Impressions of Gorge Wildlife Park
On a recent business trip to Adelaide, I found myself with a hire car, a free afternoon, and just enough time before my flight home to squeeze in a visit to the Gorge Wildlife Park. About 50 minutes from the city, the drive takes you out of the suburbs and into the rolling scenery of the Adelaide Hills, ending in the tiny township of Cudlee Creek. The park is tucked into the bottom of a gorge across from the River Torrens—a picturesque spot that suits its name perfectly.
Although not huge in size, the park makes clever use of its hillside setting, with mostly level paths cutting across the slope. It feels intimate without being cramped, and there’s plenty to see. Birds are a real strength of the collection (a personal win for me), but the variety across mammals and reptiles is impressive too.
The mammal line-up is largely native species, plus two very handsome camels—easily the largest residents. There’s also a good selection of primates, from marmosets through to spider monkeys, along with smaller exotics like capybara, mara, red-rumped agouti, and a serval (though I missed spotting it). The reptile collection is strong as well, with alligators, iguanas, snakes, turtles, and tortoises. And then there are the wild visitors—ibis, lorikeets, corellas, and ducks—drawn in by the abundant food on offer.
For me, the highlights were exotic. The park boasts almost a full set of exotic waterfowl species that are actually available in Australia: Canada Geese, Paradise Shelduck, Ruddy Shelduck, Mandarin Ducks (several pairs in different aviaries), New Zealand Scaup, and even a lone Egyptian Goose. Only Mute Swans are missing—which isn’t surprising given their rarity here.
Equally delightful were the free-ranging birds. I loved seeing Guinea Fowl, Red Jungle Fowl, Golden Pheasants, Raja and Mountain Shelduck, Magpie Geese, peafowl, and the Egyptian Goose wandering at will. The peafowl in particular seemed to enjoy hanging out around the alligator enclosures, strutting calmly just inches away from the reptiles! The farmyard added to the charm with beautifully marked Sebright and Belgian bantams, plus Archangel pigeons at liberty.
Among the primates, the rarest treat was the last group of White-fronted Capuchins in Australia (I counted seven), alongside the last two Japanese Macaques on the mainland and three Lar Gibbons. The macaques played hard to photograph, constantly turning their backs, but their enclosure—lushly planted with Asian greenery—was excellent. I was impressed by the use of wire tunnels linking enclosures, giving species like the capuchins access to more space. The spider monkeys, meanwhile, had a particularly spectacular exhibit: a huge, open-topped, plant-filled enclosure with views into their night quarters.
Another thoughtful detail: many bird aviaries and small primate enclosures don’t have stand-off barriers, which made photography much easier and created a sense of closeness with the animals.
As a zoo enthusiast, I can’t help imagining “what else” a park might add. At Gorge, that was surprisingly hard to answer. Personally, I’d love to see more pheasants (my soft spot), as only Goldens are on display currently and their aviaries would suit them beautifully. Larger hoof stock would be tricky in the terrain, but Barbary Sheep or Himalayan Tahr could thrive in the rocky spaces with the ostrich. A big cat—perhaps a leopard—would also make an exciting addition, especially if the current serval enclosure were expanded. They’ve kept black leopards in the past.
Overall, Gorge Wildlife Park exceeded my expectations. It offers a well-rounded collection with a balance of native species and rarities not often seen elsewhere in Australia. For zoo lovers, bird enthusiasts, or anyone keen to see something different, it’s absolutely worth the detour.
