Sydney Wildlife World opens

More than 6000 creatures will arrive on the shores of Sydney Harbour in one of the biggest movements of native animals in Australia’s history.

Opening today, the two-storey wildlife park on the western edge of the CBD will feature a one-kilometre walkway snaking through an area of more than 7000 square metres.

More than 1000 species of animals will be on show at any time. The animals have been collected from a number of wildlife parks, zoos and animals refuges across the country.

The largest, a two-metre cassowary, will make the trip south from the Rockhampton Botanical Gardens in Queensland to enjoy the million-dollar view at its new home.

Joining other scaly creatures in the reptile house will be an inland taipan from Alice Springs.

The first animals moving in, though, will be among the park’s more unusual, such as the giant rhinoceros cockroach, the world’s largest home invader.

“We will move all the insects in first because they are easiest”, a Sydney Wildlife World spokeswoman said.

“Then the other animals will be introduced.

“We will give them plenty of time to settle into their home before the public can come to see them.”

Larger animals, including swamp and bridle nail-tail wallabies, will be housed under and open-air mesh roof that allows enclosures to experience natural conditions.

For creatures that feed and forage at night a specially designed nocturnal house is being built.

Sydney Wildlife World has designed sound and light-controlled enclosures to combat noise pressures on the animals generated by traffic on the nearby Western Distributor as well as firework displays and festivals in Darling Harbour.