About Us
Who we are
Paradise Valley Springs is a privately owned, family-run wildlife park in Rotorua. Every dollar that keeps the park running comes straight from the people who visit, there’s no outside funding behind it.
We built the park around close, hands-on contact with animals. Most of what you’ll meet here can be hand-fed, and that closeness is deliberate, it’s easier to care about wildlife once you’ve stood next to it.
Our History
We first opened to the public in 1939 as a trout spring. The park was bought from the original owners in 1975, and it’s stayed family-run ever since.
The trout are still here. Over the last 40 years, we’ve added a growing range of mammals and birds, along with ongoing developments to the park itself.
Our Environment
A freshwater spring on site supplies all the park’s water, and you can see our water bottling plant in action. The Ngongotaha Stream winds through the grounds and is home to wild trout.
We also work to control introduced predators like rats, stoats and possums across our 48-acre property. It’s paying off, recent sound recordings have picked up native long-tailed bats flying over the park at night.
Qualmark
We hold a Qualmark Silver Sustainable Tourism Business Award, New Zealand tourism’s official mark for a safe, high-quality and genuinely sustainable visitor experience.
