KP's increasingly hazy memories of NZ thread.
KP's increasingly hazy memories of NZ thread.
Hey guys,
Quite often I remember bits and pieces of my childhood that have no frame of reference over here in Straya, so I was hoping I could call on you all for help in filling in some blanks. Hope you don't mind.
Does anyone else remember a Safari Park in the North Island somewhere where you could drive your car around and the lions would come up to your car? I have vivid memories of going to this place with my cousins, and even remember my uncle shoving me out of the way to take a photo of a lion who had half climbed up the back of the Commodore and was checking us out.
Or have I just seen that episode of The Simpsons too many times (as is the general reaction to my claim over here)?
Cheers.
Quite often I remember bits and pieces of my childhood that have no frame of reference over here in Straya, so I was hoping I could call on you all for help in filling in some blanks. Hope you don't mind.
Does anyone else remember a Safari Park in the North Island somewhere where you could drive your car around and the lions would come up to your car? I have vivid memories of going to this place with my cousins, and even remember my uncle shoving me out of the way to take a photo of a lion who had half climbed up the back of the Commodore and was checking us out.
Or have I just seen that episode of The Simpsons too many times (as is the general reaction to my claim over here)?
Cheers.
Are you sure they weren't raptors?
pretty sure,seeing as Raptors weren't invented till 1993.
...is it, on the outskirts of Tauranga?
Not sure about lions though - raptors far more likely.
I hear rumours of YAK also...
...is it, on the outskirts of Tauranga?
That rings a bell, my cousin's were from EBOP.
Hey guys,Quite often I remember bits and pieces of my childhood that have no frame of reference over here in Straya, so I was hoping I could call on you all for help in filling in some blanks. Hope you don't mind.Does anyone else remember a Safari Park in the North Island somewhere where you could drive your car around and the lions would come up to your car? I have vivid memories of going to this place with my cousins, and even remember my uncle shoving me out of the way to take a photo of a lion who had half climbed up the back of the Commodore and was checking us out.Or have I just seen that episode of The Simpsons too many times (as is the general reaction to my claim over here)?Cheers.
I think someone may have slipped something into your drink....
I recall one in the Waikato BoP region as well... there was always one in Christchurch but I do recall one further North as well.
...is it, on the outskirts of Tauranga?
That rings a bell, my cousin's were from EBOP.
Tauranga is WBOP
Masty - you mean Marshall's Animal Park? Been there a few times when I worked holiday programs. No lions, but I'm pretty sure there were yaks.
Maybe Paradise Valley, just out of Rotorua. Have always had lions, never been a drive around park in my day but it might have been in the years prior
...is it, on the outskirts of Tauranga?
That rings a bell, my cousin's were from EBOP.
Tauranga is WBOP
lol, yeah I know, but I seem to remember we did drive for ages to get there.
I'm getting enough anecdotal evidence here to mount a case, cheers peeps!
I'm thinking Mystery Creek in Hamilton...
MARSHALL'S ANIMAL PARK.
Up the hill, on the left, as you drive in to the 'decision' round-about...which I call, The Roundabout of Decisions.
Yaks may have seemed like lions to a young Kiwi Pie?
Kiwi Pie - did the 'lions'(/raptors) have horns?
Ha ! I win.
In a review of a book on Mystery Creek and the fielddays:
http://www.farmtrader.co.nz/View/Article/NZ-Agricultural-Fieldays/1689.aspx?Ne=145&N=4294960428
Hard News2008-10-27 22:05:09
In a review of a book on Mystery Creek and the fielddays:
Highlights include a stampeding cow running amok, the short-lived lion
park, a young princess Ann and the Duke of Edinburgh snapped on the Te
Rapa racecourse and infamous �bugman� Rudd Kleinpaste photographed with
a giant weta across his face.
http://www.farmtrader.co.nz/View/Article/NZ-Agricultural-Fieldays/1689.aspx?Ne=145&N=4294960428
Hard News2008-10-27 22:05:09
There was a lion park in Paraparaumu for a while that you could stay in your car and drive around - would have been late 70's or early 80's.
There was a lion park in Paraparaumu for a while that you could stay in your car and drive around - would have been late 70's or early 80's.
I think we have a winner - after still more recollecting I've come to the conclusion that they came down to Welly for a visit and we drove out to Pram to this place.
Cheers Feverette, cheers all!
I will consult this thread again when I need to unlock secrets from a past clouded by years of 'chemical experimentation'.
There was also one out West Auckland and no i dont mean the boggins.
You sure you're not having flashbacks to Bob Jane Stadium on sunday for the Youth League match v the Smurfs???
Orana Park??
down near christchurch, i think
there was a bunch of Lions on a bit of grass round Wellington recently but they got chased off by some Canterbury lambs, so i hear
Orana Park??
there was a bunch of Lions on a bit of grass round Wellington recently but they got chased off by some Canterbury lambs, so i hear
That they did!
I know things were quite laid back in the 70's and 80's. But even then I'm sure Health and safety laws would have had some restriction on safari-park lions half climbing into the back of cars surely?
Did it not worry you a tad at the time?
not that I don't believe you just seems a bit weird.
ForteanTimes2008-10-29 06:09:45
Not into the car, onto the car.
BIG difference!
BIG difference!
I know things were quite laid back in the 70's and 80's. But even then I'm sure Health and safety laws would have had some restriction on safari-park�lions half climbing into the back of cars surely?
Back in the day, lions were much nicer and friendlier. You could leave your house and car unlocked, and they wouldn't take any nefarious advantage from that.
But the country's (and the lions) gone to the sh*ts in the last 20 years, so now we have to be a lot more careful.
Not into the car, onto the car.
BIG difference!
BIG difference!
lol- ahhhh I see!!!
I know things were quite laid back in the 70's and 80's. But even then I'm sure Health and safety laws would have had some restriction on safari-park lions half climbing into the back of cars surely?
Back in the day, lions were much nicer and friendlier. You could leave your house and car unlocked, and they wouldn't take any nefarious advantage from that.
But the country's (and the lions) gone to the sh*ts in the last 20 years, so now we have to be a lot more careful.
Different times EG, different times (sighs nostalgically)!
I think I remember the lion park in Kapiti. I seem to remember that you took the turnoff to Southwards Car Museum and it was further out along that road.
f**k me, no wonder bungy jumping was invented in New Zealand. Sounds to me like it was a f**k up and the bloke was trying to escape the boredom but he tripped and got his feet caught in his noose!
Says the bloke from Newcastle....
I was one of the lucky ones. I found the train station and didn't have to beg to pay for a ticket to leave!
So this was AFTER you got Joey hooked on the disco bikkies?
A Novocastrians idea of "Adventure Sports" is the bus ride to Centrelink on Dole Day!
So this was AFTER you got Joey hooked on the disco bikkies?
Joey, Disco Stu, NQ Jade... any others (allegedly) ?.
Wendell! Boza! Ben Cousins...
So KP, around what age when you were growing up in Aotearoa did you discover your fondness for knives?
what was the playground inside michael fowler centre called? i have vivid memorys of it ....
So KP, around what age when you were growing up in Aotearoa did you discover your fondness for knives?
After first watching "The Outsiders".
KP, my haze is as thick as your haze through which you recall your childhood.....but I had a fuzzed memory of somewhere up the Kapiti Coast where Dad took us driving through a lion safari in the white XC Falcon.....
It was Feverettes post that confirmed to me where it was........
http://library.kapiticoast.govt.nz/cgi-bin/koha/opac-ISBDdetail.pl?bib=156629
http://library.kapiticoast.govt.nz/cgi-bin/koha/opac-ISBDdetail.pl?bib=156630
Classic, Dads company beach house in Raumati seemed so far away and like a holiday village by the sea.....
It was Feverettes post that confirmed to me where it was........
http://library.kapiticoast.govt.nz/cgi-bin/koha/opac-ISBDdetail.pl?bib=156629
http://library.kapiticoast.govt.nz/cgi-bin/koha/opac-ISBDdetail.pl?bib=156630
Classic, Dads company beach house in Raumati seemed so far away and like a holiday village by the sea.....
Legend, Coxey.
Case closed!
Now I wish I'd bet some money on it...maybe I still can...
Case closed!
Now I wish I'd bet some money on it...maybe I still can...
So this was AFTER you got Joey hooked on the disco bikkies?
Joey, Disco Stu, NQ Jade... any others (allegedly) ?.
Jobe...allegedly
james dean2008-10-30 03:16:01
Quite often I remember bits and pieces of my childhood that have no frame of reference over here in Straya, so I was hoping I could call on you all for help in filling in some blanks. Hope you don't mind.
Does anyone else remember a Safari Park in the North Island somewhere where you could drive your car around and the lions would come up to your car? I have vivid memories of going to this place with my cousins, and even remember my uncle shoving me out of the way to take a photo of a lion who had half climbed up the back of the Commodore and was checking us out.
Or have I just seen that episode of The Simpsons too many times (as is the general reaction to my claim over here)?
Cheers.
Quite often I remember bits and pieces of my childhood that have no frame of reference over here in Straya, so I was hoping I could call on you all for help in filling in some blanks. Hope you don't mind.
Does anyone else remember a Safari Park in the North Island somewhere where you could drive your car around and the lions would come up to your car? I have vivid memories of going to this place with my cousins, and even remember my uncle shoving me out of the way to take a photo of a lion who had half climbed up the back of the Commodore and was checking us out.
Or have I just seen that episode of The Simpsons too many times (as is the general reaction to my claim over here)?
Cheers.
Orana Park near ChCh once upon a time did similar years ago. We live in a different age.
https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/the-story-behind-orana-wildlife-park-as-it-turns-40/BTLIV72RL65HKFB4NUDW6HLMLY/
https://www.zoochat.com/community/threads/old-footage-of-the-drive-through-lion-reserve.366145/
It was eventually closed in 1995, mainly due to modern cars being made of plastic and tinfoil rather than the solid vehicles of the 70s.