Featherdale Wildlife Park up for grabs

[AlexB 3,442]

Article in "The Daily Telegraph"

  FOR sale: 3.1ha of prime real estate, complete with more than 2000 native animals. Interested parties must be animal lovers and have a spare few million in the bank. One of Western Sydney's prime attractions -- Featherdale Wildlife Park -- is up for ...

Unfortunately i am not a subscriber of News.com.au, so i could not get the full details of the story, but I read it in the paper today, and can tell you that the owners - the same people who own Greater Union cinemas are selling it. They say the park is in great financial shape, however the parent company posted a multi-million dollar loss. Yet another attraction in Western Sydney goes under the hammer... Hopefully the new owners will keep it open, but should they decide not to, here is what i see happening.... 1) Steve Irwin purchases the animals and relocates them 2) Steve Irwin purchases the site, and begins the Australia Zoo - Sydney. (oh boy if the residents in doonside hated it now, wait till Stevie moves in) 3) the residents in the surrounding area decide to band together, purchase the property, sell off the animals, and finally get the land zoned residential and allow people to build on it, ending the decade long battle of featherdale versus the residents...

[joz 1,895]

Whats the go with Western Sydney? You'd think the writing might be on the wall from that small snippet. Still, hopefully the worst that'll happen is it'll be re-located somewhere else. The same thing happened to Paradise Country when the previous owners wanted to sell the land.

[AlexB 3,442]

it doesnt necessarily mean that the park will be closed, or relocated.... if the new purchasers continue to operate it, it may even see something new and innovative, with the park being under new management.... only time will tell.

[ScReAMmachine! 0]

Sunway Malaysia... take note!

[AlexB 3,442]

From : Blacktown Advocate Wednesday June 1st - 2005

Featherdale Future Will Be Known Soon The future of the city's premier tourist attraction Featherdale Wildlife Park will be known soon. Expressions of interest for the 3.1ha Doonside site close next week. Investors and companies from Western Australia, Queensland, NSW and Victoria have expressed interest in buying the Kildare Rd Site. Bidders will then have three weeks to finalise their offers and price. The new owner is expected to be announced at the end of June. Current Owner Amalgamated Holdings's plans to sell the park shocked the Blacktown City community earlier this month. This is because there is no condition of purchase that the park continue to operate as a Zoo. Jones Lang LaSalle Hotels agent Bill McDonald, who is handling the sale, declined to name the asking price, or how many companies and investors had expressed interest in buying it. The price includes the land, more than 2000 native animals and park infrastructure.