Lion Park near Two Wells

K

Ker

New Member
Years and years ago, I remember going to a Lion park near Two Wells. It MIGHT have been Bullens. I also know it closed down, but can't remember when.

There were some rumours that when it closed (due to lack of money), the people running it just moved out, leaving the animals there. Is this true or just an urban legend? I've been searching google for it all afternoon and I can't find anything confirming it.

My dad was saying on the phone tonight that a lion there escaped and was killing farmers sheep. Is this another urban legend or true? Anyone know any links about this?
 
Maybe Ben could help you out with this one.

I could be wrong and I hope someone would know but I dont think there are any lion parks in Australia anymore, there used to be a few operating in the 70s?.
 
The Bullen's did have a few lion parks around the place, I know of two properties in sydney they opertaed as well as atleast one more in queensland. It may have been Bullens. There was also a lion safari at Raymond Terrace, we have a cup with a bachelor pride photo on it. I believe, but am not sre that this may have been a bullen's property as well. that was some time ago also.
 
Yep, Raymond Terrace Lion Safari was owned by Bullens.

The Ashton family (of circus fame) also had a couple of safari parks, the most notable at Bacchus Marsh in Victoria. In fact the pair of hippos now at Adelaide zoo was from there,
(purchased from Ashtons in 1975.) I'm sure they also had a safari park in Queensland somewhere.
 
Lion Parks

Yanchep WA - Bullens
Two Wells SA - Bullens
Rockbank Victoria - Bullens
Bacchus Marsh Victoria - Ashtons [later sold to Chris Cambridge from NZ]
Warragamba NSW - Bullens
Raymond Terrace NSW - Ashtons
Yatala Qld - Bullens
Springwood Qld - Ashtons [now the site of the Hyperdome Shopping Centre]
 
Thanks Steve, do you know of a sixth one owned by the Bullens, I was readin an article today that they had six lion parks - One of these might have been the Bullen's Animal World at wallacia.
 
It may have been. But Bullens also had:

Paraparaumu NZ

Henderson NZ

Also in New Zealand was:

Hamilton - Ratcliffe family [Whirling's Circus] in partnership with magician Theo de Leeuw.
 
For anyone that is interested changes in legilsation forced stafford Bullen to close most of his lion parks it was not that they were not popular "he just didn't like being told what to do" quote from Dynasties, ABC TV.
 
re lion park

my father had a long standing friendship with ashtons and i remember going to the bacchus Marsh lion park as a kid sadly i was too young to remember it in its hay day it closed sometime between 1985 and 1990 from memory i have tryed to find photos of the park but cant i do remember it seemed to go on forever its sad my childeren cant enjoy the plesures i did as a child:eek::eek::eek:
 
Bullens Lion Park

Yes, I remember the Lion park quite well. I remember there were some cubs born and a competition to name them. Ernie Sigley was the popular celeb at the time and hence one cub was names Yelgis (Sigley backwards). This would have been in the early 70's could have even been a tad earlier. I vaguely remember something about some lions being left at the park and some attacking sheep etc. The lions were quite starving. The park itself in its hey day was pretty good. I can remember some lions climbing onto a car in front of us, one had put its claws through the bonnet leaving several puncture holes. No one was harmed though. I am uncertain to when it actually closed, but I seem to remember being disappointed learning that it would close. We had many picnic days there. Some great memories of the park. Sorry I cant be more exact about times etc.
 
With 8 lion parks in Australia and 3 in New Zealand there must have been an awful lot of lions in the region! Where did they come from? Imported, or the result of large-scale breeding?
 
Lion Parks

I think some of the lions were bred in the parks, but there were other animals as well as lions, I cant remember what, but I do remember seeing different animals - these were segregated from the lions though. I also think that importing lions and other wild animals back then was not as difficult as today. Providing you obtained specific permits - this is why many circuses had several animals as well.
:)
 
Well, the Lion Park at Warragamba outside Sydney had drive-through tiger and brown bear areas, and Bullen's Animal World had a macaque drive-through. The popular fear was that the monkeys would break off your windscreen wipers. (I was more worried that some hoon would run over a monkey.)

My brother-in-law went out there one day; drove thru the lions, tigers, bears and monkeys with no probs. then got the door panel of the car kicked in (well, dented) by a pony on the way out. He was feeding it bread, and when he ran out of bread the pony resented it.........
 
Lion safaris in NZ

Neither the Henderson one nor the Paraparaumu one lasted for more than a year . They came in the 1980s and closed a few months after they were "established"

Orana Park was originally a Drive through Safari park , but they decided to turn it into a "open plains" style zoo , after a few close calls with public leaving their cars etc . It is still going strong .
 
I worked at the Two Wells Lion Park for about 12 months in 1974-1975 There was never any lion escapes as I also lived in Two Wells Just a myth The time I was there about 8 cubs were born and I hand rared all of them they were handle a lot they also bred a lot of donkeys camels goats sheep kangaroos emus the breeding program was very successful and other animals Great times inviting girls into the ute at feeding time while I threw meat in the back of the ute and they jumped on the bonnet and roof to get at the back for their food the expressions on their face say no more
 
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