6 things to do at Cleland Wildlife Park these school holidays

Pic­ture this: a misty, win­tery morn­ing in the Ade­laide Hills, birds chirp­ing, the kids hap­py and enter­tained, and a deli­cious hot coffee.

Now make it hap­pen with a vis­it to Cle­land Wildlife Park, 20 km up the freeway.

Strolling around the park you’ll meet some of the most icon­ic native species, like koalas, kan­ga­roos, wom­bats and din­goes – and they tend to be more active in winter.

There’s plen­ty to keep you and the kids busy with a trip to Cle­land this win­ter. Here are six of our top picks:

1. Self-guid­ed trails

To cel­e­brate the Tokyo Olympics, Cle­land has cre­at­ed an excit­ing self-guid­ed trail to dis­cov­er some of the spe­cial fea­tures that help our amaz­ing Aussie ani­mals move around their habitats.

Get active and have a go your­self. Pick up a trail map from the vis­i­tor infor­ma­tion counter.

2. Feed a koala

Cle­land might be famous for koala hugs, but a koala feed­ing tour is also a very spe­cial experience.

This recent­ly rein­tro­duced tour offers a unique oppor­tu­ni­ty to go behind the scenes and spend time with the koalas and assist with their dai­ly health checks. Book your tour before you go.

3. Pat a koala

Pat­ting a koala is one of Cleland’s most mem­o­rable experiences.

You can meet a koala every day of the week, and best of all, this expe­ri­ence is free with entry and book­ings are not required.

4. Meet the cockatoos

Vis­it the cock­a­too aviary and embark on a mem­o­rable expe­ri­ence with the res­i­dent cock­a­toos as they inter­act with you.

These birds have either been res­cued or hand-raised and have an affin­i­ty towards humans.

The staff at Cle­land love to share their sto­ries with vis­i­tors, and they love offer­ing you the chance to get up-close with the birds to get to know them bet­ter. Book this expe­ri­ence before you go.

5. Join the Junior Con­ser­va­tion Club

Cleland’s brand-new Junior Con­ser­va­tion Club is a great way for old­er kids to get a deep­er under­stand­ing of the issues cur­rent­ly fac­ing our environment.

Whether you become a mem­ber of the club or sim­ply attend one of the month­ly ses­sions, there is a wide vari­ety of expe­ri­ences and top­ics on offer to lure your tweens away from their screens.

6. Meet the keepers

There are a num­ber of pub­lic feed­ing ses­sions dur­ing the day that are includ­ed in your tick­et price, where keep­ers talk through what the ani­mals have been up to for the day.

Sound like fun? Rug up, head to the hills and explore Cle­land Wildlife Park this win­ter – and then warm up in front of the wood fire with lunch or a hot choco­late in the café.

Look­ing for oth­er ways to keep the kids enter­tained these school hol­i­days. Adelaide’s nation­al parks have it all – check out our sto­ry for inspi­ra­tion:5 things to do in Adelaide’s nation­al parks these school hol­i­days.