Here at Amazement, we get to be part of a lot of wonderful moments.
First pony rides. First penguin feeds. First time hearing a lion up close.
But right now, together with our friends at Working 4 Wildlife, we’re part of something even bigger — a first that belongs to six rather unusual birds.
Their first steps back into the wild. Let us introduce you
Meet the Bush Stone-curlew (a.k.a. the bird that thinks it’s a statue)
If you’ve never met a Bush Stone-curlew, you’re in for a treat.
They’re tall, leggy, golden-eyed ground birds with two very memorable party tricks. When they feel shy, they freeze completely still — legs stretched, neck out — doing their very best impression of a fallen branch. And at night, they let out one of the most haunting, unforgettable calls in the Australian bush.
There was a time when that eerie, beautiful call echoed across much of Australia. Today, in the southern states, it has almost fallen silent.
Why do these birds need our help?
Because down south, the Bush Stone-curlew is disappearing — with population declines of up to 90% across much of its former range, and local extinctions in regions where the species once thrived.
The culprits? Habitat loss and introduced predators like foxes, which are especially tough on a bird that nests on the ground and defends itself by standing very, very still. They’re still doing okay in northern Australia. But in the south, they need a helping hand to come home.
And that’s where the Central Coast comes in.
What is Amazement doing to help?
Here’s the part we’re genuinely proud of.
In partnership with Working 4 Wildlife and Central Coast Zoo, Amazement is part of a true breed-to-release conservation program — six Bush Stone-curlews, carefully bred and raised right here on the Central Coast in a protected environment, being prepared for a return to the wild.
Their journey looks like this:
- Raised on the Central Coast in a controlled, protected environment
- Transported from NSW to Phillip Island, Victoria
- Settled into a purpose-built pre-release enclosure to adapt to local sounds and surroundings
- Released fully into the wild between August and September
Every step is gradual and deliberate — all designed to give these six birds the very best chance of not just surviving in the wild, but thriving there.
Why does a fun park care about conservation?
Because the fun and the wildlife were never separate things.
Every koala presentation, every reptile talk, every wide-eyed moment your kids have at the park plants the same seed: animals are amazing, and worth looking after. The curlew program is that idea, grown all the way up — not just caring for animals and sharing them with visitors, but actively working to return a threatened species to country that has lost it.
Six birds might sound like a small start.
It isn’t. It’s a return.
And rewilding programs like this one are exactly how species come back — step by step, bird by bird, as part of a long-term national effort to restore the curlew to the places it once called home.
How can your family be part of it?
Two lovely ways.
Come and fall in love with wildlife. Every visit to Amazement supports the animals in our care and the conservation work we’re part of. Bring the kids, catch the daily wildlife presentations, and raise a generation that thinks curlews are cool. (They are.)
Support Working 4 Wildlife. Donations to our registered charity partner directly fund specialist breeding programs, safe interstate transport, pre-release habitat preparation and ongoing monitoring — you can donate at here.
In the coming months, six curlews raised on our coast will take their first steps into the wild.
Your family can honestly say you were part of their story.
FAQs
What is a Bush Stone-curlew? A large, ground-dwelling Australian bird known for its striking golden eyes, its habit of freezing perfectly still when startled, and its haunting night-time call.
Are Bush Stone-curlews endangered? In southern Australia, populations have declined by up to 90% and the species is locally extinct in multiple regions, mainly due to habitat loss and introduced predators like foxes. Northern populations remain relatively stable.
What is Amazement’s role in the program? Amazement, together with Working 4 Wildlife and Central Coast Zoo, is part of a breed-to-release program in which six curlews bred and raised on the Central Coast will be released into the wild on Phillip Island, Victoria, between August and September.
How can I help? Visit the park to support our wildlife work, or donate directly to Working 4 Wildlife, a registered ACNC charity.
