Crazy Crocodiles, Koalas, & Cassowaries in Cairns
What do you get when you cross a crocodile with a rooster? A croc-a-doodle-doo! hahaha Okay enough of the silly jokes... I was seriously dying to go to Hartley's Crocodile Adventures while I was in Cairns exploring the Great Barrier Reef. Why did I want to go see scary crocodiles? Because #1 Crocs are so totally Aussie and #2 Loads of Aussies have been telling me this is the best place to experience crazy crocs... up close and personal. From crocodile shows to crocodile boat rides in a lagoon full of the sharp toothed beasts... Hartley's did not disappoint. The highlight was riding in a small boat (it did have cages on the side) just a couple of feet away from the mammoth creatures! Of course you won't catch me in this post's pictures or videos cuddling with and crocs... you will see me cuddling with sweet koalas and feeding the world's deadliest bird, the cassowary.
According to their website, "Hartley’s Lagoon is at the front rank of this trend. Nowhere else is it possible for visitors to obtain such an intimate insight into the biology and behaviour of crocodiles. Nineteen crocs ranging in size from 2.5m to 5m cruise the waters, laze on the bank or build their nests, interacting with each other just as they would in the wild as well as keeping all the other residents of the lagoon on their toes!"
While at the crocodile park, be sure to take advantage of the timed feelings of the other animals. The keepers are incredibly knowledgable and friendly. I must admit... I have a ridiculous fear of snakes and couldn't stay at that end of the park for very long without chills going up my spine. Is it weird that the slithering snakes scared me more than the toothy crocs!?!
TripAdvisor has several half day and full day options available that involve pick-up from your hotel. That's the route I went rather than having to rent a car. It was perfect! The driver was super friendly and spoke at least a half dozen languages. It was cool to watch him in action. A big thanks to TripAdvisor for helping to make this post happen.