Mugga Lane Zoo

The Mugga Lane Zoo was a privately owned zoo located on Mugga Lane in the Australian capital city of Canberra. First opened in 1979 as the Canberra Wildlife Gardens,[6][7] It was the first permanent zoo in the city,[8] predating the National Zoo & Aquarium by over a decade.[9] In 1981 the park was rebranded as the Mugga Lane Zoo,[10] although the Canberra Wildlife Gardens name continued to be occasionally used until 1986.[11][12] Before its closure in 2002, the zoo displayed over 116 different species of animals in its 9 ha (0.035 sq mi) park.[13][14][15] Today, the now abandoned site remains a well known location in Canberra due to its popularity with urban explorers,[16][17][18] and as a likely source of the feral peacocks often seen around South Canberra.[19][20][21][22][23] According to the founder, Terry Thomas, the zoo was never financially successful, in part due to difficulties experienced attaining animal permits from the Department of the Capital Territory.[24]

Mugga Lane Zoo
35.3514716°S 149.134962°E / -35.3514716; 149.134962
Date opened19 December 1979
Date closed2002[1][2][3]
LocationMugga Lane, Symonston
Land area9 ha (22 acres)
No. of species116
Owner
  • Terry Thomas (1979-1989)[4]
  • Doug Lloyd (1990-2002)[5]

History

The Mugga Lane Zoo first began construction in 1979, following a three-year approval process by the Department of the Capital Territory that had first been sought in 1975 by the owner, Terry Thomas. However, despite receiving approval, the park was not yet licensed as a zoo and it consequently opened on 19 December 1979 as the Canberra Wildlife Gardens.[25] It took a further three years for the park to be issued a licence, after which it rebranded to its final name. Although now a licensed zoo, the park continued to experience difficulty gaining animal permits.[25][26]

In order to overcome severe water restrictions put in place as a result of the 1979–1983 Eastern Australian drought, a dam was constructed on the property.[25] To date it is one of the few remaining landmarks of the zoo.[27][28]

In 1989 Thomas sold the zoo to Doug Lloyd,[29] a local secondhand bookstore owner.[30] According to Thomas, this marked the start of the zoos decline.[25] The zoo closed permanently around 2002,[2] and, as of 2020, the area is classified as NUZ1 broadacre land,[31]: Block 5, Section 103  meaning it is designated as a buffer between neighbouring towns and is a future urban development zone.[32]

Animals

Mammals

References
  1. "21 Feb 2001 - Reflections of Canberra - Archived Website". Trove. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  2. John Hargreaves (10 April 2002). "DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). ACT: Legislative Assembly. p. 889.
  3. "OTHER OUTINGS". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 30 December 1995. p. 16. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  4. "Untitled". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 11 June 1987. p. 13. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  5. Dab, Geoffrey (1 September 1996). "SOME OBSERVATIONS OF LITTLE CORELLAS IN SOUTH CANBERRA 1994-96" (PDF). Canberra Birds. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  6. "Advertising". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 7 December 1979. p. 22. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  7. "Wildlife on show in Canberra". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 14 December 1979. p. 6. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  8. Zoo, Mugga Lane (1970). Mugga Lane Zoo : Canberra's only zoo. [Canberra] : Mugga Lane Zoo.
  9. "National Aquarium". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 31 May 1990. p. 1. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  10. "Deregistered Business List (1950 - 1990)" (PDF). ACT Government. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  11. "Advertising". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 2 May 1986. p. 15. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  12. "a daily guide to life in the national capital the information page". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 12 May 1986. p. 12. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  13. "Influx of visitors". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 24 August 1986. p. 10. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  14. Harris, Eleri (21 April 2011). "Let's do the time warp again". Canberra CityNews. p. 3. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  15. "Advertising". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 4 January 1988. p. 15. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  16. "Canberra Urbex". Google My Maps. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  17. johnboy. "Ghost Zoo! The wreckage on Mugga Lane". The RiotACT. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  18. "urban exploration/ ghost hunting map, canberra and surrounding area". Google My Maps. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  19. Groch, Sherryn (17 September 2018). "Why are there peacocks roaming the streets of Canberra?". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  20. BoomingOn (21 January 2019). "Life in the suburbs of Canberra: when peacocks become your neighbours". BoomingOn. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  21. Groch, Sherryn (23 May 2018). "RSPCA 'disturbed' by plan to get rid of Canberra's feral peacocks". WAtoday. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  22. "Wild peacocks divide Canberra community as their antics fall foul of residents - ABC News". www.abc.net.au. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  23. Groch, Sherryn (17 April 2018). "The plan to stop Canberra's feral peacock invasion that's dividing the city". The Canberra Times. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  24. "Mugga Lane Zoo: post-1062930". ZooChat. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  25. "Mugga Lane Zoo: post-1062800". ZooChat. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  26. Trevor Kaine, Chief Minister (11 August 1992). "DEBATES OF THE LEGISLATIVE ASSEMBLY FOR THE AUSTRALIAN CAPITAL TERRITORY" (PDF). Parliamentary Debates (Hansard). ACT: Legislative Assembly. p. 1486.
  27. "Mugga Ln". Google Maps. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  28. "Mugga Zoo site as nature reserve?". bioacoustics.cse.unsw.edu.au. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  29. "May 9- 16 1995 REHABILITATION WEEK". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 10 May 1995. p. 26. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  30. "A store for big readers". Canberra Times (ACT : 1926 - 1995). 7 November 1987. p. 60. Retrieved 10 May 2020.
  31. "Territory Plan 2008 | Notifiable instruments". ACT Legislation Register. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  32. SchofieldS (16 May 2017). "Part Three – Land Use Plans And General Land Use Controls". www.nca.gov.au. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
  33. "Mugga Lane Zoo: post-1063107". ZooChat. Retrieved 9 May 2020.
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