The Ipswich Nature Centre at Queens Park will re-open to the public from Wednesday 7 April.
Council’s Environment and Sustainability Committee Chair Cr Russell Milligan said this was great news for Ipswich residents and visitors to the city.
“I am delighted to announce that the nature centre will be open for most of the Easter school holidays,” Cr Milligan said.
“It is one of the city’s major tourist attractions and I am sure the public will be thrilled to be able to visit all the animals again.
“The centre was closed for the past six weeks due to the seasonal flying fox population.
“While the majority of the bats have moved on, there are still significant numbers within the park and we ask the public to take care.”
Parts of the nature centre walkways remain closed due to damage to overhanging trees.
A temporary secondary entrance from Goleby Ave will be opened to allow access to the park and staff will be on hand to guide people.
Some sections may be closed on a day-to-day basis depending upon the movements of the bats.
Cr Milligan said centre staff had remarked how quiet it was over recent weeks and how much the animals enjoyed having visitors on hand.
“The team at the Ipswich Nature Centre have been working extremely hard to have it ready and re-opened in time for the school holidays,” he said.
“Dexter the cow, the dingoes, quoll, brushtail rock wallabies and our wombat will be just as excited that the gates are re-opening.
“I would encourage everyone to take advantage of this opportunity over the holidays and come and see our world-class facilities here at Queens Park.
“And, if visiting the region, take some time to check out what else Ipswich has to offer. Make a day or two out of the trip.”
Staff will be on hand to remind visitors not to touch any flying foxes they might come across in the park and to advise them.
Like all native wildlife species, flying foxes are protected under the Queensland Nature Conservation Act 1992.
To manage the safety of visitors to the Ipswich Nature Centre, staff have implemented extra cleaning and maintenance of the trees.
The nature centre is a safe haven for native animals and according to the experts flying foxes are arguably the most important pollinators and disperse seeds of native trees across large distances.
The centre will be open from 9.30am to 4pm and entry is free.
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