Willowbank Wildlife Reserve is turning 50, and we’re celebrating with you.
Every entry wins a spot prize. Click below to share your memory:
Our daughter Ashleigh and our granddaughter Madison in the Kea encounter. They\'re so cheeky 😄 - Wendy Crighton
We love Willowbank and took this one New Years Day in 2019. The otters are so cute x - Virginia Lang
Taken in 2017, my son Sam gets a close look at one of the horses, who I was told was also called Sam! - Matt Hill
This was Genevieve\'s birthday trip to Willowbank! She loves animals and getting to spend her 2nd birthday hanging out with them was a real treat. These baby ducks stopped on the path in front of us for a while, and Genevieve sang the \"little ducks\" nursery rhyme for the rest of the day. :) - Luna Habershon
Our little boy Tommy, his first visit to Willowbank. He loves visiting and seeing all the animals! - Leigh Thrupp
My animal loving little girl showing the pig her toy sheep Baa - Laura Grant
My favourite memory at WillowBank is from when there was a trip with my daughter\'s kindergarten. I went as a parent helper. My daughter and I had a wonderful time, and enjoyed all the different animals. And got some great selfies with the happily obliging animals. Happy 50 years Willow Bank ❤️🥳 - Kimberly Wederell
From myself since 1997 to my daughter since 2018, we have shared so many beautiful memories at Willowbank. Learning, exploring, discovering! The Fallow deer are a whanau favourite ❤️ - Kamania Moar-O\'Connor
My 18 month old making friends with a \'baa baa\' - Heather Lockey
First Willowbank encounter: a magical moment where curiosity meets nature. My little ones gentle touch with a baby deers nose, pure joy! - Holly Johnstone
Willowbank taught my daughter to love animals. I adopted her from india 2 years ago and every animal was a threat, even ladybugs. We started going to Willowbank and she would scream and stay in the pram. Now she loves going to Willowbank. She loves feeding the animals and chatting away to the sheep. We love celebrating her country with the Indian star tortoise and the peacocks. And the capybaras are always a favourite.
Unfortunately the horse stole her straw hat off her head one day recently and tried to eat it. With a screaming child I was eventually able to rescue the hat from the horses mouth. She’s not such a fan of horses anymore and always mentions her hat when we walk near a horse. I’m sure we’ll conquer that dear one day 😂 - Amy Millar
The wallabies will always be my happy place. I\'d never seen one until I came to Willowbank, and I\'ve been in love ever since. - Alison Etheridge
My first ever willowbank memory was in 2017, when I just arrived in New Zealand and I fell in love with it. It was the first time seeing a kiwi bird, seen haka and ate hāngi. Such fond memories we have. - Debottam Chakraborty
Giving all the treats to a duck mum and her ducklings because he was so happy to see them all come out to him - Ashley Shih
This my son 28th September 2021 at 13 months old. He\'s an absolute fan of the tractor as you can see haha. Kids always have a blast at willowbank - Tracey Moylan
Our little duckling’s first encounter with actual ducklings. 🐥 Bought the annual pass since and it’s been a treat seeing her love animals more and more! Poor Kunekune pig tho- we’ll work on her liking you more! 😆🐽 - Shane Kim
We visited when some may have thought the weather was undesirable, but Tom came prepared and had the best time, even stopping to yarn to the geese! - Sarah Jakeway
Happy 50th birthday Willowbank! 🎈Last Christmas, Mum and Dad surprised us with the lemur encounter. 🥳 My brother (Ryan, on the right) and I (left) absolutely loved meeting the lemurs, and it will always be a very special memory for us! 😊 - Max Lister
One of our first \"meet the family\" dates was a lovely day at Willowbank. 12 years later and we now enjoy with our three children ☺️ - Sabrina Stevens
We loved visiting Samantha the horses, such a beautiful girl 💕 - Samantha Kelly
My 18 month old making friends with a \'baa baa\' - Heather Lockey
Making friends! We took our children to Willowbank and now we take our grandchildren. They absolutely love it! A year and a half later this little fellow still makes a beeline for the horse. - Annette Beavon
My 18 month old making friends with a \'baa baa\' - Heather Lockey
It was our son’s 3rd birthday. He loves feeding the eels. We had an awesome day in willowbank. We plan to make it at least an annual event for his birthday every year. - Adeline Cato
Willowbank has always been a happy place for me and my family. I enjoyed visiting as a child and taking my children. This photo shows my daughter, Imogen, visiting her favourite animal, the donkey and then growing up and working with the donkeys as a teenager. - Katherine Bennetts
On Friday 4th October 2024 we as a family had our Annual Willowbank adventure. We have been coming each year for the past 10 years. It is a very special environment with so many happy memories & wonderful facts for our family to discuss for many months afterwards. Thank you Willowbank Management, staff & volunteers. We also use your amazing Manure yearly. We noticed a lot of improvements all throughout the Park this year. Well done on a great effort. - Judy McCracken
It’s hard to choose just one photo when we’ve had an annual pass since my now 12 year old was a baby! In fact, back then we used to visit once or twice every week and I’m sure we have pictures with just about all the animals! -Trish Pepperell
2001: Laura’s 8th birthday party with friends at Willowbank -Petra Marks
We have so many memories but this one the kids still talk about every time we go through the Kea enclosure. Cheeky Keas tried to get their lunch! -Karryn Strachan
6 July 2023 - me and the capybaras! -Jane Barlin
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