The Extinction Trail at the National Zoo & Aquarium is an attraction in itself. Photo: National Zoo.
With the completion of an exciting extension to its playground and recent dinosaur installations on its Extinction Trail, the National Zoo & Aquarium has upped the ante ahead of the festive holiday season.
A continuation of the zoo’s popular Adventure Land play area, the extension presents another nature-themed opportunity for children to engage with wildlife outside the general zoo experience.
Located at the southern end of the zoo, it incorporates impressive fibreglass animals for kids to interact with, as well as a fenced-off Puggle Play area for children under two.
“This is a great area for tots to run around and engage with different activities,” General Manager Renee Nasserpour says.
“It gives parents peace of mind that their little ones can be part of the action without getting bowled over by enthusiastic older children.”
The wildlife theme continues with a bespoke trampoline system of eight bouncers in the formation of a snake, allowing children to jump seamlessly from one to the next down its body.
Central to the extension is a large, ramped and accessible play structure with multiple rope activities and slides. The area is fully ramped and accessible.
“We see our spaces being absolutely loved by all our visitors of different ages and abilities, and want to always continue that,” Renee says.
The new equipment was designed and built in-house to be an extension of children’s exploration of the natural world. This meets the zoo’s impetus to foster their investment in the natural world.
“We know children develop through play, so our play areas are something we’re really quite passionate about,” Renee says.
“In every activity we devise for children, we think, ‘How we can engage their imaginations in a way that sparks curiosity about nature, conservation and wildlife?'”
This was also the thinking behind additions to the Extinction Trail that was already a roaring success.
Halfway along the path between the old section and the ‘open range’ section of the zoo, animatronic dinosaurs are rigged with motion sensors to come to life with sound and movement.
They lurk around a beautiful gully-like landscape, complete with water features and ancient plant species, as well as other extinct creatures such as the dodo and Tassie tiger, with more to come soon.
“This is not only another learning opportunity for kids to engage with – it is a visual, stimulating, sensory trail that’s become its own attraction within the zoo itself,” Renee says.
In fact, creating attractions within the attraction has become the zoo’s modus operandi. It’s why these days, a seasonal pass makes it a viable go-to daily alternative to your run-of-the-mill park.
Renee says members can, and regularly do, come multiple times a week instead of going to the playground, often limiting their visits to one section of the zoo.
“A membership takes the pressure off trying to cram everything the zoo has to offer into one single-day pass,” Renee says.
“You can pop in for an hour around nap times and visit just the aquarium, or another day, the playground, where you can visit just the rhinos or just the giraffes. With three different access points and so many activities to do, you really don’t have to try to fit it all into one day.
“Members also get early access to the zoo at 8:45 am – a full 45 minutes before it’s open to the general public. So in summer, when you want to beat the heat, you can be in, explore one section, and be out before the throngs arrive.”
Visit the National Zoo & Aquarium for more information.
Loading ...
