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About Crocosaurus Cove | Cage of Death, Reptile House, Freshwater Aquarium & more

Crocosaurus Cove | A Uniquely Thrilling Crocodile Encounter

Darwin’s Crocosaurus Cove is a wildlife oasis that offers thrillseekers encounters with some of Australia’s deadliest creatures. The Cove pays special homage to the continent’s saltwater crocodiles offering visitors the heartstopping Cage of Death experience - an up close and very personal meetup with a large saltie. Sign up for petting sessions, guided tours, and meetups with turtles and snakes.

What is Crocosaurus Cove?

Darwin’s leading attraction, the Crocosaurus Cove is a two-storey complex that showcases the continent’s diverse reptilian life. The Cove stands out from other indoor wildlife experiences by creating unique interactions that add to the thrill of getting to know saltwater crocodiles, whiprays,  snakes, turtles and more! 

Chief among these is Australia’s only Cage of Death where you have the chance to come face-to-face with an enormous saltwater crocodile, swirling in the same pool as you. Children and adults also delight in other adventures like feeding the crocodiles, petting baby salties and the whiprays, and browsing through aquarium displays.

Crocosaurus Cove | Quick Facts

Official name: Crocosaurus Cove

Address: 58 Mitchell Street, Darwin City 

Date of Opening: July 15, 2008 

Timings: 9 AM - 6 PM

Crocosaurus Cove Location

Crocosaurus Cove Opening Hours

Crocosaurus Cove is open every day from 9 AM to 6 PM. 

Closures: The Cove is open all days of the year except Christmas Day (December 25). 

The various presentations like Meet the Reptiles, Fish Feeding, and Reptile, Big Croc and Turtle Presentations start at 9.30 AM and go up to 4 PM every day. 

Why is Crocosaurus Cove So Famous?

  • Reptile Kingdom: The Crocosaurus Cove is the world’s largest display of Australia’s reptiles. The complex features freshwater and saltwater crocodiles, snakes, lizards, and turtles. 
  • Cage of Death: A unique, nerve-wracking 15-minute encounter, this is the only crocodile diving experience in Australia where you are lowered in a pod into a pool with a beastly saltwater crocodile. 
  • Largest Salties: The Cove is home to some of the largest saltwater crocodiles in captivity in the continent. Many of the adult crocodiles are more than 5 metres in length and weigh more than 700 kilos! 
  • Interactive Experiences: Indulge in out-of-the-box experiences that include petting and feeding crocodiles, touching whiprays, and handling turtles and snakes. 
  • Knowledge Hub: Each attraction at the Cove comes with experts who share their knowledge on reptiles and freshwater life.

Biodiversity at Crocosaurus Cove

Crocodiles

Crocodiles are the star of the show at Crocosaurus Cove with both freshwater and saltwater crocodiles. There are also baby and juvenile crocodiles at the feeds and petting sessions and the Cage of Death features some of Australia’s largest salties.

Snakes

At the Reptile House, Australia’s best and least-known snakes slither around their display cages. There are black-headed, Bredl’s carpet, northern carpet and olive pythons. Highly venomous snakes include the coastal taipan, the eastern brown, inland taipan and the king brown snake

Lizards

Geckos, lizards, dragons and monitors all make an appearance at Crocosaurus Cove. Notable names include the Centralian blue-tongued skink, the frilled lizard, the inland-bearded dragon, the long-nosed water dragon, the perentie, and the Stoke’s skink.

Turtles

Meet up with these adorable creatures at the Turtle Billabong at Crocosaurus Cove. The turtle line-up includes pig-nosed turtles, yellow and red face turtles, and snapping turtles.

Amphibians

Crocosaurus Cove also features a few amphibians including cane toads, the green tree and the magnificent tree frogs.

Fish

Head to the 200,000-litre freshwater aquarium to take in the sight of colourful fish including whiprays, barramundi, rainbowfish, archerfish, and spotted scats.

What’s Inside Crocosaurus Cove?

Reptile House

Step into the world’s largest display of Australian reptiles as over 70 species of snakes and lizards go about their day in their enclosures. The House focuses on critters from the Northern Territory to the inhabitants of Australia’s desert Red Centre. Attend the Meet the Reptile show that happens thrice a day to learn even more about these creatures.

Freshwater Aquarium

The 200,000-litre freshwater aquarium is certainly a highlight of Crocosaurus Cove with a brilliantly recreated river system in Australia’s northern territory. The aquarium showcases species like whiprays, barramundis, and archerfish. The aquarium also hosts two feeding shows daily.

Turtle Billabong

In a quiet corner of the Cove, spend some time getting to know Australia’s freshwater turtles. The sanctuary’s inhabitants include pig-nosed turtles - a unique species that’s marked by leathery skin and flippers. There are also snapping turtles and yellow and red-faced turtles. An everyday afternoon show also gives you the opportunity to get closer and learn more about these fascinating creatures.

World of Crocs

This display showcases a variety of crocodile species from across the world. The wax replicas on show are of Australia’s freshwater and saltwater crocodiles, the Indian Gharial and the dwarf crocodile. As you go along, you can also read up on interesting facts that are sure to make you a crocodile expert.

Frequently Asked Questions About Crocosaurus Cove

What is Crocosaurus Cove?

Crocosaurus Cove is Australia’s exclusive crocodile diving destination and is home to the largest display of Australian reptiles. With a freshwater aquarium, a reptile exhibit, handler talks and unique encounter crocodile experiences, Crocosaurus Cove is one of the most popular attractions in Darwin.

Where is Crocosaurus Cove located?

Crocosaurus Cove is located in central Darwin at 58 Mitchell St, Darwin City NT 0800, Australia. Find it on Maps

What is Crocosaurus Cove famous for?

The Cove prides itself in being the world’s largest display of Australian reptiles. It is best known for its Cage of Death experience where visitors in a safety pod are immersed in a pool with a huge saltwater crocodile. Other interactive experiences include feeding and swimming with crocodiles, whipray encounters, a turtle sanctuary, a large freshwater aquarium and museum displays.

How do I book tickets to visit Crocosaurus Cove?

Crocosaurus Cove tickets are available online and at the venue. However, we recommend you book in advance and online because the attraction is popular, especially during the weekends and school holidays.

How much does a Crocosaurus Cove ticket cost?

Entry tickets to Crocosaurus Cove are priced at AU$ 34.20. Inside, each of the experiences is priced separately. The Cage of Death experience is priced at AU$166.50 while the Whipray Encounter will cost you AU$52.50.

When did Crocosaurus Cove open?

The Crocosaurus Cove opened to the public in mid-July 2008.

What’s inside Crocosaurus Cove?

Crocosaurus Cove houses various attractions like the Cage of Death, a close encounter with an Australian saltwater crocodile, a large aquarium, a crocodile exhibit, and a reptile house with over 70 species of Australian reptiles. There are also interactive experiences with baby crocodiles, freshwater turtles, and whiprays.

What are the Crocosaurus Cove’s opening hours?

Crocosaurus Cove is open on all days of the week between 9 AM and 6 PM.

Is it worth visiting Crocosaurus Cove?

Yes, absolutely! The Cove is home to the world’s largest display of reptiles of Australian reptiles. Also, it is the only place in the continent that offers the Cage of Death experience, where you get to dive into the same waters as a massive crocodile, but in a glass pod. You get to intimately interact with some of Australia’s deadliest creatures in a safe environment, making it most definitely worth a visit for any thrill-seeker.