Breaking: Adelaide Honeymoon Couple Recollects Lion‑Roof Incident at 1970s Safari Park
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A long‑remembered moment from a drive‑through safari near Adelaide has resurfaced in recollections from a South Australian couple who were on their honeymoon in 1973. The pair say an adult male lion climbed onto their Datsun 1200 and crushed the roof while they were inside the car.
The husband recalled,“He jumped up on the roof and it caved in.” They were seated with their heads down, and could see the lion’s tail over the windscreen and its front paws over the rear window. When they finally drove away,they headed home to their town,only to find that his wife’s parents thought they had rolled the car.
The couple had stopped at Bullen’s African Lion Safari Park in Two Wells, north of Adelaide, deciding to visit on the way home from their honeymoon that summer.The park operated as a drive‑through experience, where visitors often left windows up as lions moved among vehicles.
In recounting the incident, the couple said they had seen the park’s sign along the road and chose to visit. The park closed in 1981, but it was one of eight such Bullen family parks established across Australia after earlier circuses in the 1920s. Parks like this offered a close encounter by letting lions roam near cars in fenced paddocks.
As the couple drove in,they recalled seeing a small shelter and cubs emerge. They moved closer, and a strong male lion emerged from behind the shelter, sniffing the car’s grille. Panic set in as the wife feared the animal would attack the vehicle. Then the lion leapt onto the bonnet and brought the roof down toward the engine.
Another visitor, about 50 metres away, was towing a caravan with only a sliver of his window open. He offered to “shoo it off,” and the couple chose not to respond, not expecting a response that day. They later learned that their photos of the incident were never found, and they have spent years hoping to locate the person who captured them.
Lions in a dusty paddock near traffic. The paddocks were notably sparse compared with later standards. (Supplied: Dean Ransom, photo by Peter Read)
The Two Wells park, now closed, was part of a broader trend—the bullen family ran eight parks across the country, evolving from circuses to year‑round safari experiences in the 1970s and ’80s. Visitors could drive inside paddocks with the windows up as lions moved in close proximity.
Other listeners shared memories of dramatic moments at similar parks. One described a woman being towed in a cage trailer as lions circled closely, while another recalled a sign announcing “poms on pushbikes admitted free.” There were warnings like “Trespassers will be eaten.” Rumors of escaped lions persisted, though some incidents were later attributed to mistaken identity with other animals.
Lions on the Loose: A Legacy of caution
The era also echoes a separate incident in 1964 when four lions escaped a Windsor circus near Adelaide.The animals roamed freely for hours before authorities intervened. A keeper was fatally attacked, and three lions were shot by police and a local gun shop owner after attempts to subdue them. Those events underscored the risks of early open‑range experiences and the evolving ethics of wildlife tourism.
in the 1970s, the Adelaide region saw a mix of wonder and caution as families sought close encounters with big cats. The region’s drive‑through parks were popular but controversial, and a shift toward stricter safety and animal welfare standards gradually emerged in the years that followed.
key Facts at a Glance
| Fact | Details |
|---|---|
| Date | Summer of 1973 |
| Location | Bullen’s African Lion Safari Park, Two Wells, north of Adelaide |
| Vehicle | Beaten‑up brown Datsun 1200 |
| Event | Adult male lion jumped onto the roof, roof caved in |
| Park Status | Park closed in 1981 |
| Aftermath | Vehicle denting; photographer of the incident never found |
Today, the story serves as a reminder of a transitional era in wildlife tourism—when close contact with big cats was a novelty, and safety standards were still developing. Modern safari parks have since tightened enclosures and procedures to prioritize both animal welfare and visitor protection.
As the recollections surface, the couple hope to reconnect with the person who photographed their encounter and share a fuller record of what happened that day.
What memories do you hold of early safari or drive‑through animal parks? Do you think safety measures have kept pace with attractions that offer close animal encounters?
Share your thoughts below and tell us which historic wildlife experiences you’d like to see revisited with today’s safety standards.
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