Carey Bay Zoo

This post first appeared on my GeniAus blog in 2017. I am repurposing it here as it is relevant to my One Place Study.

Trove Tuesday - Local Zoo

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 mound 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 peacocks 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 the foundation for a zoo in this dis-trict. and give pleasure to the people,
I will be happy," said Mr. Brown.

1946 'LAKE SANCTUARY FOR BIRDS, ANIMALS', Newcastle Morning Herald and Miners' Advocate (NSW : 1876 - 1954) , 19 January, p. 5. , viewed 02 May 2017, http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article140607009



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

Following the passing of Thomas Brown the zoo was taken over by Mr Reg Ward. 


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