The Bass, Victoria, Australian Wildlife Wonderland Park was deserted back in 2012, though still remains intact for adventurous visitors to explore. The park was very popular in its day for its collection of native animals, including kangaroos, koalas, emus, wallabies, and various bird species.
Even better, visitors could often interact with the animals, making it a memorable experience for families.
Recently, Luke McPherson, a self-proclaimed urban explorer, who had cherished memories of visiting the park as a young boy, had the idea to venture into the abandoned site. What mysteries lay behind its gates, he had no idea but was eager to uncover.
In November 2018, Luke shared his exploration journey on YouTube, capturing the eerie atmosphere of the decaying ruins. To his surprise, the video recently resurfaced and is now going viral. The video’s recent popularity, however, can be credited to the remarkable discovery he made within one of the neglected rooms.
As he stepped into the abandoned wildlife park, he stumbled upon something breathtaking. Floating inside a massive tank filled with green formaldehyde and murky water was Rosie, a 16.5-foot taxidermied great white shark.
It was an unexpected encounter, to say the least, especially with how well-preserved the creature was. Luke noted that it was the highlight of his park exploration.
Rosie has quite a fascinating backstory. According to Australian news from decades ago, she was caught in tuna fishing nets off the coast of South Australia in 1998. Though the intention was to store her temporarily at Wonderland Park, fate took a different turn.
She ended up there permanently.
Preserved using specialized chemicals, Rosie was meant to be a captivating exhibit in museums and wildlife centers. Unlike conventional taxidermy, her body was not gutted, leaving her perfectly solid and remarkably well-preserved.
In 2012, however, the park closed for violating the Australian Wildlife Act. All of the live animals were handed over to the Royal Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals. However, Rosie was left behind, her motionless presence in her tank becoming a haunting reminder of the once-popular park.
Over the years, vandals wreaked havoc on the tank, shattering her serene underwater display and leaving her partially exposed.
One compassionate YouTube commenter talked about finding a way to contribute funds towards relocating Rosie the shark to a safer and more suitable environment where she can be properly protected and preserved.
The same commenter also praised the work that the park did in its heyday, even if it did face a forced closure.
Of all organizations, Ripley’s Believe It or Not sounded an urgent alarm on social media about Rosie, warning that if swift action is not taken to remove the shark from the tank, the liquid keeping her intact will evaporate, and she’ll decay
Rosie is quite a remarkable specimen, and we can only hope that someone with the proper funds and know-how is able to save Rosie from her murky demise.
