8 Koala & Kangaroo Encounters in Cairns That Survive a Second Look

1.Kuranda Koala Gardens and Birdworld Admission Tickets

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 99 reviews · from $27Our pick

Visit Kuranda Koala Gardens and Birdworld on a self-guided wildlife outing. Feed kangaroos and wallabies under staff supervision, see wombats, quokkas, crocodiles, and rare nocturnal animals, then walk to a rainforest-style aviary with more than 80 bird species. Koala photos, bird food, meals, and transport cost extra.

“Loved the Koala Park and Bird world. However, I don't agree with having pictures taken with Koalas, they should be left alone. Some of the enclosures appeared too small for some of the other animals. A good place to visit and feeding the birds was a highlight, especially after a Macaw sat on my head!”

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2.Kuranda Koala Gardens General Entry Ticket

★★★★★★★★★★4.0 · 90 reviews · from $15Best value

Spend about an hour at Kuranda Koala Gardens, a compact wildlife park in the Kuranda Heritage Markets. You can see koalas, quokkas, wallabies, wombats, reptiles, and crocodiles, plus rare night animals such as bilbies and mahogany gliders. Koala photos and some animal encounters cost extra. Your ticket supports wildlife rehabilitation and habitat work.

“This was what I was looking forward to the most! We got to meet and pet Sebastian the Koala as well as pet a Kangaroo!”

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3.Kuranda Koala Gardens Park Entry

★★★★★★★★★★4.3 · 85 reviews · 1 day · from $15

Spend a day at Kuranda Koala Gardens in the Kuranda Heritage Markets, meeting koalas, wallabies, wombats, quokkas, gliders and freshwater crocodiles. Entry costs $15 per person. You can pay extra for a koala or python photo. The park is open from 9:30am to 4:00pm, with English-speaking staff and wheelchair access.

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4.Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures: Hartley’s Koala Breakfast

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 78 reviews · 1 day · from $56Top rated

Arrive at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures near Wangetti for a cooked breakfast beside the lagoon. From 9:00 to 9:30am, a keeper brings a koala to the deck for supervised patting, photos, and questions. Your ticket also covers the boat cruise, wildlife talks, crocodile feeding, and a full day in the park.

“Highly recommend breakfast with koalas and feeding the crocodiles”

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5.Cairns Koalas & Creatures at the Pier

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 75 reviews · from $15

At Cairns Koalas & Creatures, you’ll move through displays covering the Great Barrier Reef, rainforest, mangroves, Outback, and woodlands. Allow about 30 minutes for the visit. Admission costs $15.78 per person, while koala holding and souvenir photos cost extra. The venue is open daily from 9am to 5pm.

“Nice exhibits. Lots of information regarding the biodiversity of this region, really informative video regarding the geologic evolution of Australia and the rest of the world. Highlight of our visit was being able to hold a koala. For the welfare of the koalas, they only allow you a few seconds to hold the koala. Just as an FYI, there is an extra charge to hold the koala.”

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6.Cairns Koalas and Creatures Entry Ticket with Koala Photo

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 64 reviews · 1 day · from $39

Explore Australian habitats in central Cairns, from the Great Barrier Reef and rainforest to mangroves, outback, and woodland. You’ll see koalas, parrots, reptiles, aquariums, and terrariums, then receive a souvenir koala photo. The compact indoor setting suits families and short visits, but it is not a large outdoor sanctuary.

“Ganz furchtbar. Die Werbebilder haben nichts mit der Realität vor Ort zu tun. Wirkt wie ein winziger Zoo in einem Kaufhaus. Kaum mehr als zwei, drei winzige Aquarien, zwei Terrarien mit eingepferchten Vögeln und Schlangen, und dazu die - ja, sicherlich sehr süßen - Koalas abgesperrt in einem Mini-Bereich. Besser in ein echtes, weitläufiges Sanctuary im Freien gehen, von denen es etliche wirklich sehr schöne gibt in Australien, etwa in Brisbane.”

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7.Kuranda Wildlife Experience: Koalas, Birds & Butterflies

★★★★★★★★★★4.1 · 42 reviews · 1 day · from $43

Spend one day visiting Kuranda Koala Gardens, Birdworld Kuranda, and the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary. Feed kangaroos and wallabies, watch tropical birds fly through rainforest habitat, and walk beneath more than 1,500 butterflies. Ask about the sanctuary’s guided tour on arrival, and use Birdworld’s free bird-spotter guide to identify unusual species.

“There wasn’t as many animals as I expected there to be But was still a fun day for the kids”

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8.Friends in the Rainforest Package: Koala Gardens & Birdworld

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 34 reviews · 1 day · from $27

Spend one day at Kuranda Koala Gardens and Birdworld, meeting Australian animals and seeing more than 350 birds. Hand-feed parrots, wallabies, and kangaroos, then choose a koala or python photo. Entry is wheelchair accessible, but food, transport, and koala patting photos cost extra.

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