• Spot crocodiles on Hartleys Lagoon during the boat cruise, included with your entry ticket
• “The Best Crocodile Show in Australia” - Watch our professional, experienced keepers demonstrate the notorious death roll
• Upgrade your wildlife adventure day and book a baby croc or snake holding photo

Visitors to Hartleys Crocodile Adventures are provided with an innovative approach to viewing and interacting with the native Australian wildlife in a safe and natural environment.

What To Expect

Welcome to Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, one of the oldest running tourist attractions in the Cairns region. The business began in 1934 as a tea house for weary motorists, traversing the recently opened road between Cairns and Mossman. Legend has it, the original owner Pop Evans, entertained motorists by feeding Charlie the resident crocodile while scones cooked in the wood stove, and become the first person in Australia to perform crocodile shows for the public. Eighty-eight years later, Hartley’s world famous Crocodile Attack Show is as popular as ever. Hartley’s was also the first place in Australia to breed crocs in captivity. Work on crocodile conservation at Hartley’s has attracted worldwide interest.

Documentaries produced at Hartley’s helped arouse public interest and sympathy for crocodile conservation, leading to the protection of wild crocodiles in 1974. By now, the wildlife park had established a venerable pedigree as one of north Queensland’s leading attractions. Renovated in 1987 by the Freeman family, the zoo remained at its original site until 2002 when the brand new Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures opened 500m south of Hartley’s Creek, delivering authentic crocodile experiences in a new sustainable eco-attraction.

Over the last 20 years, Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures has continued to grow offering visitors a suite of innovative, up close wildlife experiences, along with the regular introduction of new wildlife displays.

Features & Highlights

Daily Activities

• 9.00am: Crocodile Farm Tour
• 9.00am: Cassowary Feeding
• 10.00am: Snake Show
• 11.00am: Crocodile Feeding
• 1.00pm: Crocodile Farm Tour
• 2.00pm: Snake Show
• 3.00pm: Crocodile Attack Show
• 4.00pm: Cassowary Feeding
• 4.30pm: Koala Talk

During busy periods, additional wildlife presentations will be scheduled in. Check blackboard at Admissions on arrival.

In between shows or instead of a show, you are welcome to explore the 2500 metres of boardwalks and pathways winding through Melaleuca Wetlands, Eucalypt Woodland and Riverine rainforest, enjoying a wide variety of native and exotic animals.

Wildlife Displays: Gallery of Living Art reptile exhibit, Komodo Dragon, Cotton Top Tamarins, walk-in tropical bird aviary & predatory bird aviary, Freshwater & Estuarine Crocodiles, alligators, monitors & dragons, waterbirds, snakes, turtles, wallabies & kangaroos, wombats, cassowaries, fruit bats, emus and Koalas are on display during the day. We have a Slither n’ Slide Adventure Play Zone and a Koala & Wombat enclosure.

Boat cruises: we do not take bookings for boat cruises. Your boat time will be allocated upon your arrival. The duration of the boat cruise is approximately to 20 minutes.

Photo Opportunities - Baby croc holding photos and Snake/Lizard photos are offered at an additional cost. Koala Photos options are no longer offered at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures (except, Koala Patting Photos that are included as part of our Zootastic 5 & Mammal Magic products.) - All photos are subject to availability and are not guaranteed.

Photo session 10.00am to 4.00pm except during Koala photo sessions.

Package Options

Breakfast with Koalas

A great way to start your day is breakfast at Hartley's Crocodile Adventures.
Enjoy your breakfast relaxing on the deck overlooking Hartley's Lagoon. Breakfast is a delicious cooked breakfast, including scrambled eggs, bacon, hash browns, sausages, croissant & fruit salad with fruit juice, tea or coffee.
One of our Wildlife Keepers will be on the deck between 9:00am & 9:30am with a Koala.
This is a great time to ask questions about the Koala.
After breakfast, enjoy all the wildlife presentations at Hartley's Crocodile Adventures including a boat cruise on Hartley's Lagoon.
***Must be pre-booked***

 

Big Croc Feed

Big Croc Feed participants feed a large Saltwater (Estuarine) Crocodile as part of their personalised experience at Hartley’s with an experienced Crocodile Handler.
Learn interesting facts about Estuarine & Freshwater Crocodiles.
Meet and hold a juvenile Estuarine Crocodile.
Experience includes a souvenir photo holding the juvenile crocodile.
Receive a certificate signed by your Crocodile Handler.
A good understanding of Engish is essential for this activity.
Participants must be 16 years & over. Big Croc Feed is available at 1.00pm daily & is restricted to four participants. (Morning experience may be possible in warmer months)
Allow 45 minutes for the Big Croc Feed. Product includes general admission. 
Minimum age of 16 years to participate in the Big Croc Feed Experience. 
Non-participating adults & children may watch family/friends doing the Big Croc Feed. (Standard admission rates apply.)
***Must be pre-booked***

 

Zootastic 5

Hartley's ZOOTASTIC 5 includes five great animal encounters with one of our experienced Wildlife team.
You will be up close with the wildlife - feeding, patting & holding.
There's time for taking photos and hearing about the habits of the wildlife.
Your experience will include Koalas - feeding & Koala Patting photo.
Other activities may include: Feed fruit to a cassowary, hold a python or a lizard, meet & pat a wombat, feed friendly birds or wallabies.
The Zootastic 5 experience is suitable for adults & children 10 years+. (Must be accompanied by a paying adult who is also doing the Zootastic 5 experience)
This experience runs for approximately one hour & is restricted to six participants.
Only paying participants may attend.
Zootastic 5 is available twice daily at 9.30am or 1:30pm.
***Must be pre-booked***

Reptastic 5

 

Our Reptastic 5 tour offers a rare opportunity to get up close and personal with lots of our splendid reptiles.
This unique, premium experience is restricted to 6 participants and allows you to be guided by our passionate Reptile Keepers.
Meet some of our colourful lizards, snakes, and tortoises. Feed some of our unique lizards & our awesome crocodilians.
This experience includes a souvenir digital photo of you holding a baby crocodile or snake!
The Reptastic 5 experience includes general admission & is suitable for adults & children 10 years+. (Must be accompanied by a paying adult who is also doing the Reptastic 5 experience)
Only paying participants may attend.
The Reptastic 5 experience lasts for approximately one hour and is available at 10:45am daily.
***Must be pre-booked***

Mammal Magic

Mammal Magic offers a memorable experience with one of our dedicated Keepers on this behind the scenes tour.
This is an interactive tour, - you will feed and pat some of our most adorable Australian mammals.
The experience includes a Koala talk & souvenir Koala Patting photo.
Meet our cotton top tamarins and feed our kangaroos and wallabies.
Get close to a wombat for a feed and a pat.
There are plenty of opportunities for photos to be taken on your own device during the experience.
The Mammal Magic experience is suitable for adults & children 6 years+. (Must be accompanied by a paying adult who is also doing the Mammal Magic experience)
Only paying participants may attend.
The experience is for approximately one hour and is available at 11:00am OR 1:15pm daily.
This experience is restricted to six participants.
***Must be pre-booked***

View all family tours and attractions in Cairns and Port Douglas.

Read The Tour Specialists Blog for all the things you need to know befor you go.

Tour Languages Offered

• English

Departs From

Cairns

Departure Time

• Self Drive: park opens from 8:30am to 5:00pm
• From Cairns CBD & Cairns Northern Beaches 8.30am or 12.30pm - Returning 1.30pm or 4.45pm
• From Palm Cove 9.00am or 1.00pm - Returning 1.30pm or 4.45pm
• From Port Douglas 8.15am & 12.15pm - Returning 1.00pm or 4.45pm

Pickup Locations

• Cairns Northern Beaches
• Palm Cove
• Port Douglas

Destinations

Port Douglas

Months of Operation

January - December

Days of Operation

Daily

Duration

Self Drive: as long or as short as you would like
Variable depending on transfer times

Available for Purchase / Hire

• YOU NEED TO PRE BOOK YOUR PHOTOS AS THERE ARE LIMITED SPOTS - Koala Patting Photos are only available as part of our Zootastic 5 & Mammal Magic interactive experience products
• Restaurant facilities onsite
• Refreshments available for purchase
• Souvenirs available for purchase

Fitness Level Required

Medium

Additional Information

• WILDLIFE PHOTOS - Baby croc holding photos and Snake/Lizard photos are offered at an additional cost. Koala Photos options are no longer offered at Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures (except, Koala Patting Photos that are included as part of our Zootastic 5 & Mammal Magic products.)
• ALL Wildlife Photos are Subject to Availability. There is no guarantee all photo options will be available.
• Wildlife Photos include a Digital Download.
• Two dollars from every photo sold will be donated to the North Queensland Wildlife Trust to enable a contribution to conservation.
• PRESENTATIONS - Cassowary Feeding 9:00am, Crocodile Farm Tour 9:00am, Snake Show 10:00am, Crocodile Feeding Presentation 11:00am, Crocodile Farm Tour 1:00pm Snake Show 2:00pm, Crocodile Attack Show 3.00pm, Cassowary Feeding 4.00pm & Koala Talk 4.30pm. (Additional presentations may be scheduled during busy periods)

Comfortable walking shoes, hat and sunscreen, a bottle of water, camera and video, binoculars, money to spend in the restaurant and souvenir shops

• Child price applies to children 4 - 15
• Under 16 years must be accompanied by an adult into the park