Popular Christchurch Attraction Celebrates 50th Birthday

In 1969, Michael and Kathy Willis bought a piece of land covered in gorse and broom on the outskirts of Christchurch. There was no roading or urban development nearby.

Their dream was to one day open a zoo.

On Labour Weekend of 1974, that dream became a reality with the opening of Willowbank Wildlife Reserve.

“I had looked forward to that moment since I was young, so when it finally came to fruition it was quite surreal,” says Michael.

“It was quite scary at the time, people called me a crazy dreamer,” he says.

Now 50 years later, and with their children Mark and Kirsty at the helm, Willowbank is celebrating five decades in operation, and reflecting on their journey.

“When mum and dad opened Willowbank, they didn’t even have an entrance building, they just sat in an old Land Rover with a shoe box as a till and put an ad in The Press advertising 25 cents an adult and 10 cents a child,” says son Mark Willis, who is now co-director with his sister Kirsty.

“As a kid, I remember dad coming home with boxes of second-hand nails. My school holiday job was to straighten nails to reuse them because we couldn’t afford new nails," says Mark.

From humble beginnings to more than 210,000 annual visitors, Willowbank has become a popular destination for local, national and international visitors.

“Mum and dad have been incredibly resourceful over the years. What you see 50 years later is a tribute to them and the fact they kept believing in their dream and holding firm on their vision, and now they have achieved something quite special,” says Mark.

The milestone birthday has got Mark and sister Kirsty reflecting on their far-from-ordinary childhood living at a wildlife reserve.

“When the first Star Wars movie came out, Mark was looking forward to getting a Luke Skywalker figurine for Christmas. Instead, we got a mountain lion cub in a dog crate wrapped in Christmas paper under the tree,” says Kirsty Willis.

“We named him Lewis and he did everything with us. Mark would take him for walks on a lead and down for a swim, and he even used to sleep in my bed. Then he grew bigger teeth and bigger claws so playing started becoming a bit painful after a while.”

Other memories come to mind when reflecting on the past half century, like learning to ride a camel, and their dog feeding a family of otter pups in the house.

“There’s lots of stuff over the years that in the modern world wouldn’t be repeated, but back in the 70s and 80s it was pretty normal,” Mark says.

While there have been many changes at Willowbank since its inception, Mark and Kirsty have always felt a sense of pride to carry on their parent's legacy.

“Dad is a pioneering New Zealander – we think of him as a bit of a cross between Barry Crump and Steve Irwin. He’s done a huge amount for conservation and been given a MNZM for it,” says Mark.

But the Willis family says the biggest thank you goes to the Christchurch community.

“We genuinely feel that we’ve only got this far because of the support from the community so now we want to give something back,” says Mark.

“Right from the very beginning we’ve had help from other people, people who brought into our dream, and for that we’ll be forever grateful,” says Kathy Willis.

For its 50th birthday celebration, Willowbank wants to provide an opportunity for those who might not otherwise be able to visit Willowbank through a community nomination initiative.

“To see how far we’ve come and the challenges we’ve overcome is a testament to not just our family but everybody else who has been along for the journey with us over the years. This is a special time to give back and share all the wonderful Willowbank memories together.”

Background Information:

Founded by the Willis family more than four decades ago, Willowbank is still owned and operated by members of the founding family. The Willowbank experience tells the story of our country’s natural heritage. Using pioneering and innovative display techniques, with an emphasis on creating a natural environment and an up-close and personal interactive experience, Willowbank showcases one of New Zealand’s best displays of native species. Willowbank was the first to open a glass-free nocturnal house for kiwi in a natural environment, guaranteeing viewings every time.

Willowbank is a New Zealand leader in conservation, with success in many national, Australasian and in-house breeding programmes focusing on New Zealand native and endangered species, as well as many rare and heritage breeds of farm stock. Scientific research projects, and local partners including the Department of Conservation, the Styx River Living Laboratory, the Rare Breeds Society, the NZ Conservation Trust and the South Island Wildlife Hospital, are supported by and work alongside Willowbank.

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