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NEW PARK PROPOSAL

New Park - (7/2/08) The plan for the proposed African Safari World came to a sudden end when the Tourism Minister who previous backed the plan admitted that the plan was flawed and not feasible after several new problems had come up that would have complicated matters.
  (6/10/08) This article summarizes the latest status on the African Safari Park project, which still has the conditional support of the city council at this point.
  (6/4/08) According to the local news over 8,000 people have signed a petition asking the government to back away from any plan to add a theme park to the Werribee Open Range Zoo. While I’ve never been to the site, or Australia for that matter (though I would love to go some day) I’ve got to think that the opponents to this plan are perhaps a little confused or maybe just shortsighted.
  From what I’ve come to understand the theme park plan and coasters will not interact or take over the current animal exhibits. Village Roadshow is not looking to take over the Zoo itself either, they know better and will leave that to the experts. As we’ve seen in the USA for years, having a theme park mixed with animal habitats nearby does not seem to harm the animals in any way. There are great examples of this at all of the SeaWorld parks, Busch Gardens Africa, Hersheypark and Disney’s Animal Kingdom. This year the alone the Columbus Zoo is adding a small ride park and water park, the Zoo in Tampa is adding a log ride, so clearly Zoos and ride parks can coexist. If anything, one might argue that having the rides nearby may serve as a random mental break for the animals to keep them from going into that cabin-fever mental funk where all they do is pace back and forth.
  According to the reports the plan could create 6,500 new jobs and certainly could only increase the attendance and popularity of the of the Werribee Open Range Zoo. To me this seems like a win-win situation for everyone?
  (5/26/08) Two former directors of the Werribee Zoo have called the plans for African Safari World a “circus” that would jeopardize the zoo’s future.
  (4/25/08) The latest information about the African Safari Park indicates that Village Roadshow has no interest in taking over the Zoo operations of the Werribee Open Range Zoo, but instead wants to work with them to build a new park on the property and incorporate the Werribee Open Range Zoo into the overall attraction while leaving the experts to tend to the animal side of things.
  (4/17/08) Village Roadshow is currently in talks with the Australian government about building a new giant Safari themed adventure park called African Safari World to be set near in the Werribee Open Range Zoo near Melbourne. The concept of the park is kind of a merger between Disney’s Animal Kingdom and Busch Gardens Africa, where they would like to merge roller coasters and other thrill rides near an animal safari area.
  The plans so far include Serengeti Safari, a large collection of thrill rides, a wildlife conservation center, a 4D Theater, several man-made lakes and mountains, and if the approval process goes quickly, they think they could open it by the end of 2010. 
  Currently I believe the site is under the control of Zoos Victoria who is willing to work with Village Roadshow but wants to remain in control of the zoo aspects of the park.