The uncertain future of Flying High Bird Park amid sudden closure

A popular animal park has closed after more than 20 years, with questions unanswered over its future and the animals it contained after authorities confirmed they’d had nothing to do with it.

The future of the popular Apple Tree Creek Flying High Bird Park is uncertain.

A much-loved Wide Bay bird sanctuary has closed under somewhat mysterious circumstances just before an influx of school holiday visitors were expected in the region.

The fate of the popular Apple Tree Creek Flying High Bird Park has raised questions in its community, as uncertainty surrounds its return or not.

Formerly known as the Flying High Bird Sanctuary, the park officially opened to the public in December of 2002 under the stewardship of then owner John Woodall.

The park grew to be regarded as the largest free-flight aviary in Australia with several thousand birds of different species living under its canopy.

As the years passed, the park changed hands several times before being purchased by Ian and Tanya Dodds in 2019.

Its future looked bright, with the new owners renovating and revamping the park, and introducing a variety of other animals including highland cows.

Former Flying High Bird Park owner Ian Dodds with a red-tailed black cockatoo.

In early 2024 however, the park unexpectedly closed its doors and according to CoreLogic was listed for sale under a local real estate agent on February 1, 2024.

“The park will be sold as a walk-in, walk-out essential, with everything included to run the business daily,” the listing said.

“The staff would like to stay on and are qualified and trained to run the business, allowing the owners to be involved as much as they like.”

It is unclear if and when the park was sold, but the colourful, artistic signage decorating the Bruce Highway frontage has been blackened and the iconic parrots of the front gate have disappeared.

According to signage on the now locked front gate “this business has been SOLD. All animals have been relocated to a new facility being built,” the sign read.

“The location will be announced soon. We apologise for the inconvenience.”

Signage on the front gate confirm the business has been sold, but little is known about the location of the new facility.

The message has been mirrored on the park’s Facebook page, with the site listed as “temporarily closed”.

In attempting to confirm where and when the park would make a return, the NewsMail was unsuccessful in contacting the former owners, and and in finding relevant information from the Bundaberg Regional Council.

The local real estate agency that oversaw the sale would not provide any comment on it or the site’s future.

According to the Australian Securities and Investment Commision, the business name has been cancelled, but it is uncertain when this took place.

Social media has been rife with questions and theories on what has occurred at the park, and why.

The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries confirmed the park no longer existed under an exhibition licence and said its closure was not related to actions by Biosecurity Queensland.

“Biosecurity Queensland provided assistance to the park during the closure and where possible animals previously held under the licence have been relocated to new licence holders,” a spokesman said.