CRADLE MOUNTAIN OTHER FIELD GUIDE
Face-to-Face with Cradle Mountain’s Young Ambassadors
A 45-minute, small-group behind-the-scenes nursery tour at Devils @ Cradle that lets visitors pat and photograph hand-reared young animals while directly supporting species conservation.
Face-to-Face with Cradle Mountain’s Young Ambassadors.
Set against the cool, sculpted backdrop of Cradle Mountain, the Joey Encounter delivers an intimate, supervised window into the earliest stages of life for some of Tasmania’s most important ambassador animals. Operated by Devils @ Cradle, the experience brings a small group behind the scenes into the sanctuary nursery so guests can meet, pat and photograph the facility’s youngest residents while contributing to ongoing conservation work.
Highlights
Outing Highlights
Exclusive behind‑the‑scenes access
A limited-size group is taken into the animal nursery at Devils @ Cradle for close observation of hand-reared young animals—an opportunity not available on general grounds alone.
Keeper-supervised interactions and photos
Keepers incorporate supervised handling into the tour, allowing visitors to pat selected juveniles and take photographs under strict instruction and supervision.
A direct contribution to species recovery
Many hand-reared animals remain at the sanctuary as ambassadors and are expected to play a role in future breeding programs; joining the encounter supports these threatened-species efforts.
What the day feels like
What the visit feels like
The Joey Encounter is compact and focused: a guided 45-minute visit that moves a small group into the nursery, pauses for keeper-led handling demonstrations, and gives guests a chance to pat and photograph young residents while keepers explain the animals’ roles as ambassadors and the conservation work they support.
Suitability
Who it's for
Who this encounter suits—and who should think twice.
Practical planner
Details to review before reserving
Tours run daily at 4:00pm; a 12:00pm tour operates seasonally from October to April. Each session lasts about 45 minutes.
All guests meet at Devils at Cradle prior to the start of the Joey Encounter.
The tour includes keeper-supervised handling, opportunities to pat and photograph selected young animals, and commentary about the animals’ roles as sanctuary ambassadors and in conservation.
Review cancellation policies before reserving.
Frequently asked questions
Planning Your Outing
When does the Joey Encounter operate and how long is it?
The tour runs daily at 4:00pm; a 12:00pm session operates from October to April. The experience is approximately 45 minutes long.
Where do I meet for the tour?
All participants meet at Devils at Cradle.
Can visitors hold the animals?
Participants are not permitted to hold any animal, but will be allowed to pat certain animals under strict instruction and supervision of the keeper.
What conduct is required during the encounter?
All participants must follow instructions given by the keeper or other staff; parents and guardians are responsible for their children at all times.
What happens if a participant doesn’t follow the rules?
Participants may be asked to leave the tour at any time at the discretion of staff should the safety of the animals, staff or other guests be at risk, or to prevent interruptions to the experience.