On Thursday 4 December, families from across the Illawarra and beyond came together for a truly magical day at Symbio Wildlife Park, celebrating the 2025 KidsWish Christmas Party.
The spirit of Christmas was alive from the moment families arrived in their festive best, welcomed by roving characters, Santa Claus and toys galore. Laughter, excitement and connection filled the park as children and families explored everything the day had to offer.
At lunchtime, our wonderful friends from Rapid Relief Team AU kept everyone well fed with a delicious sausage sizzle, while our volunteers were treated to fresh fruit thanks to the generous support of Leisure Coast Fruit Market & Deli.
The main stage buzzed with energy as Lyndal and Crammy from Wave FM 96.5 hosted an incredible line-up of performers, including Circus Monoxide, The Music Makers, KidsWish KidsGroove, KidsRock and The Rockits Band — keeping the crowd entertained with music, movement and festive cheer.
Around the park, children tested their skills with teams from the St George Illawarra Dragons and The Disability Trust Sport & Recreation team, while others enjoyed character meet-and-greets with Fairy Fantasy Parties, The Cosplay Guardian, Illawarra Mercury, and Cliff Dorian and crew. LEGO play stations were buzzing thanks to Gonglug, and the silent disco — supported by The Illawarra Hotel — kept the energy high well into the afternoon.
It was a truly special day for families, staff, volunteers — and of course, our animal friends at Symbio. A heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make this magical celebration possible.
🎥 Keep an eye out for the highlight video coming soon.
📸 With thanks to Denis from Inner Visions Photography for capturing these beautiful moments.
