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Melbourne Zoo and Sovereign Hill The only place you can now see a performing animal is at a zoo. Why then, have we paid to go there? To go to the zoo is to be forced into thinking about the oddness of our relationship with animals. The trouble with the zoo as conservation project, it must be said, is that there are far fewer animals around, and they are in enclosures where you cannot easily see them.
Watching the two black rhinos, you read that only 2, 500 are left in the wild. Walking past the bird houses, you see a photo of baby parrots packed into boxes - where most of them will die to feed the pet trade. While watching the animals, you start asking questions like: What do they think, looking outwards? - A young iguana licks its glass frontage in the Reptile House, as if it is trying to taste us. Two gibbons sit at the front of their cage and hoot as elaborately as police sirens whenever the boys in the audience hoot back. All these speculations come to your mind while being at a wind and wonderful place in Australia like Melbourne Zoo. (Dupais D. , 2001: 12).
Melbourne Zoo is a historic zoo and one of the world's greatest zoos which offers for observation a great variety of representatives of the world's fauna and flora in a series of habitat zones. More than three hundred and fifty animal species from Australia and around the world and a botanic garden setting are for the visitors view just several kilometers from the center of Melbourne. Being opened in 1862, Melbourne Zoo exhibits important historic features such as the design of the Main Walk and an early 20 th Century menagerie. In such a way, visitors can estimate the improvements which have been achieved up to this time. In 1862 the Royal Park site was given to the zoo by the city of Melbourne. At first, all those visitors could hope to see were some domestic animals and song birds.
The Society's gardens attracted little popular interest. The development of the Zoological collection began with the appointment of Albert Le Some in 1870. He acquired many animals and developed picnic grounds. Since that time, visitors began taking great delight in teasing the monkeys, watching the lions being fed and then falling asleep under a tree in one of the picnic areas. Train and fun fair rides, a restaurant, picnic grounds and even a small circus were provided to enhance the recreational experience of visitors. (web). In the 1980 s a master plan was developed.
The plan divided the Zoo into bio climatic zones, to provide customers with live experience and even a sense of participation. An African Rainforest featuring gorillas, mandrills, pigmy hippos and parrots; Asian Rainforest with Tigers and Otters; and the Australian Bush with Koala, echidnas and endangered hairy nose wombats have been replicated, giving the visitor a sense of immersion within each exhibit. (Rued V. , 2000: 26). Goal number one of Melbourne Zoo is to provide the highest quality recreational experience possible for all members of the community and its visitors. All other goals are dependent upon attaining this goal. The zoos objective is to increase attendance in five-ten percent every year. It uses aggressive marketing of the new attractions and exhibits.
The primary segment of the market is families: children with their parents. Saying in economic terms, the target market audience is children. But parents are found to be the ones who spent money in this case. In this way, the product offered has to be highly diversified to satisfy both, the children and the parents. So, now the zoo offers a whole spectrum of product and services to provide the customers not only with the experience but with the memories. These memories will make them come later again.
The objectives of the Zoo are active regional conservation and research programs; Education programs attracts over 100, 000 participants a year; Local conservation programs including Striped Legless Lizard, Eastern Barred Bandicoot and Helmeted Honeyeater, while internationally, the Zoo is involved with projects in Vietnam, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines. (Rued V. , 2000: 28). The Conservation & Research Department is involved in a number of Australian Conservation programs. Their level of involvement in the recovery of these species ranges from the captive breeding and release of endangered animals into the wild. Research projects have included behavioral studies, genetic analysis, radio tracking trials, surveying, and ecological studies. (web). At the present time, visitor services include a licensed bistro, take-away food outlets, gift and souvenir shopping, conference and function facilities, wheelchairs, pushers, picnic pavilions, special animal feeding times, keeper presentations and multi-lingual pamphlets. It gives the Zoo to reach many segments of the market, constantly increasing the number of visitors and clients.
The nature and extent of Indigenous wildlife interpretation also needs to be improved at the zoo. The key obstacles facing Indigenous involvement in wildlife tourism cited by all respondents include the lack of training and funding for Indigenous programs. Managers and staff involved in Indigenous wildlife tourism believe that there are many opportunities for greater Indigenous involvement in the wildlife tourism industry. Research and education programs are one of the key objectives of the zoo. Its recreational values are also important for the many visitors who may undertake short stays or long and planned visits - to gain mental and spiritual refreshment. The function of the Horticulture Department is the provision of browse to the Animal collection.
Many animals benefit from the addition of fresh browse to their diets. Animals that benefit from browse include Elephants, giraffe, Red Pandas and a variety of Primate and Ape species. The Horticulture web pages explore various aspects of the horticultural environment of Melbourne Zoo and provides an opportunity view zoo operations from a horticultural perspective. (web). A unique feature of this habitat zone is the Rice Paddy Aviary. It displays birds that live in and around rice fields in South-east Asia. The African Rainforest was first department to create a naturalistic exhibit.
The real challenge was to grow plants inside a Gorilla exhibit. It was achieved through the use of electric fences, thorny plants and plants, making the zoo a wild and exiting world for the visitors. Sovereign Hill is an outdoor museum operated by The Sovereign Hill Museums Association. In the 1960 s Ballarat's community recognized the need to preserve the historic buildings of the city, but at the same time envisaged an Outdoor Museum that would capture some of the diversity of the goldrush era. From this vision, Sovereign Hill was born. It tells the story of the first ten years of Ballarat's development after the discovery of gold in 1851.
Businesses are conducted by costumed staff and buildings are occupied by volunteers. Buildings and businesses are based on originals found in the Ballarat area and are researched in every detail. Sovereign Hill is proud of its reputation as an historically accurate, activated museum. (web). While being at Sovereign Hill, you get the experience of going back over a century to Victoria's goldrush days and reliving the history and excitement of the era. You can at Sovereign Hill - Australia's foremost outdoor museum! Built on a 25 hectare site linked with the richest goldrush in the world, Sovereign Hill faithfully depicts Ballarat's first ten years after the discovery of gold in 1851.
By participating and interacting with Sovereign Hill's own interpreters, you can form your own view of the past. Giving visitors the freedom to choose their own paths around Sovereign Hill, and to participate in a range of activities, is central to the idea of a living history experience. (web). One of the prime goals of Sovereign Hill is to dedicate the resources to promote the conservation of the historical and natural heritage. Market segment, that the attractions appeal to, is education participants and elderly people, who are interested in the history and the development of Australia. But the segments become bigger in number with the time, thanks to the economic development and customer needs.
We again are talking about the diversification like wedding ceremonies. It allows the organization to creates new market segments to operate in. It is difficult to talk about the market segments that Sovereign Hill does not appeal to or does not want to appeal to, regarding the age or income of the potential customers. (Fugan R. , 1999: 34). Sovereign Hill's mission is to present, in a dynamic group of museums, the mining and social history of Ballarat and to ensure that the visitors are engaged, informed and entertained. The Sovereign Quartz Mine extends this period to include some of the innovations of the mining industry in their search for gold. It's where Australia's history comes to life.
A goldfields township set over 60 acres on the site of the world's richest alluvial gold mine. There are over 60 buildings throughout the township to explore and more than 40 horses working in the township... (Fugan R. , 1999: 35). When gold was discovered in central Victoria, Australia, more sheep than people inhabited this British Colony. Within twelve months all that had changed and Ballarat became one of the most famous places in the world. By the end of 1854, thousands of fortune hunters had flooded onto the Goldfields from all over the world. Of all the places where gold was discovered, none produced more than the diggings at Ballarat.
Today, more than half a million people visit Sovereign Hill every year. (web). As one of Australia's Premier tourist destinations, Sovereign Hill has received many awards and accolades during its 30 years of operation. Sovereign Hill is fully accredited under the Victorian Museum Accreditation Program and the better Business Practice Accreditation. France's storming of the Bastille, Gettysburg of the American Civil War, and, in Australia, the Battle of the Eureka Stockade. Each of these history making events was a turning point. Out of each one a new nation grew.
Blood on the Southern Cross is an outstanding experience which surrounds and involves the audience in the whole historical chapter. Clever use of fantastic sound and lighting effects stirs the imagination. Discover the beauty and power of gold through one of Australia's most impressive presentations. At Sovereign Hill you can relive the excitement of Australia's golden past all day and night. Sovereign Hill Lodge is located on the site of Australia's foremost outdoor museum. Be the first to hit the Diggings and find gold, or take a ride on the Cobb & Co Coach.
The Gold Museum houses an extensive and valuable collection of gold nuggets, alluvial deposits, gold ornaments and coins, featuring the renowned Jessica and Paul Simon collection of gold coins. The Gold Museum offers far more than gold. Explore a series of galleries offering new and fascinating exhibitions drawn from the Gold Museum's extensive historical collections. (web). From a managerial perspective, one the most popular attractions is experience Indigenous culture of Australia, which must be one of the business orientation of Sovereign Hill. It always finds its place in the hearts of elderly people who are interested in the history. The Indigenous staff reported both traditional uses of wildlife and personal stories about wildlife, followed by Aboriginal dreaming and creation stories.
Indigenous staff members in formal presentations, guided tours and during informal discussions usually provide Indigenous interpretation of wildlife verbally. (Clear M. , 1996: 52). Sovereign Hill specializes in hosting small to medium conferences and meetings, as well as large group functions and special occasions such as weddings. It offers a range of packages and a personal tours. Packages and menus can also be tailored to individual requirements.
The unique range of elegant historical settings provides attractive and inviting venues to suit special occasions and celebrations, ranging from small, intimate dinners to weddings and large formal dinners and functions. Bibliography: Clear M. Indigenous World Of Australia. New York: The Viking Press, 1996. Dupais D. , Hill G. World Famous Zoos.
Boston: Allyn & Been, 2001. Fugan R. Sovereign Hill. Melbourne: Cooper Square Publishers, Inc. , 1999. Rued V. Attracting New Participants.
Melbourne Zoo. Sydney: Free Press, 2000. web web
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Research essay sample on Melbourne Zoo And Sovereign Hill
