David Hancocks' Melbourne Zoo/Werribee Open Range Zoo Master Plans

StoppableSan

StoppableSan

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5+ year member
To whom it may concern,

Is there a chance that anyone has access to or has any pertinent documents regarding David Hancocks' master plans for both the Melbourne and Werribee Zoos respectively? I ask as I actually hope to replicate them to the best of my ability in Planet Zoo, and all I know is that Melbourne was going to focus on animals in forested environments (e.g. gorillas and other primates) and Werribee was going to focus on open plains animals (giraffes, rhinos, elephants...?).

Any assistance is greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance.
 
Wyman said:
To whom it may concern,

Is there a chance that anyone has access to or has any pertinent documents regarding David Hancocks' master plans for both the Melbourne and Werribee Zoos respectively? I ask as I actually hope to replicate them to the best of my ability in Planet Zoo, and all I know is that Melbourne was going to focus on animals in forested environments (e.g. gorillas and other primates) and Werribee was going to focus on open plains animals (giraffes, rhinos, elephants...?).

Any assistance is greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance.
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I look forward to seeing the finished result!

There doesn't appear to be much online; though this document was interesting to read nonetheless: https://www.zoolex.org/media/uploads/2018/07/30/hancocks_2012_future_of_zoos.pdf

According to this page: https://landscaperesearch.org/wp-content/uploads/2019/03/LRExtra-No.05.pdf David Hancocks wrote "Seeking to create illusions of wild places" re. Melbourne Zoo, if anyone has a copy.
 
I’m pretty sure the master plan map was published in the FOTZ newsletter at the time, but maybe I just saw it pinned to a wall. Maybe try the zoo, they might give you a copy.

A landscape magazine published a 3 part article by Hancocks mainly about technical aspects. I have copies, but they are packed away.

edit: just read the above and read the link which gave me the journal name; Landscape Australia nov 1989. That was part 2 so the other parts would be in the proceeding an following issues. Suggest you try the State Or National Library to see if they can help.
 
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Wyman said:
To whom it may concern,

Is there a chance that anyone has access to or has any pertinent documents regarding David Hancocks' master plans for both the Melbourne and Werribee Zoos respectively? I ask as I actually hope to replicate them to the best of my ability in Planet Zoo, and all I know is that Melbourne was going to focus on animals in forested environments (e.g. gorillas and other primates) and Werribee was going to focus on open plains animals (giraffes, rhinos, elephants...?).

Any assistance is greatly appreciated, and thanks in advance.
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Just some further comments. The Melbourne Zoo was not just a "forested" environments plan, it covered several ecosystems, for instance there was also to be a savanna in the southern part of the zoo, as well as an European/west Asia forest area centered around the bear enclosure. As I remember it though the only section drawn in any detail by Hancocks was the the Tropical Rainforests. No doubt the plan was that he would continue the other sections in more detail as funding to build them became available. I never saw his Werribee Zoo plan so can't comment.
 
Zorro said:
Large yes but I believe its not going to happen anytime soon :(
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For anyone wondering, if this does pan out as planned, the exhibit will be about the size of Melbourne Zoo. It will be great for the Elephants. I wonder where they plan to build it?
 
Zorro said:
I believe the new elephant exhibit at Werribee will be 50 acres in size
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Jambo said:
For anyone wondering, if this does pan out as planned, the exhibit will be about the size of Melbourne Zoo. It will be great for the Elephants. I wonder where they plan to build it?
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According to Werribee director, Glen Holland, the new elephant exhibit will indeed be 20 hectares (49.4 acres). This is ten times the size of their current exhibit at Melbourne and can potentially accomodate up to 15 elephants. It’ll be great to see them further develop a multigenerational herd.

Melbourne Zoo Is Losing One If Its Most Popular Attractions
 
I would of thought they would of fast tracked this exhibit for them instead of putting it on the back burner for that long!
 
MRJ said:
Just some further comments. The Melbourne Zoo was not just a "forested" environments plan, it covered several ecosystems, for instance there was also to be a savanna in the southern part of the zoo, as well as an European/west Asia forest area centered around the bear enclosure. As I remember it though the only section drawn in any detail by Hancocks was the the Tropical Rainforests. No doubt the plan was that he would continue the other sections in more detail as funding to build them became available. I never saw his Werribee Zoo plan so can't comment.
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Does the Melbourne Zoo have these plans on file as well in an archive of sorts? And if the Tropical Rainforests section was the only one to have been drawn in great detail, should I speculate in order to figure out how the savanna and the European/West Asian sections would look?
 
This is all I really have on Werribee that might be of any use.
 

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gerenuk said:
Is this what you are looking for?
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That is what I was thinking of. I also remember a detailed plan with recommended species for the tropical zone. Melbourne Zoo would have been a very different place.
 
For all that Hancocks has gone a little bit spotty in his old age, had he gotten the chance to see his vision through with Zoos Vic I feel confident Melbourne would be recognised as one of the great zoo cities of the world. Alas.
 
gerenuk said:
Is this what you are looking for?
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This could very well be my holy grail! Thanks! I might give a little bit of interpretation as to how the exhibits would be laid out/the holding/the foliage choices in question (also depends on whether Frontier releases an Oceania/Australia pack complete with eucalyptus and ficus trees for foliage), but aside from that, this is what I was looking for! Thanks!
 
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gerenuk said:
Is this what you are looking for?
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The fact the concepts outlined in this paper are based around common sense makes them no less ingenious. This was clearly a man who knew the industry inside out and submitted his thoughts based on a foundation of practicality.

It was best illustrated in his review of the otter ‘slide’ at Stanley Park Zoo. The concept of the slide was poetic enough - the slide was to represent the mud slides of their natural habitat; but in reality, it’s design made the otters afraid to use it.

This document made for compelling reading and I for one, will surely enjoy measuring the exhibits I’ve seen in zoos against these concepts to see if they make the grade. 30 years on, there are many exhibits that do; but for it’s time - these ideas were truly cutting edge.
 
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