Hartleys Crocodile Adventures, QUEENSLAND
Airing Date: Jul 26th, 2004
Hartley's Crocodile Adventures is located within the Wet Tropics World Heritage Area between Palm Cove and Port Douglas in Tropical North Queensland. This eco-adventure opened in July 2002 and is a world-class attraction, providing guests with an opportunity to experience and learn about the relationship between the animals in their natural environment.
Hartley's provides an innovative approach to viewing the wildlife in safety, with a series of timber boardwalks allowing guests to view the animals at close range.
A must do at Hartley's is the boat ride on the lagoon, home to 23 crocodiles. It's a unique tour which lasts around 25 minutes. Visitors board specially constructed boats to explore the natural habitat of the Australian Saltwater Crocodile and watch the tour guides feed the crocs from poles.
The crocs come right up to the boat and jump for their food. Because these crocs are cold blooded animals with a slow metabolism, one chicken will feed them for a week.
Visitors have a chance to actually touch a crocodile too, although only a baby one! Young crocodiles have to get to a certain age before you can tell which gender they are.
The crocs at Hartley's have all personalities and names. There's Scarface, named because he has a scar on the side of his face, and a croc called Popeye, after he got into fight with another croc and split his eye open. There's also a croc called Solly, named after the dog he ate!
Each day at 3pm guests can watch the Crocodile Attack Show. It features Yard the croc, who demonstrates the notorious death roll and head shake.
Yard got his name because he's only got three feet - and there are three feet to a yard. Guests will also see the huge crocodile being hand fed up close in the specially designed amphitheatre.
Apart from all the crocs, there are plenty of other, more friendly animals to check out, like the koalas and the birds in the aviary. You can even have your photo taken with a snake or have one of Australia's first digital crocodile 'cuddling' photos!
The facts
Hartley's Crocodile Adventures opens daily from 8.30am to 5.00pm. Admission for adults starts from $25.00 and $12.50 for children four to 15 years. A family pass costs from $62.50 (two adults and two children).
Entry includes the lagoon cruise, farm tour and Crocodile Attack Show.
Hartley's Crocodile Adventures
Tel: 07 4055 3576
Prices correct at 26/07/04
