Owners of the Darling Downs Zoo, Steve and Stephanie Robinson have reluctantly placed the popular tourist attraction on the market due to Steve’s health.

The Robinsons opened the Darling Downs Zoo in 2005 after many years of working with authorities to enable the project to go ahead.

Since then they have grown the attraction to accommodate 150 species with some 500 animals in total.

Steve and Stephanie have introduced many species to Queensland.

Among the most notable has been a pygmy hippopotamus, of which there are only five in Australia.

The Zoo also features two Komodo Dragons which are an endangered species.

Darling Downs Zoo is the biggest regional zoo in Queensland.

It sits on 122 acres of land off the Gatton-Clifton Road west of Pilton.

Steve has no idea on the sort of price that would be placed on a working zoo.

That’s the reason the attraction has been opened to tender through local agent Properties Ruhle.

Steve said they have already had to fend off suggestions that the Zoo is closing down.

“It’s very much a regional Zoo – there’s no hint of it closing down,” he said.

If the Zoo does not sell the Robinsons would work on some method of change to ensure that it continues to operate.

This article appeared in the Allora Advertiser, 28 June 2023.