A Very Aussie Christmas At Featherdale

The most wonderful time of the year is here, and ellaslist favourite Featherdale is putting on a real festive show. Because let’s be honest, it doesn’t get much more ‘Aussie Christmas’ than Santa-style photos with a koala, and a curated playlist of festive favourites playing while you hand-feed kangaroos…

To soak it all up and get in the Christmas spirit, a trip to Featherdale with our 19-month old kangaroo-loving daughter was in order. Here’s how we got on…

Santa Photos With A Cute And Cuddly Twist

In case you missed it, traditional Santa photos have had to seriously adapt in accordance with COVID-19 regulations. That means maintaining social distance, no sitting on Santa’s lap and definitely no hugging. Not so much fun, right? Enter, Featherdale’s answer to Santa in a cute, cuddly and koala-shaped form. 

The Koala Encounter area has been bedecked with Christmas cheer and bows, and throughout December, visitors are able to meet the koalas up close and take a non-traditional but very memorable Koala Christmas photo home with them.

Now, my daughter is the queen of being unendingly enthusiastic about things until she’s there. The excitement at seeing the koalas quickly diminished as soon as it was our turn for a photo, but the staff were great at getting her to cooperate; making her laugh with cuddly koalas and ensuring the entire process was as fun as possible. Which leads me to…

Archer The Santa Koala

 

Archer the Santa Koala is a wonderful addition to the Christmassy Koala Encounter area, and he even takes letters to Santa! He’s available from Fridays to Sundays at 10:00am, 10:45am, 11:30pm, 1:00pm and 1:45pm. While Miss O seemed to prefer him from a distance (there’s no accounting for taste), Archer made a great effort to engage with every child there and sprinkle a further bit of Christmas magic on the occasion!

Gift-Giving Made Easy

 

With an animal-obsessed child in the house, I’m well aware that A) animal-themed Christmas gifts will be a sure-fire hit and that B) gifting an experience is a wonderful way to make up for the things that many kids missed out on in 2020.  

Featherdale’s range of gift ideas is a great way to ensure families get to spend some quality time together in 2021, all whilst having fun and learning about Australian wildlife. My top picks for gift ideas would be: 

• Annual Pass: Annual memberships include unlimited entry to both Featherdale and Mogo Wildlife Parks, a great range of discounts including 20% off animal encounters and gift shop purchases and, all children within a household get to join a family membership for FREE, regardless of the size of your family!
• Holiday Hamper: for only $135 for a family of 4, Featherdale’s new 2020 Holiday Hamper includes a single-day ticket to BOTH Featherdale Sydney and Mogo Wildlife Parks, bottled water for your group, toys for the kids and more!
• Zookeeper for a Day experience (school holiday program voucher):  For the child 8-13 years old who loves animals – there’s nothing better than becoming a Zookeeper for a Day at Featherdale!
• Personal Animal Encounters: whether it’s with the penguins, lorikeets, quokkas or koalas, a personal animal encounter is the perfect Christmas treat, the memories of which will last a lifetime! These special encounters are for guests aged 10 and above. Guests 10-16 must be accompanied by paying adult.

Featherdale Favourites With A Festive Flourish

 

While Featherdale has really amped up its festive factor, there’s still plenty of room to enjoy all of the things that you know and love about the local icon. Hand-feeding kangaroos, getting up-close to the farmyard animals (a huge hit for our little lady—she’s barely stopped moo’ing since), and soaking up the unique experience of being surrounded by so many of Australia’s most iconic wildlife species were our highlights, and the Christmas cheer was the cherry on top. 

Even More Xmas Fun

Hottest Gifts For Kids This Christmas 2020
Of The Best Christmas Gifts That Give Back In 2020
Where To Buy A Real Christmas Tree Near Sydney

Have you signed up to our newsletter? Join ellaslist to get the best family and kid-friendly events, venues, classes and things to do NEAR YOU!