Zoos of Australia

[ramsayi]

Oh thankyou. Was actually curious about after finding out about the place (was looking at where Caversham had moved to bit over twenty years ago at Whitman Park, as haven't visited it there but did at the original site years ago; and long story short while looking at northern inland suburbs of Perth, saw the Landsdale Farm on the map). It's good that theres a children's farm for Perth city kids to visit with their families or school excursions. Theres a few in Sydney that have been operating for decades, not really many if any ZooChatters animal parks of interest and intrigue lol; but imagine almost all of us still love farm animals still, and glad there are a few city farm animal parks for city kids to go to in addition to zoos, aquariums, reptile parks and bird parks in the areas too.

theres atleast one other in perth i know of
*Swan valley cuddly Animal farm (swan valley) Swan Valley Cuddly Animal Farm

they have the farm and they do trips to schools and events. i agree its good we have farm animals for kids to see, i use to help at the perth royal show with the animal patting and so many parents havn't had much time with farm animals let alone the kids.

i know theres a few other farms in the busselton area but i honestly don't remember the names or even know if they are still open, i havn't been that way in a few years but grew up going to a few of them when on holiday

 

[Swanson02]

Here is a little size comparison I drew up for fun of Australia's three major city zoos (bar Perth) and their three Open-range sister facilities
From left to right in blue - Werribee, Monarto, and Taronga Western Plains
From left to right in red - Melbourne, Adelaide, and Taronga

 

[Jambo]

Here is a little size comparison I drew up for fun of Australia's three major city zoos (bar Perth) and their three Open-range sister facilities
From left to right in blue - Werribee, Monarto, and Taronga Western Plains
From left to right in red - Melbourne, Adelaide, and Taronga
View attachment 840830

I've never visited Monarto, and so am quite interested in the overall layout of the park (it seems huge!). I was wondering whether you (or anyone else) might be interested in highlighting the specific areas on the satellite image of the park ie. where the elephant complex is ect. It would be intriguing to get a grasp of the size of some of the complexes and where they're positioned in the park.

 

[That Aussie Guy]

Here is a little size comparison I drew up for fun of Australia's three major city zoos (bar Perth) and their three Open-range sister facilities
From left to right in blue - Werribee, Monarto, and Taronga Western Plains
From left to right in red - Melbourne, Adelaide, and Taronga
View attachment 840830

This is very interesting! While Monarto is indeed massive, it's worth noting that (as I was told by a senior keeper), of the 1500 hectares, "only" 150 hectares of that is publicly-visible animal enclosures.

Between Adelaide and Melbourne Zoo is a clear line that roughly runs vertically through the property. To the left is Monarto Safari Park, and to the right are the Wild Africa developments which are not visible on your standard visit.

I've never visited Monarto, and so am quite interested in the overall layout of the park (it seems huge!). I was wondering whether you (or anyone else) might be interested in highlighting the specific areas on the satellite image of the park ie. where the elephant complex is ect. It would be intriguing to get a grasp of the size of some of the complexes and where they're positioned in the park.

I did some rough highlighting (see below) to mark out some key enclosures and areas.


- The Safari Hotel (red circle) and lemur enclosure (green circle). Just North of the Hotel is a small waterhole which forms part of the hippo enclosure (yellow circle - I'm unsure of enclosure area)
- The yellow and light blue in the upper central area is the lion enclosure (yellow) and spotted hyena/African wild dog rotating yards (both under the same blue).
- The orange on the far left is the oryx enclosure, and the adjacent darker blue is the Outpost and nearby enclosures for meerkat, cape porcupine, and chimpanzee (the latter being to the immediate NW edge of the oryx enclosure)
- The red at the bottom-left is the enclosure for American bison and Przewalski's horse, with red deer kept in the smaller, random-shaped barren yard above it
- The green patch under Melbourne Zoo is the Waterhole enclosure for giraffe, ostrich, and eland
- The rhino and cheetah enclosures are just above the Melbourne Zoo outline (purple cheetah, pink rhino)
- The elephant complex (roughly) is the 14 hectares highlighted in light grey to the lower-left of Melbourne Zoo

Hope this helps!

 

[Jambo]

This is very interesting! While Monarto is indeed massive, it's worth noting that (as I was told by a senior keeper), of the 1500 hectares, "only" 150 hectares of that is publicly-visible animal enclosures.

Between Adelaide and Melbourne Zoo is a clear line that roughly runs vertically through the property. To the left is Monarto Safari Park, and to the right are the Wild Africa developments which are not visible on your standard visit.



I did some rough highlighting (see below) to mark out some key enclosures and areas.
View attachment 841022

- The Safari Hotel (red circle) and lemur enclosure (green circle). Just North of the Hotel is a small waterhole which forms part of the hippo enclosure (yellow circle - I'm unsure of enclosure area)
- The yellow and light blue in the upper central area is the lion enclosure (yellow) and spotted hyena/African wild dog rotating yards (both under the same blue).
- The orange on the far left is the oryx enclosure, and the adjacent darker blue is the Outpost and nearby enclosures for meerkat, cape porcupine, and chimpanzee (the latter being to the immediate NW edge of the oryx enclosure)
- The red at the bottom-left is the enclosure for American bison and Przewalski's horse, with red deer kept in the smaller, random-shaped barren yard above it
- The green patch under Melbourne Zoo is the Waterhole enclosure for giraffe, ostrich, and eland
- The rhino and cheetah enclosures are just above the Melbourne Zoo outline (purple cheetah, pink rhino)
- The elephant complex (roughly) is the 14 hectares highlighted in light grey to the lower-left of Melbourne Zoo

Hope this helps!

Thanks for that! Really helps to put things in perspective.

Re. only a tenth of Monarto's overall size being publicly visible enclosures (I'm assuming minus Wild Africa), that's not surprising at all. I would estimate that Werribee's similar - perhaps even bigger than that re. publicly accessible space. Unlike Monarto, and to an extent, Dubbo, Werribee's pretty much filled up most available space on their site. Both Dubbo and Monarto are lucky that have huge space currently owned by both facilities that they can expand into in the future if they wish to.

 

[Swanson02]

Here’s a quick comparison of the general property borders for most major and notable zoos in Australia and New Zealand, based on mapping software. Boundaries aren’t perfect, some are estimated or obscured - but it gives a good idea of relative size and shape.

Blue – Open Range Zoos (L–R): Werribee, Monarto, TWPZ
Red – Urban City Zoos (L–R): Perth, Melbourne, Adelaide, Taronga, Sydney, Auckland, Wellington (hard to define due to surrounding bush)
Pink – Smaller Facilities: Rockhampton, Featherdale, Wildlife HQ, Gorge Wildlife Park
Green – Medium / Semi-Rural Zoos (L–R): Hunter Valley, Altina, Orana, Darling Downs, Australia Zoo, Mogo, Hobart, Halls Gap, Hamilton, Ballarat, National Zoo & Aquarium, Mansfield, Tasmania (boundaries uncertain)

These outlines are just rough (Not down to the legal boundary) comparisons - particularly for the private or rural facilities, where borders are less clear. Still, it’s interesting to see just how varied the scale of Australasian zoos are!

 

[Steve Robinson]

AQUA FLORA PARK

A recent FB post jogged my memory about this gem of a park.
It opened in the Sydney suburb of Rockdale in 1931, was privately owned and covered 3 acres.
As a country kid it was a must see attraction when visiting an Aunt nearby.
Mind you, part of the attraction was just getting there - we rode a trolley bus to the site!

The park itself was like a jungle to my childish eyes. There were orchids and sub tropical plants everywhere - even in many of the enclosures. The animal content was heavy on birds but the park also featured monkeys - the first I had ever seen. Can't remember what species though - it was over 70 years ago now. There were also many Aussie species like small macropods, possums and the like. A stand out for me was a planted aviary, with the rear wall painted like a jungle, and featuring a number of Diamond Pythons. In those days, to a bush kid, the "only good snake was a dead snake" but that display opened my eyes to other possibilities. It was ahead of it's time. I also have vague memories of very large pythons - maybe Burmese or Retics.
I'd never seen an aquarium in those days either but this park featured heaps of fish - both in ponds and in tanks.

Unfortunately the park closed in 1956 and the land is now wall to wall houses except for a small portion which has been retained by the Council as open parkland and named Aqua Flora Park.

 

[steveroberts]

AQUA FLORA PARK

A recent FB post jogged my memory about this gem of a park.
It opened in the Sydney suburb of Rockdale in 1931, was privately owned and covered 3 acres.
As a country kid it was a must see attraction when visiting an Aunt nearby.
Mind you, part of the attraction was just getting there - we rode a trolley bus to the site!

The park itself was like a jungle to my childish eyes. There were orchids and sub tropical plants everywhere - even in many of the enclosures. The animal content was heavy on birds but the park also featured monkeys - the first I had ever seen. Can't remember what species though - it was over 70 years ago now. There were also many Aussie species like small macropods, possums and the like. A stand out for me was a planted aviary, with the rear wall painted like a jungle, and featuring a number of Diamond Pythons. In those days, to a bush kid, the "only good snake was a dead snake" but that display opened my eyes to other possibilities. It was ahead of it's time. I also have vague memories of very large pythons - maybe Burmese or Retics.
I'd never seen an aquarium in those days either but this park featured heaps of fish - both in ponds and in tanks.

Unfortunately the park closed in 1956 and the land is now wall to wall houses except for a small portion which has been retained by the Council as open parkland and named Aqua Flora Park.

Thanks so much for sharing your memories of Aqua Flora Zoo growing up Steve.
Cool that Lew Bond and Garry Darby published a booklet on the zoo.

AQUA FLORA PARK. - Native Plants, Animals, and Birds. - The Propeller (Hurstville, NSW) - 27 Dec 1934

SANDRINGHAM PARK. - OFFICIALLY OPENED, - The St George Call (Kogarah, NSW) - 29 Sep 1933

St George & Sutherland Shire Leader: Historians explore Aqua Flora Park's past as a zoo at Sandringham

photo from article shared with St George & Sutherland Shire Leader

&

aerial of from 1 May 1951 ↓ that can see the grounds of and surrounding area (ArcGIS Web Application)
https://portal.spatial.nsw.gov.au/download/historic/CCC471/CCC471_20_064.jp2.jpeg
from ↑

and 2 Jan 1956 (https://portal.spatial.nsw.gov.au/download/historic/235/235_29_067.jp2.jpeg) &

& 1955 https://postimg.cc


and the Aqua Flora Park today:

Google Maps Aqua Flora Park, Sandringham NSW



Facebook OnThisDay 8 November 1937, Miss Bonnie pictured with an old cockatoo at Albert Royce’s private zoo and garden known as Aqua Flora Park

Facebook OnThisDay 27 June 1949, two young boys pictured in the Kangaroo enclosure at Aqua Flora Park — Once located in Sandringham

 

[steveroberts]

Also Arthur Pemberton's Ramsgate Baths and Miniature Zoo at Ramsgate that opened and closed around same time as Aqua Flora Zoo (Aqua Flora sounds like was way better exhibit setups for the time). Were 1.64kms from one another. The Ramsgate zoo was on the south-east corner of Ramsgate Rd and The Grand Parade (Google Maps).

Dan McAloon wrote about it in his paper: The Origin and Building of Pemberton’s Baths, Ramsgate 1918 - 1929 (2022) (full paper here www.bayside.nsw.gov.au..) ''At Ramsgate Pemberton Baths was a restive creator, forever eager to bring in another novelty attraction that would lure in summer crowds. In Depression-era 1931 he installed pens of animals, birds and fish and advertised it as a “zoo”, and in the war years bolstered its appeal with the dual drawcards of a chimpanzee (named Sally), and an orangutan. He filled one of the pools with live fish and charged people to come in and catch their next meal. He once displayed a rare leopard shark in the shallow pool."

Apparently monkeys, dingos, lyrebirds, lots of cockatoos were some of the other animals there, would of lived in such cramped conditions.

(Rockdale City Library) (date ?) source Facebook

May 1938 (Ivan Ives collection) source Facebook


Monkey Bites Youth - The Daily Telegraph (Sydney, NSW)- 24 Feb 1940 (well actually orangutan).

 

[Steve Robinson]

Also Arthur Pemberton's Ramsgate Baths and Miniature Zoo at Ramsgate that opened and closed around same time as Aqua Flora Zoo (Aqua Flora sounds like was way better exhibit setups for the time). Were 1.64kms from one another. The Ramsgate zoo was on the south-east corner of Ramsgate Rd and The Grand Parade (Google Maps).

Dan McAloon wrote about it in his paper: The Origin and Building of Pemberton’s Baths, Ramsgate 1918 - 1929 (2022) (full paper here www.bayside.nsw.gov.au..) ''At Ramsgate Pemberton Baths was a restive creator, forever eager to bring in another novelty attraction that would lure in summer crowds. In Depression-era 1931 he installed pens of animals, birds and fish and advertised it as a “zoo”, and in the war years bolstered its appeal with the dual drawcards of a chimpanzee (named Sally), and an orangutan. He filled one of the pools with live fish and charged people to come in and catch their next meal. He once displayed a rare leopard shark in the shallow pool."

Apparently monkeys, dingos, lyrebirds, lots of cockatoos were some of the other animals there, would of lived in such cramped conditions.

(Rockdale City Library) (date ?) source Facebook

May 1938 (Ivan Ives collection) source Facebook

Thanks @steveroberts for this extra information. Looks like I have stared something!

I don't recall the Ramsgate place at all.

I think that there may have been several of these little zoos around Sydney in the post - Depression days and don't doubt that your research skills may unearth some more.

As a starter, there was apparently a zoo on Campbelltown Road at Appin. It was owned by a man called Slogger Robinson! No relation.

 

[steveroberts]

Kumbaingeri, former zoo-wildlife park in Coffs Harbour, NSW. Wonder if the name comes a locality who's name comes from the name of the Gumbaynggirr people who's country includes the Coffs region.

Kumbaingeri Zoo
Coffs Local History - Remember When



*Edit: and this advertisement from
The Bananacoast Opinion - Sep 20 1978, page 16 (via OldNews.com)

 

[Steve Robinson]

Kumbaingeri, former zoo-wildlife park in Coffs Harbour, NSW. Wonder if the name comes a locality who's name comes from the name of the Gumbaynggirr people who's country includes the Coffs region.

Kumbaingeri Zoo
Coffs Local History - Remember When

This one I am very familiar with. In fact Steph and I nearly bought it! We lost interest in it when we discovered that the land was to be resumed for the widening of the Pacific Highway.

In recent years it was known as Coffs Harbour Zoo and had been owned for many years by a Japanese company.

There were lots of twists and turns in it's ownership and the involvement of some prominent Coffs Harbour people.

It had a very bright future if operated by people with animal savvy and commitment but it would have been hard pressed to ever provide an acceptable return on investment for investors. All academic now following the much needed upgrade of the Pacific.

I'm a bit surprised that nobody else has started up a zoo in the Coffs area. There isn't a serious collection between Port Macquarie and the Gold Coast now.

 

[Jambo]

I'm a bit surprised that nobody else has started up a zoo in the Coffs area. There isn't a serious collection between Port Macquarie and the Gold Coast now.

On that topic, I'm fairly surprised the South East Coast of QLD (Brisbane/Logan/Gold Coast areas specifically) lack a zoo not only focused natives. Obviously there's a lot of tourism that such a facility could benefit off, with the only competition being Australia Zoo which is an hour and a half north of Brisbane; and deemed too far of a drive for some staying down in the cities.

Do you think there's the market for a zoo like yours on the South East QLD coast?

 

[Zorro]

On that topic, I'm fairly surprised the South East Coast of QLD (Brisbane/Logan/Gold Coast areas specifically) lack a zoo not only focused natives. Obviously there's a lot of tourism that such a facility could benefit off, with the only competition being Australia Zoo which is an hour and a half north of Brisbane; and deemed too far of a drive for some staying down in the cities.

Do you think there's the market for a zoo like yours on the South East QLD coast?

The problem is just about all the "tourism" is mainly focused on the Gold Coast and the Sunshine Coast with very little focus outside of that, There is Lone Pine that's been just outside of Brisbane for many decades but little else!

 

[MRJ]

On that topic, I'm fairly surprised the South East Coast of QLD (Brisbane/Logan/Gold Coast areas specifically) lack a zoo not only focused natives. Obviously there's a lot of tourism that such a facility could benefit off, with the only competition being Australia Zoo which is an hour and a half north of Brisbane; and deemed too far of a drive for some staying down in the cities.

Do you think there's the market for a zoo like yours on the South East QLD coast?

Currumbin seems to be expanding their offerings of exotic species, while Dreamworld have tigers and SeaWorld polar bears.. When talking about tourism internationals are only really interested in natives, while Australians would have more interest in exotics. At the end of the day, there will only be a certain amount of the holiday budget the average family holidaying on the Gold Coast would devote to animal attractions.

 

[Steve Robinson]

On that topic, I'm fairly surprised the South East Coast of QLD (Brisbane/Logan/Gold Coast areas specifically) lack a zoo not only focused natives. Obviously there's a lot of tourism that such a facility could benefit off, with the only competition being Australia Zoo which is an hour and a half north of Brisbane; and deemed too far of a drive for some staying down in the cities.
Do you think there's the market for a zoo like yours on the South East QLD coast?

I'm not an expect but I don't really think so. We are a family owned and operated zoo and would never be slick enough for that market. And the pushback from the big operators would be horrendous. There was a filthy campaign against us over 20 years ago from the Coast parks and we are over 2 hours away from them. I can imagine how dirty the campaign would be against a new zoo virtually on their doorstep!

Zorro is correct that tourism is really limited to the coastal fringe. The government is very happy with that because they don't have to spend money upgrading resources to support tourism in places further afield. Sure, they pay lip service to regional tourism but that is all that it is. Quick example - the State is currently offering grants of up to 2.5 million dollars to "icon" (their word) tourism operators to prepare extra attractions and services for the 2032 Brisbane Olympic Games. Many of these "icons" have become "icons" thanks to lots of government support over the years. The DDZ is not in that coastal strip and has not received support to become an "icon" so we don't qualify for such a grant. Despite the fact that all of the Olympic equestrian events will be held in nearby Toowoomba.

I console myself with the belief that relying on tourism to sustain and improve your zoo/park is a big gamble. Tourists are fickle. Remember the pilot's strike, SARS, Covid, cyclones etc, etc?

Far safer to nurture the home market and accept the occasional tourist as a bonus.

 

[Steve Robinson]

When talking about tourism internationals are only really interested in natives, while Australians would have more interest in exotics.

This is very true. Aussies regard our indigenous fauna as "roadkill" and are reluctant to pay fair money to see living versions in a zoo or park. However, they are happy to pay to see, and hopefully learn more about, exotics.

Inbound international tourists prefer to see our natives - providing they can get discounted group rates to do so.

Unfortunately we rarely see inbound tourists this far away from the Coast - discounted or not. Pre Covid, we conducted a marketing campaign to all of the Asian travel agents in Brisbane and on the Coast. We conducted a number of famils with many of them and every one hated the area - not necessarily the zoo. The overriding feedback was that the Downs were too far from Brisbane, too hot, too dusty, too many flies and, wait for it, too quiet. Having made a number of trips into China and also one to Japan, I can almost understand the latter point. The people who could afford to visit Australia live all of their lives surrounded by other humans - around them, above them and below them. Safety is in numbers and our cherished fresh air and rural quietness is frightening to them.

The Coast is far safer- people everywhere, Asian owned hotels and Duty Free shops, Asian owned coach companies, lots of bikini girls and.......... casinos!

The fact that there are no Asian travel companies operating out here, and thus Australian companies would benefit from any tours, may also have contributed to their reluctance to promote our region.

 

[Steve Robinson]

Currumbin seems to be expanding their offerings of exotic species, while Dreamworld have tigers and SeaWorld polar bears.. When talking about tourism internationals are only really interested in natives, while Australians would have more interest in exotics. At the end of the day, there will only be a certain amount of the holiday budget the average family holidaying on the Gold Coast would devote to animal attractions.

It is interesting to speculate about Village Roadshow's reluctance to further their plans to add Gorillas, Hippos etc to Sea World and to establish an exotic zoo with giraffes etc at Paradise Country. Those ambitions have been bandied about for quite a few years now without a sod being turned.

 

[Jambo]

I console myself with the belief that relying on tourism to sustain and improve your zoo/park is a big gamble. Tourists are fickle. Remember the pilot's strike, SARS, Covid, cyclones etc, etc?

Far safer to nurture the home market and accept the occasional tourist as a bonus.

That's quite true - but Gold Coast especially has one of the safest markets tourism imo. Even if you aren't getting international tourists, your always getting leagues of local aussies flocking up to the sunshine coast on school holidays or for summer.

The overriding feedback was that the Downs were too far from Brisbane, too hot, too dusty, too many flies and, wait for it, too quiet. Having made a number of trips into China and also one to Japan, I can almost understand the latter point. The people who could afford to visit Australia live all of their lives surrounded by other humans - around them, above them and below them. Safety is in numbers and our cherished fresh air and rural quietness is frightening to them.

Not surprised. I'm sure the distance is probably the biggest issue. I know of many people who have elected against even travelling the hour and a bit up to Australia Zoo, just because of the distance too. Many people (especially tourists) are also afraid to venture too far from the place they're staying at for obvious reasons. Security, money and time are all factors.

Regarding the quietness, it's probably also a by-product of there being not much else to do in the Darling Downs. If there were other attractions to visit when spending a day in the Downs, I'm sure there'd be a far bigger number of outside visitors. If you had the theme parks just down the road, visitor numbers to DDZ would sky rocket no doubt. The bottom line probably being that the Downs just isn't a solidified need-to-visit area for QLD tourists. And if you aren't in such an area, you'd need to have a huge drawcard. One example being Australia Zoo - most tourists only travel up to Beerwah because of 'Steve Irwin' and to see the crocodiles.

 

[Steve Robinson]

Regarding the quietness, it's probably also a by-product of there being not much else to do in the Darling Downs. If there were other attractions to visit when spending a day in the Downs, I'm sure there'd be a far bigger number of outside visitors.

Not that so much - more that it is just ......quiet! No noise, no hustle, no bustle. They can't handle it.