TERRI Irwin has announced plans to turn Australia Zoo into an international tourist mecca comparable to Disneyland. At a VIP breakfast at the zoo today, the widow of the late Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin said the zoo on Queensland's Sunshine Coast would be Irwin-owned well into the future as it expanded with a safari park and accommodation. There is also a lot of talk that there will be ride attractions included in the expansion.

I found a Newspaper report on it HERE . It explans in a little bit more detail about the plans. Although there doesen't seem to be anything about rides. So I don't know where you got your info Skeetafly, but hopefully rides/coasters are apart of this big expansion!! CoAsTeR TeeN

Edited March 20, 200818 yr by CoAsTeR TeeN

I remember reading an article before his (Steve Irwin) death, about an expansion/new park he wanted to build with rides. From memory he wanted it near Brisbane airport.

in some ways it expanding would take away from the feel of it being all about the animals but on a plus side i suppose that there would be more money and that would be better for the animals to get what they need i think it could be a good idea. but i would probably spend more time with the animals even if they build some rides.

it was on ninemsn that terri irwin got an offer from an american compay to make australia zoo into a themepark but she denined

Comparable to Disneyland? I really don't see how that works given that Disneyland is all about fantasy and FAKE and Australia Zoo is about real live animals. I also don't see how an attraction plus a hotel equals Disneyland. And apart from all that NO WHERE in the world is comparable to Disneyland, the original Disneyland will forever and always be a unique place may be replicated but never copied. Those that have been there will no the place has a certain feel and 'magic' about it that simply can't be duplicated.

I think the point Terri is getting at is not to recreate Disneyland, but rather raise the profile of Australia Zoo as a place people would hold similar aspirations to visit. Aussie Kid: I wanna go to America to visit Disneyland! American Kid: I wanna to to Australia to visit Australia zoo. Of course, that sounds like wishful thinking (As DJ said) and at the end of the day its just a zoo, which IMO is a format a bit harder to elevate. With a theme park, there is pretty much no limit to how good you could make an experience and how inventive you want to be...with a zoo, you can basically make the exhibits look nicer and that's about it. I don't think we will be seeing Snake Mountain, Steve Irwin Adventure: Temple of the forbidden eye, or "it's a wild world" any time soon. Really to me, it will be a glorified effort to go after the overseas market.

it was on ninemsn that terri irwin got an offer from an american compay to make australia zoo into a themepark but she denined

Can you give a link to that article?

Sounds really good for Australia Zoo. Im glad Terri has decided to hold onto the park, it just wouldnt be the same without her. I read the article in the GoldCoast Bulletin on Friday, I think it said they had or were planning to purchase an extra ~200sq.ha of land, to add to the already 50sq.ha. If she does build an accomodation and theme park there, the pull that it would bring from american alone, would be enormous. Think about it, Australia Zoo's located all around the world like disneyland. It really has the potential... Sure it wont be "magical" like Disneyland but themed rides to animals would go down so well.

Edited March 22, 200818 yr by Harrop

I think the point Terri is getting at is not to recreate Disneyland, but rather raise the profile of Australia Zoo as a place people would hold similar aspirations to visit. Aussie Kid: I wanna go to America to visit Disneyland! American Kid: I wanna to to Australia to visit Australia zoo. Of course, that sounds like wishful thinking (As DJ said) and at the end of the day its just a zoo, which IMO is a format a bit harder to elevate. With a theme park, there is pretty much no limit to how good you could make an experience and how inventive you want to be...with a zoo, you can basically make the exhibits look nicer and that's about it. I don't think we will be seeing Snake Mountain, Steve Irwin Adventure: Temple of the forbidden eye, or "it's a wild world" any time soon. Really to me, it will be a glorified effort to go after the overseas market. Can you give a link to that article?

I don't know where i got ninemsn from heres the link abc