plants found in that region. The exhibit utilizes an existing sandstone shelf which was complemented by the addition of considerable mock rock features including fern clad waterfall, cascading pools and a central stream that meanders its way through the exhibit and terminates in reed-filled billabongs. Taronga Zoo staff faced many challenges in creating this ground-breaking new display on the site of its old monkey displays, above the historic Elephant Temple. Its development required extensive coordination with and cooperation between the Taronga's curators and keepers, horticultural staff, the Assets Management team, designers, architects and the construction firm as well as many external organisations including the NPWS, The Royal Botanic Gardens and sponsor, Streets.
The entry of the exhibit features a group of the recently discovered Wollemi Pines. (The Wollemi Pine was discovered by a National Parks officer, David Noble, in 1994 in a deep canyon within the Wollemi National Park, approximately 100 kilometers from Sydney.) After viewing the Wollemi Pines, visitors enter the walk-through habitat enclosed by an 80x15 meter aviary and embark on a typical "bush walk " experience. They will follow an undulating 75 metre-long path through Streets 'Creatures of the Wollemi' walking beside ponds for Platypus, past waterfalls and across wooden bridges. The visitor is taken on a journey through warm temperate rainforest, open woodland and heath communities, surrounded by a myriad of birds, monotremes, marsupials, and reptiles, all of which simulate and give a sense of place to this representation of a special environment within the Wollemi National Park. Over 100 birds of 23 species are displayed. Many species are beginning to show reproductive activity. Butterflies are also being propagated for regular addition to the exhibit and are proving to be a popular addition to the facility. It is the first time that Taronga Zoo has tackled a facility holding multiple taxa on this scale. The results have been extremely pleasing. Currently mammals, birds, reptiles, amphibia and invertebrates are coexisting well and displaying a much greater range of behaviours than previously seen when housed in smaller, more traditional exhibits. In total over 200 specimens, representing over 40 species are housed in the exhibit. It is recognised internally that the true value of this exhibit is a holistic blend of flora, fauna and associated features.
 SIZE:
The exhibit is a walk-through facility, 70 m x 22 m, with a variable roof height, maximum of 12 m, average 8m . Space allocation in square meters:
| use | indoors | outdoors | total exhibit |
| accessible | total | accessible | total |
| animals | | | | | |
| visitors | | | | | |
| others | | | | | |
| total | | | | | 1,540 |
 COSTS:
AUS 3,850,000 including 9 % for design.
 OPENING DATE:
15 December 2000
 DESIGN:
Beginning: March 1999
- Exhibit and Landscape Design: Green and Dale Associates, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia
 CONSTRUCTION:
Beginning: November 1999
 LOCAL CONDITIONS:
 | | This is a climatic diagram for the closest weather station.
9 m altitude
17.6 °C mean annual temperature
1,134 mm mean annual precipitation |
 PLANTS:
Located outside the animal containment area, the Wollemi Pines are displayed at the exhibit entrance. Six pines are planted close together representing how they occur in the wild. The Wollemi pine is a member of the Araucariaceae family and appears to be a true living fossil, related to an extinct species of Araucariaceae found in the fossil record of southern Australia about 50 million years ago. To date, 45 mature trees have been discovered in three stands in the wild. The Wollemi Pine grows to over 40 meters in height with a trunk girth of approximately 1 meter. The tree has distinctive mature bark resembling Coco Pops and juvenile foliage which is bright lime green and in two rows. As the foliage matures these two rows twist to form four rows of opposite leaves. In situ, the trees are emergent above warm temperate rainforest growing in narrow canyons. The six specimens at Taronga Zoo are surrounded by warm temperate rainforest species found growing on basalt soils dominated by Coachwood, Sassafras, Soft Tree Fern, King Fern and intermixed with Sydney Peppermint.
The Wollemi exhibit is blended from wet sclerophyll forest at one end, through to open woodland at the other: plant material was used to simulate these environments. Full size trees were brought in to give an instant effect, with the horticultural component of over 3,000 specimens of 50 species, being utilised in and around the exhibit. Warm temperate rainforest is exhibited first. This area is characterised by ground ferns, epiphytes, glossy green leaves, moss covered logs and tree terns. The canopy of Coachwood and Sassafras gives way to Sydney Blue Gum (Eucalyptus saligna), Blueberry Ash (Eleocarpus reticulatus), Black Wattle (Callicoma serratifolia), Turpentine (Syncarpia glomulefera) and Lilly Pilly (Acmena smithii). These species are representative of warm temperate rainforest grown in sandstone soils and were selected based on availability and size requirements to assist in the provision of an instant effect. Features in this area include abundant water via waterfalls, pools and streams. As the visitor moves through the exhibit the rainforest feel gives way to a dry woodland feel. Characteristics of the area include vegetation with hard spiny leaves, tough and leathery leaves and hard woody fruits. Ferns are no longer present and have been replaced by grasses. The tree canopy will remain open, keeping the area sunnier and drier. Tree species present include Scribbly Gum (Eucalyptus haemastoma), Sydney Red Dum (Angophora costata), and Sydney Peppermint (Eucalyptus piperita). Shrubs include Hair-pin Banksia (Banksia spinulosa), Sunshine Wattle (Acacia terminalis), Native Holly (Oxylobium ulicifolium), Needlebush Hakea (Hakea sericea) and White Dogwood (Ozothamus diosmifolium). The ground layer includes Kangaroo Grass (Themeda australis), Spiny-headed Matrush Lomandra longifolia), Grass Tree (Xanthorrhoea arborea) and Tooth Daisy Bush (Olearia tomentosa). Features include still ponds and a dry creek bed. Above the sandstone ridge is the heath community. Characteristics include stem clasping leaves, very small leaves, woody fruit and a sparse tree layer. The heath area will become a low growing gnarled thicket with sparse eucalyptus becoming more mallee formed. The heath is made up of Heath Banksia (Banksia ericifolia), Scrub She-Oak (Allocasuarina distyla), Dwarf She-Oak (Allocasuarina nana), Broad-leaf Drumsticks (Isopogon anemonifolius), Coral Heath (Epacris microphylla), Native Fuchsia (Epacris longifolia) and Fringed Myrtle (Micromyrtus ciliata). The plant list specifies the Latin names of the plants used for this exhibit.
 FEATURES DEDICATED TO ANIMALS:
The exhibit simulates the natural habitat of the animals native to the sandstone escarpments which are characteristic of the Sydney region, focusing on the example of Wollemi National Park. Platypus are provided with a series of cascading pools. They have the option of burrowing in natural earth banks and using a system of artificial tunnels and burrows. Pool water is recycled through a sand filter system, linked to a temperature and pH monitor. Deep sand and leaf litter provide a substrate that allows the Echidna to engage in natural digging and there are 3 clay moulded artificial termite mounds in which food is placed. The creek is used regularly for swimming. Heat pads located in mock rocked boulders provide warm locations for lizards to use. Small mock rocked caves with floor heating provide exhibit shelter for rock wallabies. The vegetation is dedicated to all the animals, functioning as food, shelter, perching, locomotion and nesting material. (Our horticultural staff have great patience and persistence!)
 FEATURES DEDICATED TO KEEPERS:
Bird species destructive to plant material, such as cockatoos, are housed within a separate aviary inside the exhibit. Their exhibit wall contains large tube holders for placement of leaf browse. An irrigation system is installed. An off-view area is provided to separate animals temporarily - there are small dedicated areas for platypus, birds and wallabies.
 FEATURES DEDICATED TO VISITORS:
The exhibit has been constructed to give the feel that animals are not contained. Macropods and birds have free range throughout the exhibit area while other species such as platypus and echidna are contained by the stream bank and edge. With the exception of snakes, the reptiles free range and are encouraged to certain areas through the use of heat pads built into the mock rock. The exhibit is very much one of discovery and delight as visitors slowly discover the diversity of the collection - both flora and fauna. Sightings of Platypus in the pools and Brush-tailed Rock-wallabies perched on the rock outcrops encourage visitors to further explore the contents of the exhibit. The experience is carried beyond the exhibit exit to a National Park style picnic area. Natural mulches have been used as a ground cover and further planting of species representative of the greater Blue Mountains region. This assists in providing the feeling of the exhibit being larger than it is and softens the often abrupt disconnection of transition from one precinct to the next. Interpretation in the exhibit is kept to a minimum - it highlights that there are many ways of discovering the "hidden" richness of the native plants and animals in the bush, and this supports the "bush walk " experience.
 INTERPRETATION:
Interpetation has been designed to support the habitat experience , ie a bushwalk in the Wollemi Park. The creation of an immersive experience is vital to the exhibit's success as it must encourage and hold the visitors attention to allow exploration and discovery. Cast imprints of animal tracks and the Wollemi Pine fronds are incorporated in the walking track along with rock art designed to demonstrate Aboriginal links with the Blue Mountains region. All vertebrate species are identified. Other written interpretives are minimal to support the bushwalk experience and these provide simple messages about how our simple actions can benefit the environment.
 MANAGEMENT:
Success of this exhibit will be based on continuing interdepartmental collaboration to ensure that the design integrity is not only maintained but further enhanced. This will require a careful balance between horticultural and animal management.
 RESEARCH:
According to the Certificate issued to the Zoo staff has to record growth rates and growing conditions of the Wollemi Pines twice a year and report to the National Parks and Wildlife Service. An observation hut is situated on top of the slope next to the cockatoo aviary from where students observe animal behavior. In-house monitoring of visitor usage is ongoing to assist future design decisions.
 CONSERVATION:
Experiencing an animals behaviour totally surrounded by a naturalistic environment is the greatest educational tool for the preservation and conservation of natural areas like the Wollemi National Park. Taronga Zoo is a partner in the Birds Australia National Recovery Program for the Regent Honeyeater, undertaking the captive breeding component for this endangered species. Excavated sandstone was recycled in the construction.
 LOCAL RESOURCES:
All plant and animal species are native to the region. The exhibit utilises an existing sandstone shelf. Sandstone excavated for the exhibit was reused on the site. A sculptor and a Dharug aboriginal community representative and artist from the Wollemi National Park region was contracted. |
 |
| 35K | 60K |
| Eastern Snake-necked Turtle (14) |
| ©Fiby, 2001 |
 |
| 46K | 69K |
| Short-beaked echnida (15) |
| ©Fiby, 2001 |
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