Daytripper: Ti Point Reptile Park, Leigh

Elisabeth Easther makes some scaly, slithery new friends.

Ti Point Reptile Park is New Zealand's only zoo specialising in reptiles, among other creatures, so if you have a fondness for things with scales and shells, it makes for a superb day out.

About 20 minutes' drive from Warkworth, 90 minutes from Auckland, the spacious bush-clad grounds swallowed us up for the day as we explored and romped our way around all the wonders on offer.

Armed with a picnic, two 9-year-old boys and I spent the first 30 minutes pointing and exclaiming, "Wow" and "Oh my gosh, come look at this". We buzzed out on the many cold-blooded wonders - everything from skinks to geckos, chameleons, iguanas and tuataras.

We also adored the capuchin monkeys, tarantulas and the giant tortoise who comes here from Auckland Zoo for his holidays.

Captain, the sulphur-crested cockatoo, puts on a most impressive show of song and dance.

We couldn't quite figure out the tune but pretty soon we were all singing along. We were so busy wandering the webs of enclosures, gazing at the mazes of territories and terrariums and their inhabitants - tortoises, turtles and alligators - we nearly missed the stunning sea views.

Actually that's not true, they were spectacular and you'd had to have been blindfolded to miss them.

Stopping near the star tortoises for our picnic - bug spray is a good idea - I was most impressed by the bearded water dragon, who was putting on quite the facial display in celebration of the mating season. I'll be very surprised if he didn't get lucky with the tricks he has at his disposal.

And the question I was asked on the way home: "When are we going to go back?"

IF YOU GO

Ti Point Reptile Park is at 27 Ti Point Rd, Leigh, open daily 10am-5pm, ph (09) 422 6021.

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