A Quest of Elephantine Proportions: WhistlingKite24 does Melbourne

[WhistlingKite24]

It’s time for another interstate travel thread. I have spent the last four days touring four different facilities all within reach of the city of Melbourne being Australia’s second largest city and a two-hour flight from Brisbane – Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo, Ballarat Wildlife Park and Melbourne Museum. This trip centred around seeing the new multi-million-dollar elephant complex at Werribee Open Range Zoo especially, marking a new chapter in elephant husbandry for the region and how megafauna is managed. As I have broad interests with all species of animals, I was also equally excited to explore the small and hidden wonders across the different sites with reptiles at Ballarat especially being a major motivator for visiting and exploring the impressive live collection of Melbourne’s major museum as I was met with a jaw-dropping glass forest within a concrete jungle. Wildlife watching took a minor role for this Melbourne trip but I did visit a few new sites with mainly familiar southern birds that I will always enjoy seeing. The wildlife I observed in the early mornings and late afternoons will be interspersed with the zoo walkthroughs.

Southern Corroboree Frog - a wonder seen at two of the zoos visited.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Ballarat Wildlife Park [PART 1] – 11th April 2025:

Ballarat Wildlife Park is located about an hour west of Melbourne and covers a small footprint within the eastern side of the satellite city of Ballarat. While it promotes a large and prominent focus on cold-blooded creatures, Ballarat does house a small range of popular mammal species and a smattering of birds as well. The park turns 40 this year and continues to broaden their displays regularly, branching out from solely reptiles into crowd pullers that keep the public engaged in a relatively competitive zoo market. I was visiting Ballarat mainly to see a few choice exotic reptile species I wouldn’t be able to see at any Australian facility and also see their tree-kangaroos especially; a group of animals I will always seek out to see at different facilities. Arriving at 10:30, the park was already booming with local families and tourists with many of them visiting via organised tours. Ballarat’s entrance was modern with a wooden finish and connected directly to the gift shop. There was a separate eatery area next to the entrance set among a bushland setting with wild Red Wattlebirds and Crimson Rosellas in the trees around the park chasing each other in and out of their territories. To begin with the zoo animals, there was a fully glass-fronted enclosure for Meerkats with a clean finish against some sturdy succulents, wedged in the first corner of the zoo. Nothing particularly special but of course a smart decision to have meerkats as the first exhibit visitors see. Moving along there was a large grassy paddock with an indoor glass-fronted sheltered divided into two parts for their larger tortoises. It was surprisingly lush for a tortoise enclosure with the mature plants adding structure and shelter for the tortoises to rest within and among. The tortoises weren’t completely visible from all angles at all times but I saw two Aldabra Giant Tortoises and a single Asian Forest Tortoise munching away in the sun. I didn’t realise the latter species got so big as it was my first time seeing them. They are giants in their own right. The tortoises used their indoor and outdoor spaces fluidly as it was a warmish day.

Meerkat enclosure

Tortoise enclosure

Asian Forest Tortoise

Then there was the reptile house but before that across from it were two outdoor enclosures that were fully enclosed; one contained a Rhinoceros Iguana, two Star Tortoises and the only Yellow-footed Tortoise in an Australian zoo; the other contained a single Rhinoceros Iguana. The yellow-foot took three attempts to see. It was hiding in the wooden box for most of the morning, and finally in the afternoon sun, it emerged and was being fed. A really gnarly looking tortoise if I am completely honest. It must have a story to tell. Along the side of the house, was the entire enclosure complex for their Komodo Dragons. The glare was pretty bad here but essentially it was several small enclosures that can be opened up or closed off. For many years Ballarat housed the only Komodos in Victoria. A slight back track had to happen to get to the reptile house entrance; a large brick dark building that housed the majority of the park’s reptiles and their amphibians.

Yellow-footed Tortoise

Second Rhino Iguana enclosure

Komodo Dragon enclosures

The reptile house began with two very large enclosures for their larger snakes to the left of the walkway; both contained each a pair of Burmese Pythons who were very active swimming in their pool and a pair of Reticulated Pythons. Nice lean snakes; not some of the overweight monsters you tend to see. Opposite them was a row of venomous snakes which began with a Uracoan Rattlesnake with Ballarat being the only zoo to house them in the country and they don’t seem to be particularly that common overseas either. What a beautiful snake with a striking scale pattern. The next two were exotic cobras including a Monocled Cobra and probably my favourite snake at the park being a monochromatic Indochinese Spitting Cobra that was in shed and didn’t budge all day; another Ballarat speciality. Then there were three Australian species being King Brown, Coastal Taipan and Inland Taipan. Among them was also a very active pair of Kimberley Rock Monitors that use all the corners of their exhibit being very agile animals adding a nice point of difference from the stationary snakes.

Uracoan Rattlesnake

Entrance corridor

Kimberly Rock Monitor – smart species to display near the front

Then there were three standard turtle standalone tanks; two housed Pig-nosed Turtles and the other contained a pair of saw-shelled Myuchelys turtles; possibly Bell’s Turtle as the park does house them. I am awaiting confirmation. Opposite them were two enclosures for Brown Tree Snake and Broad-headed Snake along with a Merten’s Water Monitor who shares its water with a pair of Freshwater Crocodiles but there is a mesh barrier that separates them across the space. These two were probably the weakest exhibits in the building in terms of size and aesthetics. There were further two tanks stacked on top of each other for Spotted Python and Centralian Python in the corner of this space. Ballarat houses and breeds Dyeing Poison Frogs (including blue morphs) which are the only legal exotic frogs in the country only housed by a few zoos. They are all kept behind a glass viewing window with three display tanks with them and then a large rack of tanks for pairs and trios of the frogs behind them and a side area with the tadpoles in little plastic cups. Opposite the frogs was a tiny mossy tank with Southern Corroboree Frogs. Ballarat serves as a holding facility with a bachelor group for advocacy. The wild population of this species is currently in serious peril with extinction a reality within reach. In 2022 there were only predicted to be 30 of these frogs in Kosciuszko National Park following two-thirds of their population being wiped out by the Black Summer bushfires of 2019/2020. Captive breeding is the only thing keeping this species ticking over, generation after generation in the face of natural disasters and disease.

Brown Tree Snake – an eye-catching Night Tiger form

Past the frogs there is an opening out to a larger venue with seating and a large enclosure with a deep pool for a pair of Saltwater Crocodiles with Barramundi. The crocodiles are fed daily and are very popular attraction. Despite being an indoor enclosure, the crocodiles do have access to natural light with a small outdoor section and the female was sunning herself, mouth open on land. The male was regularly cruising through the water approaching the glass much to the delight of visitors. There is a side enclosure with a decent water body for an Alligator Snapping Turtle. At the top of the seating area is also a walled tank for another Pig-nosed Turtle and Banded Archerfish. I liked this area; it was roomy, clean and clearly a focal point for Ballarat. Going back inside the reptile house the final corridor included a series of small aquatic tanks built into the wall to the left with Eastern Long-necked Turtle, Tandanus Catfish, Freshwater Angelfish and Kribensis Cichlid, Southern Bell Frog and juvenile Freshwater Crocodile. To the right were the final stretch of larger enclosures for a superb Australian Mangrove Monitor, Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes, Frilled-necked Lizards, a group of at least five Land Mullets resting among rocky ledges which put a smile on my face and a final Boa Constrictor. There were also two tanks under development for additional species. When reviewing a privately-owned zoo, it’s important to “change your glasses” and put on a different lens. Everything is out-of-pocket here. The reptile house definitely has a rustic feel to it but I thought these exhibits catered well to the diverse species line-up and offered a great visitor experience.

Australian Mangrove Monitor

Saltwater crocodile enclosure

Part 2 will cover the remainder of the park, focusing on their mammals mainly.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Ballarat Wildlife Park [Part 2] – 11th April 2025:

Continuing on was a glass-fronted building that was divided into three sections for American Alligators which shared the same water body but didn’t have access to the full water area as the pool was separated into thirds. I suspect these alligators were in grow-out enclosures and are reaching capacity for these exhibits as it was feeling a tad snug for them all. There was also an outdoor enclosure as well for Lace Monitors with mature trees allowing the monitors to reach decent heights for a captive setting. Of course, these Lace Monitors don’t need winter accommodation as they are hardy natives. Then there was a wombat complex for Southern Hairy-nosed Wombats and Common Wombats. Ballarat breeds golden hairy-nosed wombats and they were sleeping in their den when I visited. I don’t tend to pay much attention to sleeping wombats but these exhibits seemed to be functional and largely set up for breeding and management for several individuals. A small boardwalk nearby curved around the first of many Southern Koala exhibits with a small aviary tucked in a corner for Eclectus Parrot and Bush Stone-Curlew. It’s also important to note the park has free-roaming Kangaroo Island Kangaroos that can access most sections of the park so you never know when a kangaroo will pop up. There are also Emus and Alpacas in lower numbers.

Lace Monitor enclosure

Eclectus Parrot/Bush Stone-Curlew aviary

Ballarat houses a colony of Little Penguins. They breed pretty well here with some having been exported even to the United States in recent years. Their exhibit contains a large pool that can be viewed at eye level with only a low wire fence separating the visitors from the penguins. I don’t think I have ever been so close to captive penguins especially when one is swimming right by the fence. Their exhibit further consists of some coastal vegetation that the penguins were sheltering in and a decent land to water ratio. Shade cloth was provided as well to get the penguin out of too much direct sunlight but of course they are native to Victoria. Then there was a set of standard Dingo enclosures with three aviaries nearby; the first contained Red-tailed Black Cockatoos, the second Nankeen Kestrel and finally the park has opened a new aviary for Wedge-tailed Eagle. It was spacious and allowed at least one of the eagles to complete laps of the aviary in short flights. Keepers were monitoring the pair of eagles as they settled into their aviary.

Little Penguin enclosure

Wedge-tailed eagle enclosure

Ballarat have branched out into tigers in recent times. There aren’t enough Sumatrans around to meet demand regionally so they have two hybrid tigers from Dreamworld that fill their display needs. It’s a pair of cubic enclosures side by side with thick vegetation and the tigers could retreat from the public view with ease. But being Dreamworld cats, they were showy and seemed well-adjusted. Nearby were three enclosures for Tasmanian Devils; the standard open-top affair but they do the job. The set of devil enclosures finished with a model of a thylacine. The Tiger Quoll is housed with its main viewing space coming from the café. The exhibit is situated along the far end of the café so while visitors sit and wait, they can watch the quoll roaming about its enclosure.

Tiger enclosure

How many places can you buy a coffee while watching a Tiger Quoll?

Tasmanian Devil

I dream of exhibits like the next set of displays; there were at least five enclosures that formed a circle around a central raised viewing area that lifted out from the middle of the area. The viewing area was accessed via a ramp into a central wooden building with big windows to view the animals at near eye level. It was raised viewing for Southern Koalas with some koalas mixed with Quokka and two enclosures for Goodfellow’s Tree-Kangaroos; a male from Currumbin and a female that has just been imported from Paris, France. The female tree-kangaroo was still acclimatising to the Australian sun and was in her shelter. Raised boardwalk viewing for arboreal marsupials is something that should be more prevalent in Australian zoos and I really enjoyed seeing koalas among the tree kangaroos in the single area. As you exit the final enclosure was a set of exhibits for Southern Cassowary that can only be accessed as you leave the park. Overall, Ballarat was a high-quality facility and I enjoyed the accent onreptiles. It will be intriguing to see if they will branch out further into other mammals especially.

Koala/tree-kangaroo building

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There was some wildlife watching that occurred around Ballarat with a visit to Lake Wendourre which is a large man-made lake which has a six-kilometre walking track that encircles the entire circumference. It served as a quick snapshot of Ballarat’s wildlife with a few species of waterfowl being seen here with the highlight being a pair of Musk Ducks; a very unique species of prehistoric-looking duck which is very uncommon in the Brisbane area. Hoary-headed Grebes were another neat southern species seen among the larger species of waterbirds. These musk dusks were a lot closer as well so it could appreciate how effortlessly they dive under the water and pop up swiftly. There are a lot of Eurasian Coots here so carefully searching had to occur to re-find them after they dived. The other nice species here were Swamp Harriers as they glided over the large flocks of waterfowl sending them into a panic.

Musk Duck

 

[Sam.S]

Had the chance to do a similar trip just this past weekend, was stoked to see Kangaroo Island Kangaroos for the first time. So different to the Red and Grey Kangaroo that dominate QLD facilities. Love the FLUFF!

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Melbourne Zoo [Part 1 – FROG HOUSE] – 12th April 2025:

Day two after a big day around Ballarat. Melbourne’s sun didn’t rise until almost 7am which cut about an hour of my usual 6am onwards start for birding. Regardless, I reached my first location of Royal Park during golden hour and was greeted by several birders already out and about tracking a few targets. The Trin Warren Tam-boore in particular is within walking distance of Melbourne Zoo and currently has 162 species of bird recorded there making it an ideal site for city birding within Melbourne. I was searching for Scarlet Robin in particular; a species that I now know is more a species more commonly found in the area during winter but regardless there were eBird records coming in. The site begins with a loop around the water with clear views of Buff-banded Rail especially along with Chestnut Teal which is more of a coastal bird in Brisbane, Pacific Black Duck, Dusky Moorhen and a Little Pied Cormorant drying off. There was a thicket nearby that was productive for small birds with Silvereyes darting about with their melodious call, an Eastern Spinebill and White-plumed Honeyeaters which were one of my targets. There is a bird hide where the birders were watching a Spotless Crake; I saw movement but not the bird itself. There were Buff-banded Rails that emerged as they well while Superb Fairywrens were also easily seen here. One friendly birder described where he had seen the robin the day prior so I headed towards the western escarpment to continue searching but was only met with a lot of Bell Miners. The best bird of the morning was hunting among them with a Collared Sparrowhawk coming into view clutching a small bird in its talons. It was great to finally have confirmation that this was a sparrowhawk over a goshawk with a generally smaller size, a ‘stare over glare’ look and the longer middle toe. Generally, a much finer bird with a smaller head as well. The sparrowhawk darted through the scrub and headed towards the direction of the zoo where I was going as well.

Collared Sparrowhawk with prey

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I walked to the zoo from the bikeway and crossed through the rail station to reach Melbourne Zoo. I waited at the rail entrance; the zoo’s second entrance on the other side of the zoo meaning I would be completing the zoo in a different direction. By 9am, there wasn’t much of a line so entry was quick and I headed straight to the frog house off the main lawn as a first point of call. This building is a side attachment to the greater reptile house and begins with a side corridor leading towards the entrance of the building. There is a glass-viewing window that showcases the work Melbourne Zoo does with Southern Corroboree Frogs with rows and rows of mossy breeding tanks and a central display tank against the glass to see them up close. Interesting to note these frogs don’t hop so there were lots of little frogs walking about over the moss.

Frog house

Southern corroboree frog viewing area

Southern Corroboree Frog breeding tanks

Entering the building the first enclosure housed an interesting mix with a Peron’s Tree-Frog perched in a quiet corner of the exhibit; a new species for the zoo while I saw a Stuttering Frog on the ground. Their exhibit was delightfully landscaped with a mock rock backdrop and live plants. The Stuttering Frogs have been breeding successfully at the zoo with hopes to reintroduce them as a threatened species. Next door was a similarly beautiful enclosure for Spotted Tree-Frogs which are currently critically endangered and are extremely rare and occur in scattered, geographically isolated populations. Another threatened species is the Baw Baw Frog which remained unseen in a lovely mossy tank.

Stuttering Frog/Peron’s Tree Frog enclosure

Stuttering Frog

Opposite this trio of tanks on the other side of the walkway was a small enclosure with two viewing windows for a mix of Dainty Tree Frog and a tiny Eastern Dwarf Frog. The first species was easy to see as they have a tendency to stick onto the glass making a good display frog while the dwarf frog required patience to find among a branch. A smart little mix. Around a corner was a simple desert tank for the wonderful Crucifix Frog which only emerged in the late afternoon. They are a striking amphibian native to arid regions of Australia. It earns its name from the distinct cross-shaped pattern on its back. This burrowing frog spends most of its life underground, emerging only after heavy rains to breed which Melbourne replicated to crack captive breeding. Uniquely, it secretes a sticky, glue-like substance from its skin, believed to deter predators and aid in moisture retention. Its colorful appearance and unusual behaviour make it a worthy addition especially to contrast the ‘sea of green’ tree frogs that are often the only amphibians an Australian zoo has. They are now mixed with Desert Tree Frog which is a recent development but I wasn’t able to find this species with them.

Dainty Tree Frog

Crucifix Frog

Crucifix Frog/Desert Tree Frog tank

Next door was the crowd-puller display with about half a dozen chunky personable Green Tree Frogs mixed with at least three Boyd’s Forest Dragons, creating a visible and active display. It had sturdy plantings and a nice generous space for its occupants. Finally, a tank further ramped up visibility with a group of big Southern Bell Frogs. I really wanted to bring attention to what an exceptional building this was. Amphibians are neglected too often and this little space was slick, diverse and representative of Australia’s unique frogs around mini slices of different Australian ecosystems. The mixed species exhibits also doubled chances to fill out both arboreal and ground spaces, enhancing the search for frogs. It’s a working space notably; the tanks often provide a foreground into Melbourne Zoo’s captive breeding programmes with off-display tanks for several species of threatened southern amphibians that have directly benefited their wild populations visible to members of the public. A stellar display all in all.

Green Tree Frogs with Boyd’s Forest Dragon

Southern Bell Frog

Larger tanks

Part 2 will be the zoo’s extensive reptile house and the nearby outdoor reptile enclosures.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Melbourne Part [Part 2 – REPTILE HOUSE] - 12th April 2025:

In the mid-1960s, Melbourne Zoo embarked on a new shift in thinking towards naturalistic enclosures and the reptile house, opened in October 1969, is one of those enduring legacies that continues to the present day. Natural light panels and live plants are two key features that have remained core components of the building. Throughout the 1970s onwards the zoo bred a few interesting species including the first Elongated Tortoises in Australia in 1974, Freshwater Crocodiles in 1975, Thorny Devils in 1976, Saltwater Crocodiles in 1979, Arafura File Snakes in 1983 (world first), White-lipped Pythons in 1985, Twist-necked Turtles, Gila Monsters in 1998, Fijian Banded Iguana in 1996, Rhinoceros Viper in 1997 and Striped Legless Lizard in 1998 (world first). Many of the species are still housed in the reptile house; some are long gone from the region. The way that I will structure this walkthrough is start with the outer loop around the perimeter of the building and then complete the inner loop of the reptile house. I visited the reptile house three times throughout the course of the day so I saw most species but there were still some not seen despite best efforts.

Reptile house entrance

The first enclosure to the left as you pass a tank with Australian Short-finned Eels and Siamese Algae-Eater where file snakes once were, is a large deep tank with a Sunda King Cobra (signed as this species following the split) imported from Spain last year. The young individual still has a bit of growing to do but it is a suitable species to start the loop with such an impressive snake. He was resting on a boulder higher up, allowing eye-level views of him. Next door was a fascinating mix of several young Coastal Taipans that were cohabitated together with a chunky Jungle Carpet Python wedged in nearby log. I have to wonder how these species interact together as it remains the only Australian venomous snake mix I have ever seen. In 2018, the taipans were housed with Brown Tree Snake alternatively. Next was an enclosure under renovation with lots of water plants awaiting addition followed by a mix of several large Indian Star Tortoises filling the ground portion with Fijian Crested Iguanas up in the trees. Then there was an enclosure built with rocky ledges, enhancing a three-dimensional space, for Black-headed Python.

Sunda King Cobra

Black-headed Python enclosure

The next two enclosures with large spaces had several viewing windows each for Freshwater Crocodile and Philippine Crocodile. These were large deep spaces I thought. Both water bodies were generous and I enjoyed the dense live plantings for both species. The future of Philippine Crocodile for the region is currently unclear as Melbourne only has a single proven male. The species has bred at the zoo but all progeny were exported back to the Philippines and the breeding female died several years ago. No transfers have occurred since so I enjoyed watching the male Luzon haul himself out of his exhibit and onto his sandy basking area. An ideal species for a reptile house with some space like Melbourne. There was a small viewing window into some holding enclosures; these contained tiny little Veiled Chameleons only a few centimetres long as the region enters a “bust” period following a few imports.

Philippine Crocodile

Freshwater crocodile enclosure (partial photo)

Nearby pinecones and pine needles meant a North American display for Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnake which are breeding at Melbourne and Corn Snakes with them as well. Then there was a decent native lizard mix with tall palm tree trunks wedged vertically making perfect vantage points for Frill-necked Lizards. The rocky crevices had Hosmer’s Skinks and Shinglebacks below. In comparison to 2018, the Hosmer’s Skinks used to have their own smaller exhibit but they looked great here now among the other species. Then there were two final enclosures on the other perimeter; a large beautiful display for Plumed Basilisk and Twist-necked Turtle. One of the turtles was eventually seen wedged between two tree trunks but the basilisk which there were at least three, were attractive lizards to showcase. Finally, there was a very long exhibit for four species all mixed together with a deep-water body leading to a sandy land portion. The former sailfin dragon has been replaced with Rhinoceros Iguanas which share the land portion with Elongated Tortoise. In the water, I had four Golden Coin Turtles bobbing around. They really are stunning and these specimens were all of adult size. There is apparently a Spiny Terrapin which is signed with these turtles but it was one of the few species I was not able to locate. It is the only one in an Australian zoo.

Australian lizard mixed display

Golden Coin Turtle

Moving onto the middle lap of the inner enclosures, there was a colony of Red-barred Dragons that were very active and fun to watch as they darted around their enclosure. This was followed by a pair of Gila Monsters in an arid display. Around the corner were four similar-sized enclosures that were themed for very different species. The first contained a delightful mix of threatened species including Canberra Grassland Dragons and a very active Striped Legless Lizard. There is a burrow system viewable behind the glass but the legless lizard was traversing its entire enclosure. Next-door was Scheltopusik that was peering out of its shelter but didn’t emerge. A unique species that I am pleased to now see at Melbourne. Then there was a dimly-lit enclosure for Centralian Knob-tailed Gecko and finally a grow-out enclosure for a juvenile Blood Python.

Red-barred Dragon/Gila Monster enclosures

Set of four enclosures

Striped Legless Lizard

The next enclosure has a beautiful well-marked Veiled Chameleon. An ever-popular animal to house here and probably the prettiest Veiled I have seen (though I haven’t seen that many chameleons in all honesty). Next-door was a Tiger Snake which was very visible and was met by fear from many local families as they watched it move about. One of my favourite exhibits was for Eyelash Viper and a mix of Neotropical fish below including Cardinal Tetra, Otocinclus, Sterbai Corydoras, Ram Cichlid and Bleeding-Heart Tetra. The bromeliads provided thick coverage for the vipers and I spent some time searching finding a mossy-coloured one and one that was orangey-red. Such variability in a species and I am glad that it seems that a few zoos are committed to keeping them. There was then another quartet of vertical enclosures with the region’s last Rainbow Boa, Common Death Adder that was mixed with a Golden Orbweaver Spider which I couldn’t find but there was a web, a Lace Monitor hatchling and a Tokay Gecko to complete this row.

Veiled Chameleon

Eyelash Viper/tropical fish enclosure

There was then a set of enclosure that had been combined as a single enclosure for two Monocled Cobras. The final row of small exhibits contained Broad-headed Snake, Pueblan Milksnake, a Cantil which are even nicer in real life and Central Netted Dragon. With over 40 species housed in the building on-show, this reptile house continues to be a source of diversity and interest. All the displays are excellent with a mix of live plants, complex rocky backdrops that the reptiles can use, natural light panels and intriguing species with a decent balance between emblematic icons coupled with some lesser-known critters. The staff at the zoo have done an excellent job in maintaining a 50-year-old building to keep husbandry and exhibit standards high.

Reptile house general view

Cantil

Part 3 will cover the Carnivores trail and nearby outdoor enclosures.

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

I do think that the Reptile House is the unsung (off this forum) hero of Melbourne Zoo, and potentially the absolute highlight of the institution.

I can't believe it was only 5 or do years ago that I truly started appreciating it for what it is.

Down the track I do hope that in the BoH breeding space behind the Reptile house (which currently consists of temporary demountables) is replaced with a permanent amphibian expansion/complimentary structure (possibly multi storey) with exhibits and expanded breeding facilities. But I think that there are several precincts that will see attention before this idea could/would/should be considered.

 

[snowleopard]

Thanks for this great thread and it's a joy to read detailed reviews of zoos. Melbourne's Reptile House isn't huge (circa 40 species) but I hadn't realized that it had opened as early as 1969.

I'm quite intrigued to see where you place Melbourne Zoo in your overall list of Aussie zoos.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

I'm quite intrigued to see where you place Melbourne Zoo in your overall list of Aussie zoos.

That would largely depend now on (1) evaluating the new Australian area and reptile/amphibian house at Taronga when I am down in Sydney next and (2) what Melbourne Zoo does with the empty elephant enclosures.

 

[Jambo]

Thanks for this great thread and it's a joy to read detailed reviews of zoos. Melbourne's Reptile House isn't huge (circa 40 species) but I hadn't realized that it had opened as early as 1969.

There's a lot more reptile species that are off display (and elsewhere in the zoo).

A lot of the enclosures in the Reptile House used to have impressive mixed species displays with an array of species, but it appears in the last decade or so the zoo have cut this back a bit.

A count I took back in 2016 lists 52 reptile species that were on display (or signed for).

Another interesting point with the Reptile House - is that it was heavily designed based on London's old reptile house which opened in 1926. The interiors were eerily similar and the circular format was also implemented to a great degree.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Melbourne Zoo [Part 3 – CARNIVORES AND SURRONDS] - 12th April 2025:

Outside the reptile house, there was a large grassy enclosure for the bulk of their Aldabra Giant Tortoises. There is a small side pathway behind the giant tortoises that leads to a quiet little exhibit that I didn’t know existed until @akasha posted an image of it a few years back so I completely missed this area in 2018. It contained three species including Carolina Box Turtle which I only saw in the morning and then it completely disappeared. Then there were Hermann’s Tortoises which were generally quite visible and the only Horsfield’s Tortoise in an Australian zoo is also housed with the species – a single female. I enjoyed this quiet nook of enclosure and it’s a nice little outdoor chelid exhibit. Nearby was the stand-alone exhibit for Platypus, entering a darkened building with a nice long tank that allows their extremely active male Sam to feed across the enclosure. I visited twice and both times he was out swimming about. Surprisingly, only two out of four of Australia’s major city zoos hold platypus which is something interesting to note for such a flagship Australian mammal. Even major wildlife parks with diverse Australian collections like Featherdale, Currumbin, Cleland and Caversham etc. don’t house them. I do know for a fact that demand is currently exceeding supply and there isn’t enough platypus kept in Australian zoos to fulfil requirements.

Carolina Box Turtle

Platypus enclosure

Platypus

The Carnivores trail commences with a trail for a pair of Dingoes housed in the former African wild dog enclosure with a lot of theming still present around the exhibit for the African dogs. It is initially viewed from a large glass viewing window revealing a large grassy area with a sloping hill that hides the other side of the enclosure. There is a second viewing area later on in the trail looking into the exhibit. Dingos are a smart choice in the sense that they are reliable and popular displays and are easily viewable and are seemingly well-adjusted to large crowds. However, they certainly don’t have the wow factor that wild dogs at close proximity did. The dingoes weren’t, admittedly, even easy to see in the morning but came out on my second lap of the trail in the afternoon. While I have a soft spot for Maned Wolves, I think it would make a good hyena exhibit in an ideal world, thematically tying in with the nearby lions, providing an opportunity to dispel myths around these much-maligned creatures while adding a new carnivoran family to Zoos Victoria in preparation for Werribee’s supposed addition of hyenas which will be years (if not decades) away. Just my two cents.

Dingo enclosure

Continuing past a small plaza centred around a big tree is the lion enclosure for two males from Werribee. I cannot see Melbourne ever having more than a couple of lions at any one time. The first viewing area for the lions is along the side of the enclosure and then there is an indoor large viewing window that sits within a small building. It’s not the largest exhibit for lions but what I do like a lot about this exhibit is that the lions have access to a tall platform which they used readily to allow them to be above the visitors. During my afternoon lap of the enclosure, one of the lions took great interest in one of the younger visitors with a large crowd gathering, creating a bottleneck to access the other indoor exhibits.

Lion enclosure – first viewing area

Lion enclosure – indoor viewing area

Lion climbing up platform

The indoor lion viewing area had three herptile tanks that were built into the walls that were all interesting shapes but random species. The first contained a Ball Python which is a rather novel species for the Australian zoo-goer with still only a couple of zoos working with this species following recent imports. Next-door was a funky mix with the water portion having a Macleay’s Water Snake; a rather cryptic species of native snake from northern Australia. The water snake shared its enclosure with a tiny Reticulated Python hatchling that is one of the recent breeding successes at Melbourne Zoo. The patterning of a young Reticulated Python is incredible. Such vibrant colours. Finally, a tank with Magnificent Tree Frogs were a good addition as well. In the same space, there is an indoor viewing window looking into a large lush space that also has a separate window outside (with strong glare). This was the former home of their female Philippine Crocodile but it now a rather inspired mix of several species.

Herptile wall

Macleay’s Water Snake

The enclosure stars Reticulated Pythons that are mixed with Blood Python. All the snakes were resting together and it was interesting to compare both species. Taiwan Beauty Snake is still signed with the other snakes but according to an inventory list their last male had departed the zoo by 2023. Both viewing windows have underwater viewing for an assortment of tropical fish including a large school of Tiger Barbs, Kissing Gourami, Banded Archerfish, Silver Shark and Chinese Algae-eater. There was a large crowd in front of the exhibit during both occasions so I didn’t have a good chance to find everything so signed but not seen species further included Gulf Saratoga and Clown Loach. Butterflies are also placed into the exhibit seasonally with Orange Lacewing being an appropriate as an Australian species that extends into southeast Asia. I thought it was a really smart use of space and ramps up diversity for the precinct.

Python/fish enclosure

Reticulated Python

Continuing on revealed glimmers of a meshed exhibit that led to a side glass viewing window and eventually a long and tall enclosure with dense vegetation and several shelters that served as excellent hiding opportunities. This used to be for coatis but now housed a male pair of Binturong that were imported from Singapore. I did enjoy afternoon views of a binturong climbing around but the morning lap revealed nothing across the generous exhibit. There were further a few large glass viewing windows opening up to the first Snow Leopard exhibit with the snow leopard perched right at the back of the enclosure. The vegetation across both snow leopard enclosures was excellent (there is a second exhibit closer to the tiger); there was even a fruiting pomegranate tree in one. It’s one of the complexes that the plantings make or break aesthetics as there are a few ugly concrete angles here. The misting systems were on full blast in the afternoon as it approached 31 degrees Celsius, cooling both snow leopards on-show.

Binturong enclosure

First snow leopard enclosure

Second snow leopard enclosure

Through a cat alleyway that I have always thought was a little strange, promoting responsible cat ownership (surely that should be done with bird/native mammal displays over wild cats), and past the second snow leopard is the moated exhibit for their female Sumatran Tiger. I didn’t see her all day in her bamboo-thick enclosure with a large water moat. The enclosure has a few cable lines that run across the top of her exhibit to allow for occasional chunks of meat to be moved overhead for her to leap and exercise. Then there were the Tasmanian Devils to finish in an open-topped enclosure with some thick vegetation. A single devil was seen before closing for a few seconds.

Sumatran tiger enclosure

Tasmanian devil enclosure

I wasn’t really a fan of the Carnivores trail on my previous visit and while I still think it’s confused, there were some memorable parts. I really loved the multi-taxa python enclosure providing a small cross-section of nature and there is now an impressive exhibit for binturong, not for visitor viewability, but rather the opportunities for their binturong to engage with a dynamic space. The big cat spaces ranged from good to excellent, I wanted more from the space with the dingoes and devils should be in Australian bush to have an top-tier carnivore there. In my opinion the problem with displaying species taxonomically so closely to one another, especially often napping carnivores and dasyurids, is that activity levels and subsequent visitor experience can be low. If the dingo is in the den, the lions resting heads down, snow leopard on the back ledge, binturong out of sight, tiger in the bamboo and devils in the next box, you aren’t left with a lot to see for the average visitor that doesn’t have the attention span. It’s a careful balance that always needs fine tuning.

Carnivores mural

Part 4 will discuss Growing Wild and surrounding enclosures.

 

[Sam.S]

I cannot echo your final thoughts any louder. My latest pass through Carnivores was very much the same with no shows and sleepy residents. Similarly a warm day on my latest visit aswell so understandable. The party we visted with of whom only myself and the misses are Zoo Thoosies rather hastly sped through this precinct, which is unfortunate as it holds some of the zoos most charismatic species. I must admit with the Wild Dogs no longer in the line up the precient has lost some luster.

 

[Jambo]

I cannot echo your final thoughts any louder. My latest pass through Carnivores was very much the same with no shows and sleepy residents. Similarly a warm day on my latest visit aswell so understandable. The party we visted with of whom only myself and the misses are Zoo Thoosies rather hastly sped through this precinct, which is unfortunate as it holds some of the zoos most charismatic species. I must admit with the Wild Dogs no longer in the line up the precient has lost some luster.

It makes sense when the display is made up of cats and nocturnal animals! Activity in the Carnivores trail is very rare to see, however I was lucky enough to see a lot of the residents up and active during my last visit.

I'm told early in the morning, right after the zoo's opening is the best time to catch most of the animals active there. Mishka (Snow Leopard) and Indrah (Sumatran Tiger) especially like to spend their first hours out on habitat wandering around their habitats.

It's also a shame the Coatis are gone, as they were also reliable most of the time.

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

@WhistlingKite24 - if theTasmanian Devils were moved to the Australian Bush precinct (whole-heartedly agree!!!) what would you ideally like to see in this enclosure/space?

 

[Sam.S]

It makes sense when the display is made up of cats and nocturnal animals! Activity in the Carnivores trail is very rare to see, however I was lucky enough to see a lot of the residents up and active during my last visit.

I'm told early in the morning, right after the zoo's opening is the best time to catch most of the animals active there. Mishka (Snow Leopard) and Indrah (Sumatran Tiger) especially like to spend their first hours out on habitat wandering around their habitats.

It's also a shame the Coatis are gone, as they were also reliable most of the time.

Thanks for the intel, ill have to try my luck first thing on my next visit. Somehow id missed the Coatis were no longer held at Melbourne so I was caught offgaurd by their absence. They were always a pleasure to watch.

 

[Zoofan15]

Thanks for the intel, ill have to try my luck first thing on my next visit. Somehow id missed the Coatis were no longer held at Melbourne so I was caught offgaurd by their absence. They were always a pleasure to watch.

They were moved off display in late 2023 (shortly before my visit in November of that year) and passed away in 2024. You could catch glimpses of them in the big cat cages where they were held from the boardwalk in Treetops.

Coati were a much better fit for the exhibit that now accommodates Binturong. I visited four times in late 2023 and didn’t see them once.

 

[WhistlingKite24]

Melbourne Zoo [Part 4 – GROWING WILD AND SURRONDS] - 12th April 2025:

I did the zoo in a randomised order as this was my second visit so I then eagerly headed towards the Amazon octagonal aviary; easily one of my favourite historic structures at the zoo. Built in 1928, this aviary initially housed monkeys and is a stately brick building with large viewing meshed sections segmented through the building. In the full sun, it actually makes a relatively poor viewing experience due to the bright mesh but I don’t mind. If you find the right angle you can view its occupants well. The elegant interior contrasts the organic exterior with a lush selection of plants. I didn’t see the Green-winged Macaws both times I went to the aviary but I saw the two species of rarer macaw. The zoo is down to a single female Buffon’s Macaw that blended in well with a preening pair of Red-fronted Macaws. The trio was a delight to watch with coffee in hand from the nearby eatery area. The aviary is however a touch understocked I must say these days. A flock of screeching Sun Conures and Red-rumped Agouti bounding around to enliven the aviary floor like the long-gone curassow once did would sort that out quickly. This aviary is still an enduring favourite and hopefully these macaws can live out the rest of their days here as many creatures have here for almost a century.

Amazon aviary

Red-fronted Macaw

Past the holiday hordes of screaming children and exhausted families among the seating/play/cafe area are a pair of Red Pandas with two very large feature trees that elevate the display brilliantly both physically and metaphorically above their open-topped display. In particular the second enclosure had an enormous tree that allowed the red panda to groom in complete peace away from admiring crowds high up and completely immersed in foliage. The zoo currently has a pair with an old male bred at Taronga in 2010 and a young female bred at Australia Zoo in 2021. Both were relatively active up in their respective trees. Nearby was an outdoor aviary-style portion for Melbourne’s recent addition of a young Komodo Dragon bred at the Australian Reptile Park but I got a better view later on and the juvenile wasn’t seen outdoors.

Red panda

Red panda enclosure #2

Commencing Growing Wild – a trail that is the closest thing Melbourne has to a children’s zoo - it begins with a Keeper Kids building which is largely a play space with a few exhibits dotted around the space. It begins with a large facility for their Victorian Grassland Earless Dragons. They are housed away from the other reptiles in a bio-secure facility as a breed-for-release programme. There is a display tank with dragons hiding in the tubes and several breeding tanks behind them housed in stacks. In 2014, Zoos Victoria began actively looking for this species that was once believed to be extinct, building on decades of survey work carried out by partner organisations. Their efforts paid off in early 2023 when the species was rediscovered. Some of the dragons discovered at the site have been brought to Melbourne Zoo to establish a conservation breeding program and safeguard the species. This breeding initiative will play a key role in the species’ recovery and is based on Zoos Victoria’s successful program for the related Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon with some of the latter species housed in the reptile house and at a few other places like Taronga now.

Keeper Kids

Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon facility

There is also a small little tank for Southern Corroboree Frogs with the frogs remaining out of view but there was a fun little card allowing kids (or big kids) to identify each frog based off their unique patterning. Then there is a set of glass-fronted aviaries that have indoor viewing windows looking out to outdoor aviaries. They contained a pair of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos to the left and a pair of Blue and Gold Macaws to the right. Both engaging choices of course and they were right up against the glass displaying their antics. Finally in the building was the new indoor portion for their young Komodo Dragon with some nice rocky vantage points with some new live plants and an island backdrop. The zoo will have to start thinking about adult housing for the dragon soon in the next couple of years. It was neat to see a clutch mate of the Darling Downs Zoo juvenile dragon currently growing quickly as well. This indoor space seems to be missed by many and it was very quiet for a child play space.

Parrot aviaires

Komodo Dragon – indoor enclosure

Komodo Dragon

There was then a blur of three enclosures for Meerkats towards the zoo’s traditional entrance; one was very shaded with tree coverage; another had bubble viewing and the third had two different substrates with half sand half mulch. They were all pretty decent displays for them but I always feel why not make a big display out of them. I guess it allows them to run several meerkat encounters throughout the day. There was a serval cut-out statue above one of the meerkats and it did make me feel a charismatic small felid is exactly what the area needs. I enjoyed a flock of wild Spotted Pardalotes in the trees above one of the meerkat enclosures. They are only really common in south-east Queensland in the winter so I enjoyed up close city views of them here. They later travelled to the glass area in front of an indoor space in yet another hidden building with an assortment of reptiles.

Meerkat enclosure #1

Spotted Pardalote – wild

The indoor learning space was even quieter than Keeper Kids and I was the only person in there when I visited both times. It commenced with a tall arid-themed enclosure for a pair of personable Central Bearded Dragons mixed with their Centralian Blue-tongue which I remember used to be in the reptile house. Then there were two small tanks nearby for Chameleon Gecko and Northern Banded Knob-tailed Geckos. The first species is a very unique monotypic rainforest gecko that is still relatively recent addition to captivity. I have seen them at a reptile show or so but never in a zoo. The knob-tailed geckos aren’t that common either. There was also a tank for an unseen second Scheltopusik at the zoo. There were a few care sheets attached to the side of some enclosures viewable via glass, indicating Corn Snake was also housed in the area recently. Finally, the feature of this building is a floor-to-ceiling enclosure for two juvenile Aldabra Giant Tortoises mixed with a pair of Fijian Crested Iguana in the canopy. A beautiful enclosure. Outdoors again is a large complex for their Aldabra Giant Tortoises with a cylindrical indoor building, segmenting the outdoor space. The zoo houses these giant tortoises across three spaces in total. Then was also a distant overgrown aviary that I believed use to have brush-turkey followed by a kookaburra or two in later years. It was closed off and couldn’t be accessed. Overall, some nice, modern, well-lit spaces but no clear cohesion or narrative to present really. I still enjoyed the species line-up.

Northern Banded Knob-tailed Gecko

Indoor reptile building

Giant tortoise enclosure

Part 5 will walk through Gorilla Rainforest and Forest of Wonder.

 

[The Sleepy Hippo]

This is the most exciting anyone on this forum has ever made Growing Wild sound! I actually want to fly back to Melbs and walk through it now with new eyes!

 

[Zoofan15]

​

Melbourne Zoo [Part 4 – GROWING WILD AND SURRONDS] - 12th April 2025:

I did the zoo in a randomised order as this was my second visit so I then eagerly headed towards the Amazon octagonal aviary; easily one of my favourite historic structures at the zoo. Built in 1928, this aviary initially housed monkeys and is a stately brick building with large viewing meshed sections segmented through the building. In the full sun, it actually makes a relatively poor viewing experience due to the bright mesh but I don’t mind. If you find the right angle you can view its occupants well. The elegant interior contrasts the organic exterior with a lush selection of plants. I didn’t see the Green-winged Macaws both times I went to the aviary but I saw the two species of rarer macaw. The zoo is down to a single female Buffon’s Macaw that blended in well with a preening pair of Red-fronted Macaws. The trio was a delight to watch with coffee in hand from the nearby eatery area. The aviary is however a touch understocked I must say these days. A flock of screeching Sun Conures and Red-rumped Agouti bounding around to enliven the aviary floor like the long-gone curassow once did would sort that out quickly. This aviary is still an enduring favourite and hopefully these macaws can live out the rest of their days here as many creatures have here for almost a century.

Amazon aviary

Red-fronted Macaw

Past the holiday hordes of screaming children and exhausted families among the seating/play/cafe area are a pair of Red Pandas with two very large feature trees that elevate the display brilliantly both physically and metaphorically above their open-topped display. In particular the second enclosure had an enormous tree that allowed the red panda to groom in complete peace away from admiring crowds high up and completely immersed in foliage. The zoo currently has a pair with an old male bred at Taronga in 2010 and a young female bred at Australia Zoo in 2021. Both were relatively active up in their respective trees. Nearby was an outdoor aviary-style portion for Melbourne’s recent addition of a young Komodo Dragon bred at the Australian Reptile Park but I got a better view later on and the juvenile wasn’t seen outdoors.

Red panda

Red panda enclosure #2

Commencing Growing Wild – a trail that is the closest thing Melbourne has to a children’s zoo - it begins with a Keeper Kids building which is largely a play space with a few exhibits dotted around the space. It begins with a large facility for their Victorian Grassland Earless Dragons. They are housed away from the other reptiles in a bio-secure facility as a breed-for-release programme. There is a display tank with dragons hiding in the tubes and several breeding tanks behind them housed in stacks. In 2014, Zoos Victoria began actively looking for this species that was once believed to be extinct, building on decades of survey work carried out by partner organisations. Their efforts paid off in early 2023 when the species was rediscovered. Some of the dragons discovered at the site have been brought to Melbourne Zoo to establish a conservation breeding program and safeguard the species. This breeding initiative will play a key role in the species’ recovery and is based on Zoos Victoria’s successful program for the related Canberra Grassland Earless Dragon with some of the latter species housed in the reptile house and at a few other places like Taronga now.

Keeper Kids

Victorian Grassland Earless Dragon facility

There is also a small little tank for Southern Corroboree Frogs with the frogs remaining out of view but there was a fun little card allowing kids (or big kids) to identify each frog based off their unique patterning. Then there is a set of glass-fronted aviaries that have indoor viewing windows looking out to outdoor aviaries. They contained a pair of Red-tailed Black Cockatoos to the left and a pair of Blue and Gold Macaws to the right. Both engaging choices of course and they were right up against the glass displaying their antics. Finally in the building was the new indoor portion for their young Komodo Dragon with some nice rocky vantage points with some new live plants and an island backdrop. The zoo will have to start thinking about adult housing for the dragon soon in the next couple of years. It was neat to see a clutch mate of the Darling Downs Zoo juvenile dragon currently growing quickly as well. This indoor space seems to be missed by many and it was very quiet for a child play space.

Parrot aviaires

Komodo Dragon – indoor enclosure

Komodo Dragon

There was then a blur of three enclosures for Meerkats towards the zoo’s traditional entrance; one was very shaded with tree coverage; another had bubble viewing and the third had two different substrates with half sand half mulch. They were all pretty decent displays for them but I always feel why not make a big display out of them. I guess it allows them to run several meerkat encounters throughout the day. There was a serval cut-out statue above one of the meerkats and it did make me feel a charismatic small felid is exactly what the area needs. I enjoyed a flock of wild Spotted Pardalotes in the trees above one of the meerkat enclosures. They are only really common in south-east Queensland in the winter so I enjoyed up close city views of them here. They later travelled to the glass area in front of an indoor space in yet another hidden building with an assortment of reptiles.

Meerkat enclosure #1

Spotted Pardalote – wild

The indoor learning space was even quieter than Keeper Kids and I was the only person in there when I visited both times. It commenced with a tall arid-themed enclosure for a pair of personable Central Bearded Dragons mixed with their Centralian Blue-tongue which I remember used to be in the reptile house. Then there were two small tanks nearby for Chameleon Gecko and Northern Banded Knob-tailed Geckos. The first species is a very unique monotypic rainforest gecko that is still relatively recent addition to captivity. I have seen them at a reptile show or so but never in a zoo. The knob-tailed geckos aren’t that common either. There was also a tank for an unseen second Scheltopusik at the zoo. There were a few care sheets attached to the side of some enclosures viewable via glass, indicating Corn Snake was also housed in the area recently. Finally, the feature of this building is a floor-to-ceiling enclosure for two juvenile Aldabra Giant Tortoises mixed with a pair of Fijian Crested Iguana in the canopy. A beautiful enclosure. Outdoors again is a large complex for their Aldabra Giant Tortoises with a cylindrical indoor building, segmenting the outdoor space. The zoo houses these giant tortoises across three spaces in total. Then was also a distant overgrown aviary that I believed use to have brush-turkey followed by a kookaburra or two in later years. It was closed off and couldn’t be accessed. Overall, some nice, modern, well-lit spaces but no clear cohesion or narrative to present really. I still enjoyed the species line-up.

Northern Banded Knob-tailed Gecko

Indoor reptile building

Giant tortoise enclosure

Part 5 will walk through Gorilla Rainforest and Forest of Wonder.

This is the most exciting anyone on this forum has ever made Growing Wild sound! I actually want to fly back to Melbs and walk through it now with new eyes!

The Komodo dragon (and from the first clutch hatched in Australia no less) has certainly done wonders for Growing Wild. Along with the Philippine crocodile in the Reptile House, it’s the zoo’s highest profile reptile species.

Although the zoo will have to give consideration to long term housing as @WhistlingKite24 says, it gives me hope that if breeding is successful, thought may be given to using this exhibit again as a nursery for hatchlings/juveniles in the future.

 

[Coelacanth18]

I do know for a fact that demand is currently exceeding supply and there isn’t enough platypus kept in Australian zoos to fulfil requirements.

Which is why I fear the only ones outside Australia - which I got to see again (but not photograph) at the San Diego Safari Park last week - won't get replaced once they pass

I didn't know much about Ballarat until your review, besides that it was inexplicably home to many exotic reptiles rare in the country. It looks like a very nice zoo! How easy is it to do as a trip from Melbourne?