Interacting with animals has the power to change someone’s life.

That’s according to Chad Staples, Managing Director of Australian Wildlife Parks, who recently visited the Hunter to relaunch an exciting location near Cessnock.

At the weekend, the Hunter Valley Zoo rebranded itself as Hunter Valley Wildlife Park. 

With the original staff and over 400 animals, the zoo is still the same place residents have come to know and love, it just has different owners.

“It’s really exciting, Jason Pearson (the former owner) built an incredible facility that’s been here in its current form for almost 15 years,” Chad said.

 “It is a beautiful place with amazing energy and what is most important for any of the parks that come under Australian Wildlife Parks is that it’s a beautiful spot that we can look at enhancing. 

“There is nothing that we desperately have to change, the animals are thriving here so we can just continue to make it better.”

The team has certainly stayed true to those words by creating three new animal encounters on top of the six already available.

For the full story, click here.  

ENTER TO WIN

Newcastle Weekly has one family pass to Hunter Valley Wildlife Park to give away.

To enter, email [email protected] with ’Wildlife Park’ in the subject field.

Tell us your name, full contact details (including best delivery address and mobile number) and your favourite animal. Entries close 9am Thursday 2 December 2021 and winner drawn same day. One entry per person. Entrants must be aged 18+.

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