Australian Reptile Park

The Australian Reptile Park is located at Somersby on the Central Coast, New South Wales in Australia. It is about (a one-hour drive) North of Sydney, and is just off the Sydney-Newcastle Freeway. The park is home to a variety of reptiles, including snakes, lizards and crocodiles, as well as other Australian animals, such as koalas, kangaroos, cassowaries and Tasmanian devils.The park is heavily involved in snake and spider venom collection for use in the production of Antivenom and is credited for saving the lives of thousands. It is an institutional member of the Zoo and Aquarium Association (ZAA).HistoryThe park was founded by Eric Worrell in 1948 at the Ocean Beach Aquarium Umina Beach. In 1959, it was renamed the Australian Reptile Park and moved to Wyoming, north of Gosford.A second move occurred in September 1996, to Somersby, adjacent to Old Sydney Town.