Where else could you meet a giraffe at your level? Jamala Lodge turns 10 this year. Photo: Jamala Wildlife Lodge.
Jamala Wildlife Lodge is celebrating its 10th birthday this year, and Amanda Mead has been there for eight of those – first as front office manager, taking phone calls and bookings, then as lodge manager, and today as general manager.
Her love affair with Jamala began when she and her husband were gifted a voucher to spend a night at Jamala on a special anniversary getaway.
“I’d worked in hospitality before and my background was mainly customer service. But to come here – this was a totally different experience,” she says.
“I just fell in love with it … From the music when you walk into the rooms to the smells, to the animal encounters, the meals – everything is just so special.”
Jamala opened at the National Zoo and Aquarium in 2014.
Richard and his wife Maureen Tindale bought the zoo in 1998 when it was little more than seven empty hectares of land by the Scrivener Dam and an aquarium that had gone bankrupt for the second time.
“We weren’t getting any government assistance, so we had to do a lot of the funding ourselves,” Richard previously told Region.
“The zoo was never built to be money-making. The aim was just to try to make it pay for itself, with a bit left over for possible expansion. But we got to the point where we needed some more income.”
Today, Jamala includes seven rooms in the main lodge building, five “jungle bungalows” and six “giraffe treehouses” – all heavily African themed.
“I had the opportunity to go to Africa at the end of last year and Richard got to show me some of the places that were his inspiration for this place. As soon as I walked in, I could see the little touches he’s been able to bring to Jamala,” Amanda says.
Jamala Wildlife Lodge general manager Amanda Mead. Photo: Jamala Wildlife Lodge.
A night at Jamala starts from 1 pm when guests are greeted by a high tea and various reptile encounters in the main reception area.
This is followed by a guided tour through the zoo with access to the rooms granted from 3 pm. Pre-dinner drinks start on the lodge’s outdoor terrace area from 6 pm before a four-course meal.
“Guests can do as much or as little as they want – it’s totally up to them,” Amanda says.
The experiences have won Jamala a list of awards as long as a monkey’s arm, from “most unique accommodation” in the Australian Tourism Awards and winner of the “Travellers Choice Awards” eight years running to “best accommodation restaurant” by the Australian Hotels Association.
“I think we’re so lucky here in Australia – there are lots of zoos that offer accommodations and different sorts of experiences, and that’s really wonderful,” Amanda says.
“But there is nothing quite like this – Jamala still stands alone in the uniqueness of what it offers.”
The animals don’t miss out on the celebrations either. Photo: Jamala Wildlife Lodge.
Just this week, sod was turned on a new accommodation option. Located close to the heart of the zoo, it’s made up of a mix of three rooms that can be sold individually or as one for a family group.
Amanda says there are also plans to open the lodge to more conferences and boutique weddings.
“We’ve got to be mindful of the fact we’re still a working zoo … but we might look at bespoke sort of weddings, smaller ones, and spaces for people or companies to hire out for conferences or small functions.
“For me, it’s symbolic – the fact we celebrated our 10 years and now we’re rolling into this next chapter and new experiences.”
Ready for your Jamala experience? Visit Jamala Wildlife Lodge.
