Willowbank Wildlife Reserve

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Reviews

1. Austen Virr ★★★★☆

   Lovely kiwi enclosure which is the reason we went. They have a big dark room with several kiwi out and about as they think it’s the night. I loved seeing them. I also really liked the kia enclosure but I did feel bad for them since they are not as cheeky and inquisitive as those we met in the wild and that’s probably due to captivity. Unfortunately the park is overrun with rats, so you might get more animal encounters than you bargain for! I guess it’s from all the feed you can buy getting dropped around by people so it’s hard to contain, but we probably saw about 20 in our 2 hour visit.

   almost 2 months ago
2. Jack Xu ★★★★★

   There are many small animals. If you want to interact with them up close, remember to buy a few packs of food for them. Kids love it very much. The venue is clean and tidy. The little sister at the front desk is very enthusiastic and professional. Highly recommended.

   almost 2 months ago
3. Greg Yen ★★★★★

   Kiwis! You can actually get a chance to view some kiwis! The layout of the park, with it's pathways over and around the water is magically. They have a large assortment of animals and the opportunity to feed some of them! A great experience for people of all ages and abilities. If you're in Christchurch I highly recommend a visit.

   almost 3 months ago

1. Umair ★★★★★

   Willowbank Wildlife Reserve is absolutely amazing, a perfect mix of native, farm, and exotic animals. The kiwi enclosure was the highlight for me, peaceful, natural, and the closest I’ve ever been to seeing a kiwi up close! The staff are super friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly care deeply about conservation. The grounds are clean and easy to walk through, with beautiful native bush and photo spots everywhere. Feeding the eels and lemurs was such a fun surprise. Great for all ages, and only a short drive from the city or airport. Definitely one of Christchurch’s must-visit attractions!

   almost 5 months ago
2. Peru Karki ★★★★★

   Love visiting every time! This time did the lemur encounter and it was awesome! They were very gentle when taking the food from us. The keeper was amazing and had some great facts to share. Feeding the eels, the farmyard and going through kiwi habitat are other favourites. Been going often for the past 8 years or so and totally recommend the child's annual membership so they can go with any adult :) - thanks for another memory Willowbank! - Pics attached, was hard finding many with no people in them :D

   almost 5 months ago
3. Sawyer S. ★★★★☆

   It’s a good place, staff are nice. We saw kiwi. Feeding is a little more expensive than farm. We had a pleasant afternoon.

   almost 2 years ago

1. Kate Skinner ★★★★★

   This place is amazing! We did the capybara feeding and it was so nice. All the animals there seem well taken care of, even the ones that follow you string down the paths. Highly recommend getting a couple bags of food. All the birds aviaries were great, the kea parrots were especially cheeky and chewed at my camera strap while sitting on my shoulder. Super close and beautiful :)

   almost 2 years ago
2. Chris Bryant ★★★★★

   First time for myself and two under 4yo. Was enough to keep them engaged through the entire park. The pathways are great and easy to move through even with a buggy. Great time, thank you :-)

   almost 2 years ago
3. Michelle L ★★★★☆

   Lovely place to bring young children. Lots of animals to feed and see. Place was nicely decorated and has a rustic feel. There are benches and tables for picnic in the middle of the reserve. Reserve just feels a little small and cramped. All else is good.

   almost 2 years ago

1. Kapil Sinha ★★☆☆☆

   Really mediocre wildlife preserve. 2.5 stars but rounding down. Most of their animals are non-native to New Zealand, with vague descriptions that early Europeans introduced them for some asinine reasons. A solid third of it is a barn, with plenty of (to be fair, various kinds of) pigs and cows and horses and goats. Some colorful parrots and birds in the middle. One of them had clung to my backpack as I was exiting the enclosure, and may have flown free… It ends with a long walk for a small sip of water. Everyone is here to see the kiwis, but they are at the very end of the preserve. There are 4 of them in a pitch black room (they’re nocturnal you see). You can’t take pictures and you can barely see them. Rely on your ears and pray that they’re near one of the fences so you can see them.

   almost 2 years ago

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