East Coast Natureworld is in Bicheno on the Tasmanian… east coast!  That makes sense, doesn’t it?  It also makes sense to include East Coast Natureworld in your itinerary when you’re touring around Tasmania.  Like many other wildlife parks in the state, it’s a brilliant experience.  You can get up close to the animals, learn a few things and if you’ve got kids… they’ll love it.

East Coast Natureworld is on the Tasman Highway just north of Bicheno

East Coast Natureworld: Wicked Wildlife Park

The grounds are pretty extensive.  You’ll need to allow plenty of time to cover everything on offer, especially if you’re walking (they do have a fun alternate form of transport for busy times).  If you’re staying in Bicheno, it’s only a 7km drive north towards St Helens (just past Douglas Apsley National Park) to reach East Coast Natureworld, which is open seven days from nine to five.

Take a fun tour of the East Coast Natureworld wildlife park

Always a favourite with the kids, the kangaroos seem to love the attention.  I think they watch as you leave reception to see if you’ve bought a bag of food!  A little gentle pat of the kangaroos is okay by the keepers, as long as you don’t intimidate or rough-house the animals too much.

Feeding the kangaroos at East Coast Natureworld, Bicheno Tasmania

Saving the Tasmanian Devils

Doing their bit to save Tassie Devils and raise awareness of their endangered status, East Coast Natureworld have established Devil World.  It’s a room with lots of interactive games and puzzles relating to the native Tasmanian animals.  It’s another great place in Tasmania to take kids where they can learn stuff in a fun environment.

Tasmanian Devil World at East Coast Natureworld, making learning fun!

Devil World even has a bar… of sorts!  A Poo Bar, actually.  Little drawers open to reveal the size, shape and colour of the poo of some of the animals found at the wildlife park.  What kid is not going to be impressed by that?

The Poo Bar! Check out the size, shape and colour of some animal poo!

To add to the experience, East Coast Natureworld have Old MacDonald’s Farm.  You can wander around the paddocks with pigs, chooks, horses, sheep and peacocks.  In addition to their native Tasmanian animals and conservation work, there’s a nocturnal house, bird aviaries, wallaby walk, beach walk, Coal Mine Heritage display and a playground.

A Pig in the Paddock at Old MacDonald's Farm, East Coast Natureworld

Native Tasmanian Animals… or not!

Some animals are just so adorable and cuddly-looking, you can’t help whip out the camera every time you see one.  You know what I’m talking about, don’t you?  A koala!  Although the marsupial is an Australian species, koalas are not actually native Tasmanian animals, so the only place you’re going to see one is at a wildlife park.

Koalas are not native Tasmanian animals, but they're very cute all the same!

And while theoretically you may happen upon a Tasmanian devil in the wild, the chances are slim.  At East Coast Natureworld, you can watch the keepers feed and interact with them at scheduled times throughout the day.  I was amazed that the manager even let the Tassie Devils lick egg from his fingers.  And without the slightest hint of fear in his eyes!

Tasmanian Devil licking egg from the fingers of his keeper!

My Favourite… Wombats!

Last but certainly not least, the wombats.  I don’t know what it is about wombats, but I find them so appealing.  They’re just so cute!  I asked if I could take one home, but of course, I wasn’t allowed to.  No surprises there, especially when the aim of East Coast Natureworld is to release creatures back into the wild.

These young wombats at East Coast Natureworld will be released back into the wild

I’ll just have to stick with my ever-growing collection of photos.  Nothing like a wildlife park to bring out my snap-happy side!

The writer and her family were guests of East Coast Natureworld
in Bicheno Tasmania.  Check out my previous article about birds,
with more images from the wildlife park still to come in the future.

Map: East Coast Natureworld, Bicheno Tasmania…

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