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Fully Certified
Willowbank Wildlife Reserve
General Information
60 Hussey Road, Northwood,
Christchurch 8051
03 359 6226
Opening Times - Check before visiting as might change
Open Daily from 9:30am to 5:00pm. Closed Christmas Day.
(Children under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult.)
Kiwi Nocturnal House open from 10.30am daily.
Overview
"Willowbank is fun for all ages! The journey through Willowbank is an interactive and intimate journey, where visitors immerse themselves into the diverse and natural New Zealand environment. Many of the animals can be petted and will eat out of visitors’ hands! The first stop will be to see the very popular long-finned eels that gather hoping to be fed.
From here, you will wander through areas of wetlands and Canterbury plains in Wild New Zealand and meet a variety of introduced species to NZ including deer, wallabies, lemurs, gibbons, monkeys and parrots just to name a few. The path then leads you through Heritage New Zealand with a wide variety of ‘rare breed’ farm animals set in an area depicting colonial agricultural New Zealand early farming years. The farmyard is fun and interesting for all ages.
The final area of the reserve is Natural New Zealand; the home of New Zealand's big 5 - the kiwi, our bush parrot the kaka, the ancient tuatara, cheeky kea and very rare takahe. A unique experience with guaranteed kiwi viewing, no glass to hinder your view and kiwi are often only a few feet away in our nocturnal house which opens at 10:30 am daily. We also have an amazing cafe that serves both cabinet and à la carte meals along with a retail and gift shop - what more could you need!
Session Information: The Wildlife Park is open from 9:30am to 5pm. The park is split into three sections (loops) - Wild New Zealand, Heritage New Zealand and Natural New Zealand."
Notes for Cardholders
IMPORTANT: If you bring any animal with you, please let our staff know immediately upon arrival. Be aware of the hazards of animals along the route.
We are incredibly comfortable and experienced with having disabled patrons at Willowbank. If you are unsure about visiting and wish to have some reassurance on your visit, you are most welcome to contact the reserve so we can work with you to give you the best experience possible.
We are so eager to have you here that we offer you discounted rates:
Entry into the park: Hāpai Cardholders can enjoy 20% off the listed full adult, or full child, Day Entry price
Essential Companion offer: If you have the +1 icon on your Hāpai Access Card, then we would welcome a support person for free. If the support person is accompanying a child aged 0-5 years, then the standard preschool entry does not apply, and a Hāpai child Day Entry ticket must be purchased.
Annual Passes: Support persons are not able to gain free entry on adult or child annual passes. Hāpai cardholders who want an annual pass and require a support person should purchase a PlusOne membership.
We hope this means you can come to visit us at Willowbank!
Standing and Queuing
In weekends, public and school holidays, there can be queues for ticket entry in the mornings. Normally, these subside after lunch time so you may wish to plan your visit later in the day. Monday to Friday during term time is also a quieter time to visit.
Level Access
The park is happy to offer you a wheelchair for use if you cannot bring your own. This service is provided free of charge with a requirement that you are accompanied by an able-bodied companion who is fit enough to navigate the wheelchair and assist throughout your visit.
The entire centre is wheelchair-friendly, so if that is the case for you, then do not stress! You are catered for here.
Distances
The Willowbank pathways are made of a hard metal surface (no seal) and are wheelchair-friendly. However, the surface changes from grass, to gravel, to wooden panels with plastic netting overtop. As a result, we recommend all wheelchair users bring an able-bodied companion to help (additionally with gates and inclines). Some of the pathways are too steep to navigate easily.
We offer a mobility scooter for visitors requiring assistance. The fee for scooter hire is $10. To ensure availability, please book in advance by contacting admin@willowbank.co.nz
Urgent Toilet Access
There are two toilet spots. One is in the entry building which has separate male and female facilities. Both of these have an accessible toilet; these can get busy so be aware you may have to have patience if navigating through them in a wheelchair. There are also unisex toilets in the farm area, with one toilet having wheelchair access (this is a separate roomed toilet).
Disability Assist Dogs
We request your understanding and cooperation with our Health and Safety measures at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve:
Accreditation Required: Assistance dogs must be accredited by one of the following organizations:
Assistance Dogs New Zealand Trust
Blind Low Vision NZ
K9 Medical Detection New Zealand
Hearing Dogs NZ
NZ Epilepsy Assist Dog Trust
Mobility Dogs
Perfect Partners Assistance Dogs Trust
K9SEARCH Medical Detection NZ
Restrictions for Dogs in Training: Dogs in training are NOT permitted within the reserve, as dogs are a potential predator to birds.
Restricted Areas: Assistance dogs are not allowed in bird walk-through aviaries, which include:
Parrot Aviary
Kiwi House
Kea Aviary
Native Area
Dog Behavior & Lead Requirements: For the safety of animals and visitors, please keep your assistance dog on a short lead. Note that some animals may react unpredictably to the presence of dogs.
Pre-Booking & Documentation: Pre-booking is preferred to help staff prepare for your visit.
You must present registration, accreditation, and vaccination paperwork prior to entry.
The assistance dog must wear a visible, approved jacket at all times.
Owner Responsibilities: Owners are responsible for cleaning up any waste from their assistance dog.
These guidelines help ensure the safety and comfort of both wildlife and visitors.
As a safety precaution for our loose or free flight animals, we only allow aversion trained Disability Assist dogs onto our premises. Please note that dogs of any kind are not permitted into the Kea walk-through enclosure and the nocturnal house which houses the Kiwi birds to ensure the safety of our native birds.
IMPORTANT: If you bring any animal with you, please let our staff know immediately upon arrival. Be aware of the hazards of animals along the route.
Essential Companions
If you have the +1 icon on your Hāpai Access Card, then we would provide a support person entry ticket for free. If the card holder is a pre-schooler, the accompanying support person (+1) will be offered entry into the park for 20% off the child rate as pre-schoolers normally enter for free.
Difficulty Accessing Visual Information
There are multiple signs around the area displaying information about the feeding of the animals. If you are interested in this information, please ask a staff member for assistance and check with them about what is or is not allowed at Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.
Difficulty Accessing Audible Information
The majority of the information presented to you at Willowbank is visual, so you need not have a concern here.
Hidden Disabilities
We will do our best to help you if you have other access needs, and we are keen to learn. Help us to do better by sharing with us what might help you have a better experience at Willowbank.
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