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Pack up the caravan and hit the road for an unforgettable adventure during the school holidays!
Visiting a zoo is a surefire way to keep the kids entertained while igniting their curiosity about wildlife and nature.
With interactive exhibits, hands-on experiences, and thrilling animal shows, zoos offer an educational experience that’s as entertaining as it is enlightening.
Plus, exploring the great outdoors and bonding as a family is a great way to spend the holidays.
Here’s our favourite Aussie zoos!
Darling Downs Zoo is owned by Steve and Stephanie Robinson, who have devoted their lives to the care of all creatures great and small.
Opened in 2005, the zoo provides a more intimate and educational experience, featuring species such as lions, zebras, monkeys, and a variety of reptiles and birds.
The zoo, which specialises in the captive husbandry and breeding of many critically endangered, endangered and vulnerable species from around the world, is divided into four separate geographical areas and features animals from Africa, South America, South-east Asia as well as Australia.
Additionally, the zoo is a sanctuary for many free ranging marsupials, reptiles and ground dwelling birds who breed and thrive in the grounds.Â
Visitors can enjoy close-up encounters with animals such as meerkats, marmosets, and emus, enhancing their appreciation and awareness of different species.
Sea World is a marine mammal park, oceanarium, and theme park combined.
Known for its educational and entertaining marine life exhibits, Sea World features dolphins, seals, sharks, and polar bears, among others.
The park offers thrilling rides, live shows, and interactive animal encounters, promoting marine conservation and awareness.
Sea World also runs rescue and rehabilitation programs for marine wildlife, contributing to the protection and recovery of endangered marine species.
The heritage-listed Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is renowned for its large aviaries and interactive bird feeding experiences, particularly with colourful lorikeets.
The sanctuary, located on the Gold Coast in Queensland, features a variety of Australian wildlife, including koalas, kangaroos, and Tasmanian devils, and provides educational shows and encounters.
It is actively involved in conservation and rehabilitation programs, particularly for endangered species.
Currumbin also offers visitors experiences like the Wild Island Adventure Splash Zone and the Lost Valley, showcasing unique flora and fauna.
Home to the world-famous Wildlife Warriors, the family of Australian icon and crocodile hunter, the late Steve Irwin, Australia Zoo is a must-visit for animal lovers.
Founded by the Irwin family, the Sunshine Coast zoo is known for its conservation efforts – it runs the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital, which treats thousands of injured animals annually.
The zoo offers engaging wildlife shows, such as the Crocoseum, and interactive experiences, including hand-feeding kangaroos and cuddling koalas. Its mission is to inspire wildlife conservation through educational and entertaining wildlife encounters.
Dubbo’s Taronga Western Plains Zoo is an expansive open-range zoo that spans more than 300 hectares and is home to hundreds of animals from around the world.
Opened in 1977, it is renowned for its large, naturalistic habitats that allow animals to roam freely, offering visitors a safari-like experience.
The zoo features a diverse collection of species, including African elephants, rhinos, big cats, and giraffes, and emphasises conservation, breeding programs, and research.
Visitors can explore the zoo by car, bike, or on foot, and enjoy unique experiences such as behind-the-scenes tours and overnight stays at the Zoofari Lodge.
The Tasmanian Devil Unzoo, located on the Tasman Peninsula in Tasmania, is a groundbreaking wildlife sanctuary that redefines the zoo concept by removing traditional enclosures.
Instead, animals roam freely in natural habitats, and visitors engage in immersive experiences.
This innovative approach focuses on conservation, particularly of the endangered Tasmanian devil, and provides educational programs to raise awareness about the species and its challenges, such as the Devil Facial Tumour Disease.
Located in Kuranda, near Cairns, the Australian Butterfly Sanctuary is the largest butterfly flight aviary and exhibit in the Southern Hemisphere.
A short walk from Skyrail and the Kuranda Scenic Railway station, the sanctuary is home to more than 1,200 magnificent tropical butterflies. They are self-sustaining in their butterfly breeding program – which means no butterflies are taken from their natural environment.
Walk amid boardwalks and gardens, letting vibrant butterflies flutter around you. You can also join a tour behind the scenes in the breeding laboratory, housing up to 4,000 caterpillars, or download a free audio tour.
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary is the world’s oldest and largest koala sanctuary, established in Brisbane in 1927.
It initially opened with just two koalas, Jack and Jill, at a time when wild koalas were being culled for the fur trade. Claude quickly recognised that something had to be done to help protect one of Australia’s most iconic species.
The sanctuary offers visitors the unique opportunity to interact closely with koalas, including holding and feeding them, and is home to a diverse range of other Australian wildlife such as kangaroos, wombats, and dingoes.
Lone Pine is committed to wildlife conservation and education, providing a natural and safe environment for over 130 koalas and other native animals.
Located within the Botanic Gardens, Rockhampton Zoo offers free entry and a chance to see a variety of Australian and exotic animals.
Meet the newest member of their chimpanzee family, Mzuri, who was born in December 2021, or stop by the Australian Wetlands zone to marvel over the giant saltwater crocodile, The Colonel. The mischievous mob of meerkats are definitely a crowd pleaser amongst locals and visitors too.
Keeper Talks are always a delight, especially for children. Give yourself a couple of hours to meet the animals, then take a relaxing walk around Rockhampton’s Botanic Gardens and the Murray Lagoon – all free and all in the same spot!
Held during Queensland school holidays, for ages eight to 15 years, the Junior Zookeeper Experience takes you to parts of the zoo usually only inhabited by Zoo staff and the wonderful animals. Junior Zookeepers will get the chance to make enrichment items, feed selected animals, help clean the enclosures and maybe even hold a reptile while asking the Zookeeper Guide lots of questions.
Monarto Safari Park is one of the largest open-range zoos in the world, providing a safari-like experience just an hour’s drive from Adelaide. It’s the largest safari park experience outside of Africa and home to more than 50 species of exotic and native mammals, birds and reptiles including lions, cheetahs, giraffes.
Breathe in the fresh air, stretch your legs and explore the open plains of the park and its abundant flora and fauna. With 12 kms of walking trails between the new Visitor Centre and viewing platforms, you can walk the entire trail or combine a walk with the bus.
Alice Springs Desert Park offers a unique opportunity to learn about desert ecosystems and the wildlife that inhabit them. Located in the heart of Australia, this park provides an educational and immersive experience.
The park is deeply connected to the local Arrernte people and their dreaming stories, presenting three distinct desert habitats: Desert Rivers, Sand Country, and Woodland.
Visitors can enjoy guide presentations, a free-flying bird show, and a Nocturnal House featuring endangered animals.
Since its opening in 1997, the park has been dedicated to conservation and education, covering 1,300 hectares and offering immersive experiences that connect people with nature.
