It isn't often the Hollywood version of life rings true, but Mark Stone had to admit the book and movie We Bought a Zoo was a fairly accurate portrayal of keeping exotic animals - with small children in tow.
"I actually went and spent time with Benjamin Mee, who the story is based on and we were saying yep, it's like that. Crazy things, unexpected things happen every day - can I even call them unexpected now? Probably not."
In 2003, the Stone family bought Billabong Zoo in Port Macquarie, and the past thirteen years has been a juggling act: balancing slow growth in ticket sales with vast outgoing expenses.
At five months old, Misty is working on her roar. Source: SBS Small Business Secrets
In 2016, there were 100,000 visitors through the gates - close to half of them were overseas tourists, and there is a growing demand for annual passes from locals and New South Wales residents.
"We had 15,000 visitors today and I was going through the numbers and a decade ago we would have that many in a few months," Mark admitted.
Unfortunately for the Stones, costs have climbed too; a bigger, better zoo is an ongoing drain on resources.
The zoo conducts up to 17 free education sessions a day. Source: SBS Small Business Secrets
A new enclosure might cost a quarter of a million dollars, and exotic imports like South African lion cubs Misty and Milo each came with a $100,000 price tag.
However, Mark says new animals are the lifeblood of his business: a steady stream of new attractions keeps crowds hooked.
"When we brought snow leopards in in 2008, that was the turning point for us, because we are competing with the big guys and we are one of the few zoos in Australia to have them," he said.
Since then, Cheetahs, red pandas and lion cubs have joined the natives, with more than 220 animals across 80 species on the 10-acre property.
The Stones have imported exotic animals to constantly provide new attractions for visitors. Source: SBS Small Business Secrets
Blake and Brooke are poised to take on the business when their Mum and Dad retire - but they say there is little they would change when they do.
"It was on the verge of closure, which for a zoo is unusual and pretty bad. It would have been a huge shame if it had kept going in that downhill trajectory, but Dad has managed to turn it all around," Blake said.
It's been a family effort; Mark's wife Danena looks after much of the backend, and their son and daughter work in the zoo's souvenir shop, and of course, with their favourite animals.
"Blake is the red panda whisperer," admitted Brooke, while Mark said "Only Brooke and (head keeper) Kristy can get the cheetahs calm enough to rest on their laps."
The red pandas come from China, and are a huge draw for visitors. Source: SBS Small Business Secrets
There are now dozens of staff who maintain the structures, feed and care for the animals and look after visitors, including school groups and private tours.
"We run 14 free talks a day, 17 in the past school holidays. We need one-and-a-half or two staff members to every one in a similar sized zoo, just to manage all the presentations we do," Blake said.
Conservation is at the heart of the business, and brings its own revenue stream.
Billabong Zoo is renowned for its koala breeding program. Source: SBS Small Business Secrets
Mark led the push to ban koala holding in New South Wales, despite the lure of more than a million dollars a year in koala cuddling tourist photos, enjoyed by other zoos.
"The swings and roundabouts work here, too. I am happy to wear losing out on that big money to keep my animals happy, but the flip side of that is because our koalas are so happy, they are breeders. We are supplying other places with koalas so that is another element."
But Billabong's beloved koalas are sold to a select few.
The zoo's koala breeding program aims to boost numbers of the endangered species. Source: SBS Small Business Secrets
"No koala cuddling for them, no. It traumatises them, so even if one of the big Queensland places that do koala hug photos asks to buy our animals, I won't sell to them."
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