The owners of the Featherdale Wildlife Park in Western Sydney have moved to expand their operations with the acquisition of Bateman’s Bay animal attraction Mogo Zoo.
With the new Sydney Zoo set to open just 4 kilometres away before Christmas, the Australian Stock Exchange (ASX)-listed Elanor Investors Group has launched the Elanor Wildlife Park Fund seeded by its existing asset, Featherdale Wildlife Park, to acquire Mogo Zoo.
Reflecting considerable confidence in the animal-based attractions and conservation sector, the boutique investor, known for its innovative real estate funds management business, established the fund following its purchase of Mogo Zoo over recent days.
The Fund has an initial value of $49 million, and is reportedly in talks to buy more zoos and wildlife parks.
Advising that the sector has a lot of room for growth, Elanor Chief Executive, Glenn Willis told the Australian Financial Review “with the acquisition of the Mogo Zoo, we are pleased to be acquiring an iconic tourism and leisure asset with significant growth potential.
"We look forward to applying our asset management approach to Mogo Zoo initially and, as the fund grows, to additional wildlife parks across Australia to deliver strong returns."
Mogo Zoo was sold by Sally Padey who, having established the attraction almost 30 years ago, has built the attraction into Australia’s largest collection of privately owned exotic animals including giraffes, rhinoceros, zebra, tigers, two prides of lions and primates.
Well known Featherdale Wildlife Park zookeeper Chad Staples is to take control of the 200 animals on the site, and will live at the attraction in Padey’s house.
Commenting on the acquisition, Staples stated “she’s poured her heart and soul into this place and I feel a huge burden of responsibility to make sure her legacy lives on.”
However, among changes that will come to the Bateman’s Bay attraction will be a joint annual pass granting access to both the Zoo and the Park.
Images: Snow and co, Mogo’s famous white lion (top, courtesy of Mogo Zoo Facebook) and Chad Staples (below).
About the author
Nigel Benton
Co-owner / Publisher, Australasian Leisure Management
Nigel Benton is the co-owner and publisher of Australasian Leisure Management, Australia and New Zealand’s only magazine for professionals in all areas of the leisure industry. Having established the magazine in 1997, shortly after his relocation to Australia, he has managed its readership rising to over 11,500 and its acceptance as the industry journal for professionals in aquatics, attractions, entertainment, events, fitness, parks, recreation, sport, tourism and venues.
As of 2020, he has launched the new Asian Leisure Business website.
Among a range of published works and features, his comments on a Blog (blogspot) from 2007 to 2011, when this website went live in its current form, may be interesting to reflect back on.
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