It appears that there was once a zoo very close to our new home. Since doing some investigating I have discovered that the old zoo site now houses a caravan park. Naturally I turned to Trove to learn more about this site.
CAREY BAY MAN PLANS
TO DEVELOP ZOO
ON the waterfront at Carey
Bay, "Bimbimbie"--a place
of many birds--is being developed
into a miniature zoo by its owner,
Mr. Brown.
"Two years ago my doctor told
me that unless I gave up heavy
work I wouldn't live 12 months.
I came out here, and plan within
10 years to develop a zoo that the
district will be proud of," said
Mr. Brown.
He has many birds in modern
cages, constructed so that people
can move among them. Water sprays
keep the birds cool in hot weather.
A large duck pond enables the
public to view the swans and ducks
at close range.
Natural conditions of birds have
been studied by Mr. Brown. He is
developing his zoo along these lines,
and has had remarkable results in
breeding birds and animals which
normally do not breed in captivity.
Most of the big birds and animals
have been named after children who
frequent the zoo. There is "Joey"
the emu, "James" and "Sheila" the
kangaroos, and "Percy" the duck.
"Percy" is a popular identity. re-
ferred to as the "talking duck." He
can quack "hullo," and when re-
quested bows courteously. "Percy"
has no objection to children nursing
him.
A variety of pheasants have been
bred by Mr. Brown, who has also
been successful in breeding scrub tur-
keys. A peculiar feature about the
male scrub turkey is that, after allow-
ing the female bird to build the large
mound of earth, 5ft. high, in which
she lays the eggs he keeps her off
the mound. If the monund is dis-
turbed, he promptly scratches the
dirt and sticks back into original
positions.
One of Mr. Brown's peacocks can
display a 6ft. span of bright colours.
Authorities have said it is one of
the finest peacoks they have seen
Some of the birds and animals were
given to Mr. Brown by people who
appreciated his hobby and desire to
establish a zoo.
Snake Got Away
A friend ill the country recently
sent him a 12ft. carpet snake. but it
escaped when children left the cage
door open.
"Bimbimbie" is visited by people
from Newcastle district and travel-
lers. At holiday times nearly a hun-
dred people have been on the prop-
erty at the same time.
"I plan to build a jetty and a picnic
shelter, surrounded by lawns and
shrubs, on the 95ft. frontage to the
Lake, with the cages and animal
enclosures sheltered by trees, and sur-
rounded by gardens," said Mr. Brown.
A large aquarium, with a "harbour"
bridge across it, will be built on a
space already allocated. Material has
arrived for a monkey carge, and steps
have been taken to secure a strip
of timbered country for use as a
koala enclosure.
"Many people have offered to assist
by providing birds and animals. and
I hope to import some. If I can set
tile foundation for a zoo in this dis-
trict. and give pleasure to the people,
I will be happy," said Mr. Brown.
 |
| 1948 'CAREY BAY ZOO', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) , 23 March, p. 4. , viewed 02 May 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134324732 |
 |
| 1951 'OBITUARY', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) , 20 February, p. 4. , viewed 02 May 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article139502446 |
 |
| 1953 'Social Calendar', The Newcastle Sun (NSW : 1918 - 1954), 27 May, p. 10. , viewed 02 May 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article160488623 |
 |
| 1953 'MONKEY BITES BOY'S FINGER', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) , 25 August, p. 2. , viewed 02 May 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134278936 |
 |
| 1954 'To-day's Topics', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) , 20 December, p. 2. , viewed 02 May 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134086324 |
 |
| 1954 'To-day's Topics', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) , 16 January, p. 2. , viewed 02 May 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article134908561 |
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