It has been approaching three years since I last did a proper review of Australia Zoo back in June 2019 for ZooChat. The zoo has changed and undergone a few notable developments since then and the intention of this review is to provide an updated, more detailed snapshot of the zoo’s current collection, exhibits and overall impressions from a visitor’s, more specifically, a ZooChatter’s perspective. As always, this review reflects my own experiences, thoughts and opinions and I encourage others to visit to reach their own conclusions about the facility.
Australia Zoo is a bit of an enigma at times. It covers a huge amount of land yet maintains a relatively modest collection of animals compared to leading institutions across the globe and even its local competitors. It receives a significant amount of global attention of course yet continues to fall short in many respects. I often describe it as maintaining a persona of a major zoo. It has all the ingredients for a fantastic zoo but when you dig a little deeper it has many gaps to fill to really warrant the acclaim it so often receives. In saying this they have some noteworthy species and exhibits that do keep things interesting for me. [Map for further context: Zoo Map - Navigate Your Way Around Our Beautiful Australia Zoo]. Anyway, onto the review. As a point of difference to the 2019 review, some of the new elements this review will focus on will include:
The zoo’s entrance is an interesting design. The main front portion of the area includes columns of timber panelling plastered with large posters of visitor experiences and of course, the Irwins. A central steel cylinder at the forefront of the zoo includes a huge logo and a large cut-out of Steve Irwin prominently placed above everything else just in case you forgot where you were. The admission area is a more tired-looking affair with dated Irwin paraphernalia and ticket booths. Through the gate past the first of many gift shops, the first pair of animal exhibits are positioned near a sheltered area. They are for Rhinoceros Iguanas; three individuals in one enclosure and the old male in the other. Their exhibit has been around for a while but has stood the test of time. The rhino iguana enclosures are open-topped, glass-fronted exhibits with a heated den and several large boulders enabling the rhino iguanas to have some decent vantage points. Nearby, is a row of three exhibits for American Alligators. They are some of the older enclosures at the zoo and were closed for renovations on my recent visit.
The zoo’s Komodo Dragons are displayed prominently near the front as well. The first exhibit is a large glass-fronted enclosure with a lot of mock rock. There is also a glass-fronted den area for the Komodo as well. This houses the zoo’s male. The second Komodo enclosure – for the female - is much smaller (perhaps a tad small for an adult) which used to have a Perentie which is a species that is no longer on-display at the zoo despite a long history of keeping and breeding them.
Next to the Komodos is a pleasant open-topped rocky exhibit with tree ferns and a water source that runs through the exhibit leading to a small pool. It contains a nice mix of native species; a large Mary River Turtle, a healthy population of Cunningham’s Skinks, Eastern Bluetongues, Merten’s Water Monitors and Eastern Water Dragon. A Land Mullet also lives in this enclosure which is rarely spotted but I managed to find it near a clump of ferns. Eastern Bearded Dragon is also signed but I’ve never seen one in this exhibit.
Mixed lizard enclosure
The adjacent enclosure for a sibling pair of Asian Small-clawed Otters is quite small and devoid of much natural vegetation. I’ve always felt the otters, binturongs and Komodos should be relocated to the area near the elephants and tigers, not just for geographical purposes but also to have access to a greater amount of space. The otter exhibit itself has a small pool with relatively shallow water. The recent renovations added a small waterfall and a platform disguised as a log in the pool which were both features used very well by the otters. I was able to watch a training session with the otters during the afternoon. A short path from the otters leads to a secluded corner of the zoo with an open-topped exhibit for Short-beaked Echidna.
In the heart of the zoo, the Crocodile Environmental Park is a large complex of exhibits that house crocodilians and turtles. Previously, the crocs were enclosed with chain-link fences but following the 2020 renovation, the croc exhibits are now all viewed via a large wooden boardwalk that traverses through several habitats. The zoo maintained the general shape of the exhibits whilst also conserving the mature trees to create a nice blend of old and new. The complex begins with a Pandanus-filled trail reaching the first enclosure for a pair of Saltwater Crocodiles. The space is complex with a large pool and sunbathing spots, providing excellent views of the crocodiles from the boardwalk. Opposite them is a large enclosure which has yet to be occupied. Continuing on, is a nice enclosure for Freshwater Crocodiles which is of a smaller size but equally as good. Nearby is an additional enclosure for a male Saltwater Crocodile which is pleasant but slightly smaller than the main enclosure. There is also an American Alligator enclosure along the side of this complex, being well-shaded by a row of trees. The final area represents the best outdoor turtle enclosure I have seen to date with a novel barrier with poles placed just far apart from each other to prevent the turtles from escaping. It contains a large pool of water with several basking spots. It’s home to Broad-shelled River Turtle, Saw-shelled Turtle, Brisbane River Turtle and Krefft’s Turtle. There is also an unsigned fish species, it looked like a native gudgeon. Several overhanging trees provide a good amount of shelter as well. The turtles are actually one of half of a circular area of land with the other half being occupied by Aldabra Giant Tortoises in a grassy paddock. A wild Azure Kingfisher was also seen nearby in some of the trees that lead to the crocodile enclosures.
Crocodile Environmental Park - Freshwater crocodile enclosure
Approaching the Crocoseum, the zoo’s central stadium, are rather standard enclosures for Koalas and a row of three for Saltwater Crocodiles. The Crocoseum is a very large building complete with an eatery, two gift stops (because one isn’t enough), a museum, a gallery and the main stadium. Over the top is an understatement. There are two exhibits within the actual complex itself. The first is a glass-fronted enclosure for Burmese Python. The second glass-fronted exhibit was recently renovated to accommodate a Green Anaconda. Despite having lots of mock rock that Australia Zoo always uses, the exhibit is attractive complete with live plants that soften the exhibit, a large deep pool and decent land space for the anaconda.
Green anaconda enclosure
There is a set of exhibits awkwardly positioned just beyond the Crocoseum. The first is a mock-rock exhibit with glass viewing with rocky ledges and complex branches that stretch across the enclosure. This enclosure houses a pair of Binturong which are siblings originally bred at Melbourne. They are getting on in years being around 16-17 years old so it will be interesting to see their plans after they pass considering there aren’t many binturong in Australian zoos. Nearby is the enclosure for Dingo which is a naturalistic, sloping and rocky. It’s home to three siblings. There is a large viewing window along with opportunities to view them from a greater distance. The nearby enclosures for the Southern Cassowaries are viewed from a shaded viewing area and are appropriately lush. The zoo have been trying to breed cassowaries for many years now but have unfortunately been unsuccessful in their attempts. They brought in a new male a few years ago now to join their older female. The zoo also has a pair of exhibits for Tasmanian Devils with two glass-fronted, open-topped outdoor enclosures and an indoor area to also view them if they are sleeping. Near the entrance of the indoor area to view them is a small open-topped enclosure for Cunningham’s Skinks and Eastern Bluetongue. For many years it housed the zoo’s group of Shinglebacks here but it was recently converted with more leaf litter and rocky outcrops complete with a grass tree. The group of skinks are breeding well with several offspring of varying sizes making interesting opportunities to compare a wide range of ages.
Cunningham's Skink enclosure
Roo Heaven is the zoo’s main macropod walkthrough enclosure which covers a huge area of land right near the Crocoseum, also serving as a means to get to the main portion of the zoo. In the middle of the exhibit, is a tall mock-rock mound situated above an open-topped enclosure for Short-beaked Echidnas. I think the mound can be rather unsightly from certain angles but it serves it purpose well, enabling the zoo’s Black-footed Rock Wallabies to escape public view completely with varying levels of height. They are probably the most elusive species at the zoo but can be seen relatively reliable during quieter times of the day. The other macropods in this enclosure are Red-necked Wallaby, Swamp Wallaby and Eastern Grey Kangaroo. There used to be other species in this exhibit including Black-striped and Agile Wallabies I believe. Out past these macropods, is the wetlands complex with well-shaded and naturalistic exhibits for a pair of Black-necked Storks and several Brolgas. There is also an exhibit for Emu nearby as well along this path. This is a haven for wild birdlife with a range of robins, treecreepers, shrike-thrushes, fantails and whipbirds being spotted yesterday. Wild lace monitors, carpet pythons and tree snakes can often also be seen regularly in the wetlands.
Black-necked Stork
Exiting the wetlands area, there are a set of two walkthrough exhibits; one for Koalas and one for Red Kangaroos. The koala walkthrough is well-planted with natives and a few taller trees however the majority of the koalas congregate in the shaded portion of the exhibit that is also supervised by keepers. A few years ago, the zoo had bettong and curlews in here as well which would be welcomed additions once more. The kangaroo walkthrough is a simple, grassy yard with rows of avocado and macadamia trees, hinting to the fact that large portions of the zoo used to be food plantations. Leaving the kangaroos, you immediately reach the main aviary.
The rainforest aviary opened in the early 2000s I believe and used to house as incredible array of species in its early years including Rainbow Pitta, Swift Parrot and Flock Bronzewing. Unfortunately, most of these birds quickly disappeared and for a period of time the rainforest aviary was primarily home to several commonly-kept pigeons and parrots. Around 2019, the birds starting picking up again with fruit-doves, finches, pittas and regent honeyeaters so it’s been a gradual improvement to diversify the bird collection again but not exactly reaching its former glory. Earlier this year, the aviary received an upgrade with new netting primarily and the zoo branded it as if it was a completely new exhibit calling it Grace’s Bird Garden despite it being the same-old walkthrough aviary. Whatever they call it, it’s a nice enough space that I spend most of my time at when I'm at the zoo. Plus, most visitors just zoom straight through it to get to the wombats and snakes so it’s usually pretty quiet. The first species that I usually note are the finches. There are a few species in the aviary with Gouldian Finches, Red-browed Finches and Chestnut-breasted Mannikins. The red-brows have the largest population from observation and are breeding very well but all three species can usually be seen bathing in the small stream of water positioned right near the path. Zebra Finches have apparently also recently joined the mix but remained unseen. The keepers feed the birds at around 9:30 enabling visitors to see a good variety of species come down to feed. I saw feeding Bar-shouldered Doves, Peaceful Doves, White-headed Pigeons, Torresian Imperial Pigeons, Pacific Emerald Doves and a lone Wonga Pigeon. The low-lying trees are home to several Rose-crowned Fruit Doves which often sit a metre or so from visitors very quietly. There are also a few water birds with a lone Magpie Goose, a pair of Radjah Shelducks and Glossy Ibis. There are also Bush Stone-Curlew in this aviary as well.
Rainforest aviary
Adding a great deal of liveliness being one of the newer additions, the Regent Honeyeaters can often be found feeding on native flowers laid out for them. Parrots are represented with a few male Eclectus Parrots, Red-collared Lorikeets and Rainbow Lorikeets. Patience is required for the final few species which are a Noisy Pitta and Sacred Kingfisher which remained unseen yesterday but can usually be found with a careful eye. Exiting the aviary there is also a spacious enclosure for a Wedge-tailed Eagle. It’s a tall, impressive structure that is very suitable for its occupant. The zoo does sometimes rotate the raptors with a Whistling Kite or a Brahminy Kite. The zoo’s wombats are housed in a pair of exhibits. They are both quite similar with a large grassy yard and a glass-fronted burrow area. The wombats had access to the indoor area during my visit. The first enclosure has a Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat with Common Wombat, while the second exhibit only has Commons. For those familiar with wombat displays, I always think they look way too manicured to be a wombat enclosure.
Past the wombats, one reaches the bulk of the zoo’s reptiles and amphibians. For many years, the reptile house exclusively housed native pythons and venomous snakes but increasingly more exotic herptiles have been moving into the exhibits. Most of the enclosures are pretty similar in terms of design; large glass-fronted viewing windows, real plants and very effective landscape backgrounds that meld into the space, often giving the illusion that the enclosure is larger than it actually is. All the exhibits are positioned along either wall in one long row. Starting from the far corner, the first five or so exhibits are for venomous species; Inland Taipan, Eastern Brown Snake, Coastal Taipan, Eastern Tiger Snake and Common Death Adder.
My favourite animals at the zoo are in the next exhibit; the poison dart frogs. The zoo received their first ones in 2018 from Adelaide Zoo and have been breeding them successfully ever since. For our overseas readers, poison dart frogs are not common in Australian zoos with only a handful of institutions working with them. The zoo has a group of Dyeing Poison Dart Frogs along with the morph, Blue Poison Dart Frogs. The exhibit itself is well-planned with a range of ledges allowing the frogs to escape public view, a misting system and several live plants. It’s a beautiful enclosure and you can tell a lot of money went into it (it was funded by the state government). These frogs always make such a great display; more Australasian zoos need them.
Poison dart frog enclosure
Up next is a large enclosure for a King Brown. This individual is usually always very active especially during early morning. Nearby is a pair of exhibits that are about the half the size of the previous ones. The first enclosure houses a small Woma and the second, a Red-bellied Black Snake. They have housed a range of species over the years with the woma enclosure traditionally having a pair of Western Brown Snakes and the black snake enclosure had the zoo’s last chameleon. The final exhibit along this side is a large desert-themed enclosure with a Gila Monster. Great animals.
Starting on the other side of the reptile house is an enclosure for King Cobra. It’s a pretty simple design; leaf litter substrate, rocky features and bamboo poles. There are only two zoos in Australia with them so it's been a wonderful species to have on-display over the past couple of years. Another effective little exhibit is a small rainforest terrarium for Green Tree Python and White-lipped Tree Frogs. The viewing window is smaller than the actual exhibit meaning the frogs are often wedged well above sight. The newest development in the reptile house is the smart conversion of the former woma enclosure into a mixed exhibit with Shingleback and Yakka Skink. The skinks were very lively and it was nice to the latter species for the first time as the Egernia skinks are probably my favourite group of reptiles. The yakkas are robust lizards and are about as large as a bluetongue. They also have a lovely sandy colouration. The zoo has a long history with Yakka Skinks but I don’t think they have been on-show before or if they have been, it was a long time ago. I’d also be interested in knowing if there are any other zoos that currently have this species as they seem to be pretty uncommon.
Yakka Skink
The final three enclosure are of a similar size. The first one is for Corn Snakes and Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes, the next for Fijian Crested Iguanas and Indian Star Tortoises and finally, a Scrub Python. The iguana/tortoise enclosure is particularly well-done with a mix of different substrates, complex climbing opportunities for the iguanas and a pleasing overall aesthetic.
Reptile house layout, October 2021
The next area is the Asian area which at this stage is basically tigers with a few extra exhibits. The enclosure that used to be for tiger cubs has recently been renovated for a new species to put this usually empty exhibit to use; a group of Elongated Tortoises recently moved from the rhino iguana enclosure where they were rarely visible to a nice grassy exhibit. They work well with the other species in the area and are now much easier to spot now. It’s also great to see these tortoises outdoors in the full sun. I have always liked the nearby exhibit for the zoo’s Red Panda. It's an open-topped, spacious enclosure with complex climbing opportunities with a mix of natural and added branches. The zoo currently has a male panda on display with an off-display potential breeding pair. He also has access to an air-conditioned log and I’ve seen his enclosure being misted during the summer.
Red panda enclosure
Nearby, is a tall grove of bamboo that leads to the zoo’s Tiger Temple housing the zoo’s large population of Sumatran and hybrid tigers. The tiger complex can be opened up to create one large enclosure or separated for two exhibits. The zoo regularly rotates their tigers allowing both contact and non-contact tigers to have access to the display area. The viewing area has large glass-fronted viewing windows, underwater viewing, a large seating area for presentations and relatively large enclosure spaces. My one point of concern would be the lack of hiding opportunities for the tigers from the general public but then again, I don’t know how long most tigers are on-show nor their frequency of access to off-display areas. The interpretive signage is also particularly excellent in this area with detailed information about the zoo’s breeding success since 2013, links to conservation partnerships etc.
Tiger enclosure
The elephant enclosure, like the tigers, is of a reasonable space. I’d be interested to see how the foliage holds up with four (soon to be five) elephants if they ever go on display. The exhibit space is well-proportioned with a deep pool and well-established trees that have now been hotwired. The zoo is currently building the runway to connect the barn to the on-display space. A perimeter of cable wires has been built around the exhibit and it seems to serve as electric fencing. With the benefit of hindsight, I can’t help but think this preparation could have been completed before the elephants arrived during the seven or so years the zoo remained without them. At least there was a lot of construction going on yesterday.
New elephant entry, connecting barn to display area
Moving on, Bindi’s Island is a hodgepodge of enclosures centred around a main walkthrough island and a few extra island exhibits that hold surplus lemurs. It’s loosely based on having a Madagascar-themed complex off the edge of the Africa precinct. The main island is home to the zoo’s only primates, approximately 15 free-roaming Ring-tailed Lemurs; a combination of males imported from the United States and individuals bred at Australia Zoo. They have access to a truly generous space with a tall, well-established canopy of trees and the nearby treehouse as well. The zoo used to house ruffed lemurs for many years from 2006 to 2020 but unfortunately, they were never successfully placed on public show. They also had Cotton-top Tamarins as well for a few years until they left in 2010, representing the only other primate species the zoo has had as far as I know. Anyway, there is also a small flock of Helmeted Guineafowls with the lemurs.
Bindi’s Island entrance
On Bindi’s Island there are also four additional exhibits; three are located near the main treehouse and the fourth, a stand-along paddock for a pair of Aldabra Giant Tortoises. Heading towards the treehouse, there is unfortunately a small ‘parrot-on-a-stick’ exhibit for a Scarlet Macaw and a Blue-and-gold Macaw. This practice is luckily not common in Australia and most zoos sensibly exhibit their macaws in large aviaries. In the treehouse, there is a small walled tank that used to house a snapping turtle which would have been painfully small for this animal. Thankfully, it now has a range of smaller, more appropriate species including Crimson-spotted Rainbowfish, Purple-spotted Gudgeon, Brisbane River Turtle, Krefft’s Turtle and Saw-shelled Turtle. A pleasing little exhibit with natives despite the bad glare. Upstairs, the final exhibit is a large enclosure for Boa Constrictors. I have long thought a quick conversion of the boa constrictors to Dumeril’s Boas, the tank of rainbowfish for Polleni Cichlid or a mixed exhibit with Madagascar Rainbowfish in the water/Giant Day Geckoes in the land space, and the parrot’s open-topped exhibit with a small expansion for Radiated Tortoises (considering the zoo already have three tortoise species, what’s a fourth) would be an effective way to adapt this space for more Malagasy species to tie the entire area geographically whilst also considering the limited exotic species available in Australia. Just thinking out loud.
The final area to cover for Australia Zoo is the zoo’s African area which opened in 2011. The initial plans [Australia Zoo Hotel - PJA Architects] included additional species like lions, gazelle/antelope and crocodiles but the zoo opted for a scaled-down version with four species. The main savannah exhibit is actually divided in half with some carefully-placed mock rock boulders, gravel and some subtle fencing; one side houses the breeding herd of Giraffe and two male Plains Zebra and the other half is for Southern White Rhinoceros. Visitors view the animals from a raised fenced platform that runs along the front perimeter of the exhibit. There are a few shaded areas along the trek from the giraffe to the rhinos. The complex is also well-planted with grasses, aloes and gingers providing refuge for wild fairywrens and honeyeaters. I also saw a Cheetah being walked on a lead. The final set of exhibits at the zoo are for Meerkats with two female groups arriving in 2017. The open-topped enclosures allow the meerkats to watch over the savannah. Interestingly, the enclosure substrate is gravel rather than the traditional sandy exhibits.
African savannah
Wildlife Hospital Tour:
The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital has been an integral part of the zoo’s fabric for many years now. It first opened in 2004 and a lot of the zoo’s public image is centred around the work they do with the local wildlife. Love or hate the zoo, the hospital is undoubtedly an essential and valuable service for wildlife in south-east Queensland. The zoo offers a wildlife hospital tour priced at $20 for the general public which is reasonable compared to the other animal experiences. The tours takes visitors through the main hospital, the outdoor aviaries and turtle facilities. They have treated 100,000+ animals since they opened and released their 10,000th koala a few months ago. They are open 24 hours, seven days a week, treating all sorts of native species. I kind of like the idea of a wildlife hospital tour as there is always a chance of seeing something completely unexpected and you cannot predict what animals/procedures you might see.
From the outside, the wildlife hospital itself is a relatively modest, one-storey building with large windows looking into the main operating theatre and incubation rooms. Indoors, the whole area was much larger than I was expecting and they are currently constructing a new intensive care ward for koalas to be completed by December. This new building will also allow them to treat more platypus which I was pleased to hear. I saw a few Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Common Brushtail Possum joeys that were being kept in the incubators. Most of them came in due to road accidents. A Black Flying Fox was also being collected by a carer and an Australian Magpie chick was also seen. In the operating room, vets and vet nurses were assessing a Koala under anaesthetic. There were another team working on a Painted Button-quail that had been brought in. I was surprised to see one as I had just seen my first wild ones last week. It was very interesting to hear how they have to modify the gas masks for birds according to beak type.
Brush-tailed Possum joey
Exiting the main hospital, there are two aviary-style rows of cages for more Koalas; one is specially for quarantine animals (i.e. ones that come in with diseases) and another for koalas with mainly injuries. There were koalas with missing limbs, missing eyes and fractured limbs as a result of dogs and cars mainly. Each complex has the capacity to house 25 koalas and the hospital can provide space for about 100 koalas in total. During my tour, several volunteers and keepers were preparing the leaf for the afternoon feed. My guide was telling me that zoo workers have to travel four hours daily to collect eucalypt for the hospital and zoo (60+ individuals) koalas. They have a plantation at the zoo but it’s still a few years away from sustaining all the koalas. There are several other enclosures for koalas; a special area for females and joeys and a fenced off plantation area which is essentially just bush to acclimatise the koalas in preparation for release. I also saw an enclosure with a Short-beaked Echidna that was being prepared for release soon. The echidna was wedged in a corner but you could see it poking its tongue out of the fence. Very cool.
The zoo’s hospital is currently treating several Green Sea Turtles in collaboration with SeaWorld Gold Coast and Sea Life Sunshine Coast. They have four main tubs and one large pool for the larger turtles. The majority of the sea turtles come from the Sunshine and Fraser Coast region due to boat strikes or floating problems. There has recently been an influx of older sea turtles and the facility was running at full capacity last week. All in all, it was good to see the hard work that goes behind the hospital; the backbone of the zoo.
Green Sea Turtle
Concluding Thoughts:
Australia Zoo presents a pleasant visitor experience if you ignore all the rampant commercialisation, and just focus on the animals and their exhibits. There are some quality enclosures and great viewing opportunities for many charismatic and unusual species for the local ZooChatter. My recent visit was particularly a good opportunity to enjoy the grounds as it was relatively empty, relishing the chance to avoid the crowds that are traditionally a staple with Australia Zoo. I have also liked their move towards adding more reptile and amphibian species on display which has been a welcome, rather unexpected development. In saying this, Australia Zoo is certainly overrated and I don’t think it meets all the hype that often surrounds this establishment. I’d be interested if others ever get a chance to visit what their opinions and thoughts around Australia Zoo are.
Australia Zoo’s future developments are bit of a grey area as well. The zoo has confirmed their plans to open up their alligator lagoon to the public which is located just past their African complex, new overnight accommodation themed around Crocodile Hunter and of course, the elephants. It will be interesting to see how the zoo progresses over the next couple of years and how it fits within the local dynamic as collections all around it rapidly begin to expand and mature. For more photos see here and species list is below: Australia Zoo - ZooChat
Australia Zoo is a bit of an enigma at times. It covers a huge amount of land yet maintains a relatively modest collection of animals compared to leading institutions across the globe and even its local competitors. It receives a significant amount of global attention of course yet continues to fall short in many respects. I often describe it as maintaining a persona of a major zoo. It has all the ingredients for a fantastic zoo but when you dig a little deeper it has many gaps to fill to really warrant the acclaim it so often receives. In saying this they have some noteworthy species and exhibits that do keep things interesting for me. [Map for further context: Zoo Map - Navigate Your Way Around Our Beautiful Australia Zoo]. Anyway, onto the review. As a point of difference to the 2019 review, some of the new elements this review will focus on will include:
- a discussion on the renovated crocodilian complex
- the gradual trend towards adding additional reptiles and amphibians and their new exhibits e.g., anaconda, poison dart frogs, elongated tortoises, yakka skinks
- the future elephant exhibit
- a tour of zoo’s wildlife hospital
The zoo’s entrance is an interesting design. The main front portion of the area includes columns of timber panelling plastered with large posters of visitor experiences and of course, the Irwins. A central steel cylinder at the forefront of the zoo includes a huge logo and a large cut-out of Steve Irwin prominently placed above everything else just in case you forgot where you were. The admission area is a more tired-looking affair with dated Irwin paraphernalia and ticket booths. Through the gate past the first of many gift shops, the first pair of animal exhibits are positioned near a sheltered area. They are for Rhinoceros Iguanas; three individuals in one enclosure and the old male in the other. Their exhibit has been around for a while but has stood the test of time. The rhino iguana enclosures are open-topped, glass-fronted exhibits with a heated den and several large boulders enabling the rhino iguanas to have some decent vantage points. Nearby, is a row of three exhibits for American Alligators. They are some of the older enclosures at the zoo and were closed for renovations on my recent visit.
The zoo’s Komodo Dragons are displayed prominently near the front as well. The first exhibit is a large glass-fronted enclosure with a lot of mock rock. There is also a glass-fronted den area for the Komodo as well. This houses the zoo’s male. The second Komodo enclosure – for the female - is much smaller (perhaps a tad small for an adult) which used to have a Perentie which is a species that is no longer on-display at the zoo despite a long history of keeping and breeding them.
Next to the Komodos is a pleasant open-topped rocky exhibit with tree ferns and a water source that runs through the exhibit leading to a small pool. It contains a nice mix of native species; a large Mary River Turtle, a healthy population of Cunningham’s Skinks, Eastern Bluetongues, Merten’s Water Monitors and Eastern Water Dragon. A Land Mullet also lives in this enclosure which is rarely spotted but I managed to find it near a clump of ferns. Eastern Bearded Dragon is also signed but I’ve never seen one in this exhibit.
Mixed lizard enclosure
The adjacent enclosure for a sibling pair of Asian Small-clawed Otters is quite small and devoid of much natural vegetation. I’ve always felt the otters, binturongs and Komodos should be relocated to the area near the elephants and tigers, not just for geographical purposes but also to have access to a greater amount of space. The otter exhibit itself has a small pool with relatively shallow water. The recent renovations added a small waterfall and a platform disguised as a log in the pool which were both features used very well by the otters. I was able to watch a training session with the otters during the afternoon. A short path from the otters leads to a secluded corner of the zoo with an open-topped exhibit for Short-beaked Echidna.
In the heart of the zoo, the Crocodile Environmental Park is a large complex of exhibits that house crocodilians and turtles. Previously, the crocs were enclosed with chain-link fences but following the 2020 renovation, the croc exhibits are now all viewed via a large wooden boardwalk that traverses through several habitats. The zoo maintained the general shape of the exhibits whilst also conserving the mature trees to create a nice blend of old and new. The complex begins with a Pandanus-filled trail reaching the first enclosure for a pair of Saltwater Crocodiles. The space is complex with a large pool and sunbathing spots, providing excellent views of the crocodiles from the boardwalk. Opposite them is a large enclosure which has yet to be occupied. Continuing on, is a nice enclosure for Freshwater Crocodiles which is of a smaller size but equally as good. Nearby is an additional enclosure for a male Saltwater Crocodile which is pleasant but slightly smaller than the main enclosure. There is also an American Alligator enclosure along the side of this complex, being well-shaded by a row of trees. The final area represents the best outdoor turtle enclosure I have seen to date with a novel barrier with poles placed just far apart from each other to prevent the turtles from escaping. It contains a large pool of water with several basking spots. It’s home to Broad-shelled River Turtle, Saw-shelled Turtle, Brisbane River Turtle and Krefft’s Turtle. There is also an unsigned fish species, it looked like a native gudgeon. Several overhanging trees provide a good amount of shelter as well. The turtles are actually one of half of a circular area of land with the other half being occupied by Aldabra Giant Tortoises in a grassy paddock. A wild Azure Kingfisher was also seen nearby in some of the trees that lead to the crocodile enclosures.
Crocodile Environmental Park - Freshwater crocodile enclosure
Approaching the Crocoseum, the zoo’s central stadium, are rather standard enclosures for Koalas and a row of three for Saltwater Crocodiles. The Crocoseum is a very large building complete with an eatery, two gift stops (because one isn’t enough), a museum, a gallery and the main stadium. Over the top is an understatement. There are two exhibits within the actual complex itself. The first is a glass-fronted enclosure for Burmese Python. The second glass-fronted exhibit was recently renovated to accommodate a Green Anaconda. Despite having lots of mock rock that Australia Zoo always uses, the exhibit is attractive complete with live plants that soften the exhibit, a large deep pool and decent land space for the anaconda.
Green anaconda enclosure
There is a set of exhibits awkwardly positioned just beyond the Crocoseum. The first is a mock-rock exhibit with glass viewing with rocky ledges and complex branches that stretch across the enclosure. This enclosure houses a pair of Binturong which are siblings originally bred at Melbourne. They are getting on in years being around 16-17 years old so it will be interesting to see their plans after they pass considering there aren’t many binturong in Australian zoos. Nearby is the enclosure for Dingo which is a naturalistic, sloping and rocky. It’s home to three siblings. There is a large viewing window along with opportunities to view them from a greater distance. The nearby enclosures for the Southern Cassowaries are viewed from a shaded viewing area and are appropriately lush. The zoo have been trying to breed cassowaries for many years now but have unfortunately been unsuccessful in their attempts. They brought in a new male a few years ago now to join their older female. The zoo also has a pair of exhibits for Tasmanian Devils with two glass-fronted, open-topped outdoor enclosures and an indoor area to also view them if they are sleeping. Near the entrance of the indoor area to view them is a small open-topped enclosure for Cunningham’s Skinks and Eastern Bluetongue. For many years it housed the zoo’s group of Shinglebacks here but it was recently converted with more leaf litter and rocky outcrops complete with a grass tree. The group of skinks are breeding well with several offspring of varying sizes making interesting opportunities to compare a wide range of ages.
Cunningham's Skink enclosure
Roo Heaven is the zoo’s main macropod walkthrough enclosure which covers a huge area of land right near the Crocoseum, also serving as a means to get to the main portion of the zoo. In the middle of the exhibit, is a tall mock-rock mound situated above an open-topped enclosure for Short-beaked Echidnas. I think the mound can be rather unsightly from certain angles but it serves it purpose well, enabling the zoo’s Black-footed Rock Wallabies to escape public view completely with varying levels of height. They are probably the most elusive species at the zoo but can be seen relatively reliable during quieter times of the day. The other macropods in this enclosure are Red-necked Wallaby, Swamp Wallaby and Eastern Grey Kangaroo. There used to be other species in this exhibit including Black-striped and Agile Wallabies I believe. Out past these macropods, is the wetlands complex with well-shaded and naturalistic exhibits for a pair of Black-necked Storks and several Brolgas. There is also an exhibit for Emu nearby as well along this path. This is a haven for wild birdlife with a range of robins, treecreepers, shrike-thrushes, fantails and whipbirds being spotted yesterday. Wild lace monitors, carpet pythons and tree snakes can often also be seen regularly in the wetlands.
Black-necked Stork
Exiting the wetlands area, there are a set of two walkthrough exhibits; one for Koalas and one for Red Kangaroos. The koala walkthrough is well-planted with natives and a few taller trees however the majority of the koalas congregate in the shaded portion of the exhibit that is also supervised by keepers. A few years ago, the zoo had bettong and curlews in here as well which would be welcomed additions once more. The kangaroo walkthrough is a simple, grassy yard with rows of avocado and macadamia trees, hinting to the fact that large portions of the zoo used to be food plantations. Leaving the kangaroos, you immediately reach the main aviary.
The rainforest aviary opened in the early 2000s I believe and used to house as incredible array of species in its early years including Rainbow Pitta, Swift Parrot and Flock Bronzewing. Unfortunately, most of these birds quickly disappeared and for a period of time the rainforest aviary was primarily home to several commonly-kept pigeons and parrots. Around 2019, the birds starting picking up again with fruit-doves, finches, pittas and regent honeyeaters so it’s been a gradual improvement to diversify the bird collection again but not exactly reaching its former glory. Earlier this year, the aviary received an upgrade with new netting primarily and the zoo branded it as if it was a completely new exhibit calling it Grace’s Bird Garden despite it being the same-old walkthrough aviary. Whatever they call it, it’s a nice enough space that I spend most of my time at when I'm at the zoo. Plus, most visitors just zoom straight through it to get to the wombats and snakes so it’s usually pretty quiet. The first species that I usually note are the finches. There are a few species in the aviary with Gouldian Finches, Red-browed Finches and Chestnut-breasted Mannikins. The red-brows have the largest population from observation and are breeding very well but all three species can usually be seen bathing in the small stream of water positioned right near the path. Zebra Finches have apparently also recently joined the mix but remained unseen. The keepers feed the birds at around 9:30 enabling visitors to see a good variety of species come down to feed. I saw feeding Bar-shouldered Doves, Peaceful Doves, White-headed Pigeons, Torresian Imperial Pigeons, Pacific Emerald Doves and a lone Wonga Pigeon. The low-lying trees are home to several Rose-crowned Fruit Doves which often sit a metre or so from visitors very quietly. There are also a few water birds with a lone Magpie Goose, a pair of Radjah Shelducks and Glossy Ibis. There are also Bush Stone-Curlew in this aviary as well.
Rainforest aviary
Adding a great deal of liveliness being one of the newer additions, the Regent Honeyeaters can often be found feeding on native flowers laid out for them. Parrots are represented with a few male Eclectus Parrots, Red-collared Lorikeets and Rainbow Lorikeets. Patience is required for the final few species which are a Noisy Pitta and Sacred Kingfisher which remained unseen yesterday but can usually be found with a careful eye. Exiting the aviary there is also a spacious enclosure for a Wedge-tailed Eagle. It’s a tall, impressive structure that is very suitable for its occupant. The zoo does sometimes rotate the raptors with a Whistling Kite or a Brahminy Kite. The zoo’s wombats are housed in a pair of exhibits. They are both quite similar with a large grassy yard and a glass-fronted burrow area. The wombats had access to the indoor area during my visit. The first enclosure has a Southern Hairy-nosed Wombat with Common Wombat, while the second exhibit only has Commons. For those familiar with wombat displays, I always think they look way too manicured to be a wombat enclosure.
Past the wombats, one reaches the bulk of the zoo’s reptiles and amphibians. For many years, the reptile house exclusively housed native pythons and venomous snakes but increasingly more exotic herptiles have been moving into the exhibits. Most of the enclosures are pretty similar in terms of design; large glass-fronted viewing windows, real plants and very effective landscape backgrounds that meld into the space, often giving the illusion that the enclosure is larger than it actually is. All the exhibits are positioned along either wall in one long row. Starting from the far corner, the first five or so exhibits are for venomous species; Inland Taipan, Eastern Brown Snake, Coastal Taipan, Eastern Tiger Snake and Common Death Adder.
My favourite animals at the zoo are in the next exhibit; the poison dart frogs. The zoo received their first ones in 2018 from Adelaide Zoo and have been breeding them successfully ever since. For our overseas readers, poison dart frogs are not common in Australian zoos with only a handful of institutions working with them. The zoo has a group of Dyeing Poison Dart Frogs along with the morph, Blue Poison Dart Frogs. The exhibit itself is well-planned with a range of ledges allowing the frogs to escape public view, a misting system and several live plants. It’s a beautiful enclosure and you can tell a lot of money went into it (it was funded by the state government). These frogs always make such a great display; more Australasian zoos need them.
Poison dart frog enclosure
Up next is a large enclosure for a King Brown. This individual is usually always very active especially during early morning. Nearby is a pair of exhibits that are about the half the size of the previous ones. The first enclosure houses a small Woma and the second, a Red-bellied Black Snake. They have housed a range of species over the years with the woma enclosure traditionally having a pair of Western Brown Snakes and the black snake enclosure had the zoo’s last chameleon. The final exhibit along this side is a large desert-themed enclosure with a Gila Monster. Great animals.
Starting on the other side of the reptile house is an enclosure for King Cobra. It’s a pretty simple design; leaf litter substrate, rocky features and bamboo poles. There are only two zoos in Australia with them so it's been a wonderful species to have on-display over the past couple of years. Another effective little exhibit is a small rainforest terrarium for Green Tree Python and White-lipped Tree Frogs. The viewing window is smaller than the actual exhibit meaning the frogs are often wedged well above sight. The newest development in the reptile house is the smart conversion of the former woma enclosure into a mixed exhibit with Shingleback and Yakka Skink. The skinks were very lively and it was nice to the latter species for the first time as the Egernia skinks are probably my favourite group of reptiles. The yakkas are robust lizards and are about as large as a bluetongue. They also have a lovely sandy colouration. The zoo has a long history with Yakka Skinks but I don’t think they have been on-show before or if they have been, it was a long time ago. I’d also be interested in knowing if there are any other zoos that currently have this species as they seem to be pretty uncommon.
Yakka Skink
The final three enclosure are of a similar size. The first one is for Corn Snakes and Eastern Diamondback Rattlesnakes, the next for Fijian Crested Iguanas and Indian Star Tortoises and finally, a Scrub Python. The iguana/tortoise enclosure is particularly well-done with a mix of different substrates, complex climbing opportunities for the iguanas and a pleasing overall aesthetic.
Reptile house layout, October 2021
The next area is the Asian area which at this stage is basically tigers with a few extra exhibits. The enclosure that used to be for tiger cubs has recently been renovated for a new species to put this usually empty exhibit to use; a group of Elongated Tortoises recently moved from the rhino iguana enclosure where they were rarely visible to a nice grassy exhibit. They work well with the other species in the area and are now much easier to spot now. It’s also great to see these tortoises outdoors in the full sun. I have always liked the nearby exhibit for the zoo’s Red Panda. It's an open-topped, spacious enclosure with complex climbing opportunities with a mix of natural and added branches. The zoo currently has a male panda on display with an off-display potential breeding pair. He also has access to an air-conditioned log and I’ve seen his enclosure being misted during the summer.
Red panda enclosure
Nearby, is a tall grove of bamboo that leads to the zoo’s Tiger Temple housing the zoo’s large population of Sumatran and hybrid tigers. The tiger complex can be opened up to create one large enclosure or separated for two exhibits. The zoo regularly rotates their tigers allowing both contact and non-contact tigers to have access to the display area. The viewing area has large glass-fronted viewing windows, underwater viewing, a large seating area for presentations and relatively large enclosure spaces. My one point of concern would be the lack of hiding opportunities for the tigers from the general public but then again, I don’t know how long most tigers are on-show nor their frequency of access to off-display areas. The interpretive signage is also particularly excellent in this area with detailed information about the zoo’s breeding success since 2013, links to conservation partnerships etc.
Tiger enclosure
The elephant enclosure, like the tigers, is of a reasonable space. I’d be interested to see how the foliage holds up with four (soon to be five) elephants if they ever go on display. The exhibit space is well-proportioned with a deep pool and well-established trees that have now been hotwired. The zoo is currently building the runway to connect the barn to the on-display space. A perimeter of cable wires has been built around the exhibit and it seems to serve as electric fencing. With the benefit of hindsight, I can’t help but think this preparation could have been completed before the elephants arrived during the seven or so years the zoo remained without them. At least there was a lot of construction going on yesterday.
New elephant entry, connecting barn to display area
Moving on, Bindi’s Island is a hodgepodge of enclosures centred around a main walkthrough island and a few extra island exhibits that hold surplus lemurs. It’s loosely based on having a Madagascar-themed complex off the edge of the Africa precinct. The main island is home to the zoo’s only primates, approximately 15 free-roaming Ring-tailed Lemurs; a combination of males imported from the United States and individuals bred at Australia Zoo. They have access to a truly generous space with a tall, well-established canopy of trees and the nearby treehouse as well. The zoo used to house ruffed lemurs for many years from 2006 to 2020 but unfortunately, they were never successfully placed on public show. They also had Cotton-top Tamarins as well for a few years until they left in 2010, representing the only other primate species the zoo has had as far as I know. Anyway, there is also a small flock of Helmeted Guineafowls with the lemurs.
Bindi’s Island entrance
On Bindi’s Island there are also four additional exhibits; three are located near the main treehouse and the fourth, a stand-along paddock for a pair of Aldabra Giant Tortoises. Heading towards the treehouse, there is unfortunately a small ‘parrot-on-a-stick’ exhibit for a Scarlet Macaw and a Blue-and-gold Macaw. This practice is luckily not common in Australia and most zoos sensibly exhibit their macaws in large aviaries. In the treehouse, there is a small walled tank that used to house a snapping turtle which would have been painfully small for this animal. Thankfully, it now has a range of smaller, more appropriate species including Crimson-spotted Rainbowfish, Purple-spotted Gudgeon, Brisbane River Turtle, Krefft’s Turtle and Saw-shelled Turtle. A pleasing little exhibit with natives despite the bad glare. Upstairs, the final exhibit is a large enclosure for Boa Constrictors. I have long thought a quick conversion of the boa constrictors to Dumeril’s Boas, the tank of rainbowfish for Polleni Cichlid or a mixed exhibit with Madagascar Rainbowfish in the water/Giant Day Geckoes in the land space, and the parrot’s open-topped exhibit with a small expansion for Radiated Tortoises (considering the zoo already have three tortoise species, what’s a fourth) would be an effective way to adapt this space for more Malagasy species to tie the entire area geographically whilst also considering the limited exotic species available in Australia. Just thinking out loud.
The final area to cover for Australia Zoo is the zoo’s African area which opened in 2011. The initial plans [Australia Zoo Hotel - PJA Architects] included additional species like lions, gazelle/antelope and crocodiles but the zoo opted for a scaled-down version with four species. The main savannah exhibit is actually divided in half with some carefully-placed mock rock boulders, gravel and some subtle fencing; one side houses the breeding herd of Giraffe and two male Plains Zebra and the other half is for Southern White Rhinoceros. Visitors view the animals from a raised fenced platform that runs along the front perimeter of the exhibit. There are a few shaded areas along the trek from the giraffe to the rhinos. The complex is also well-planted with grasses, aloes and gingers providing refuge for wild fairywrens and honeyeaters. I also saw a Cheetah being walked on a lead. The final set of exhibits at the zoo are for Meerkats with two female groups arriving in 2017. The open-topped enclosures allow the meerkats to watch over the savannah. Interestingly, the enclosure substrate is gravel rather than the traditional sandy exhibits.
African savannah
Wildlife Hospital Tour:
The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital has been an integral part of the zoo’s fabric for many years now. It first opened in 2004 and a lot of the zoo’s public image is centred around the work they do with the local wildlife. Love or hate the zoo, the hospital is undoubtedly an essential and valuable service for wildlife in south-east Queensland. The zoo offers a wildlife hospital tour priced at $20 for the general public which is reasonable compared to the other animal experiences. The tours takes visitors through the main hospital, the outdoor aviaries and turtle facilities. They have treated 100,000+ animals since they opened and released their 10,000th koala a few months ago. They are open 24 hours, seven days a week, treating all sorts of native species. I kind of like the idea of a wildlife hospital tour as there is always a chance of seeing something completely unexpected and you cannot predict what animals/procedures you might see.
From the outside, the wildlife hospital itself is a relatively modest, one-storey building with large windows looking into the main operating theatre and incubation rooms. Indoors, the whole area was much larger than I was expecting and they are currently constructing a new intensive care ward for koalas to be completed by December. This new building will also allow them to treat more platypus which I was pleased to hear. I saw a few Eastern Grey Kangaroo and Common Brushtail Possum joeys that were being kept in the incubators. Most of them came in due to road accidents. A Black Flying Fox was also being collected by a carer and an Australian Magpie chick was also seen. In the operating room, vets and vet nurses were assessing a Koala under anaesthetic. There were another team working on a Painted Button-quail that had been brought in. I was surprised to see one as I had just seen my first wild ones last week. It was very interesting to hear how they have to modify the gas masks for birds according to beak type.
Brush-tailed Possum joey
Exiting the main hospital, there are two aviary-style rows of cages for more Koalas; one is specially for quarantine animals (i.e. ones that come in with diseases) and another for koalas with mainly injuries. There were koalas with missing limbs, missing eyes and fractured limbs as a result of dogs and cars mainly. Each complex has the capacity to house 25 koalas and the hospital can provide space for about 100 koalas in total. During my tour, several volunteers and keepers were preparing the leaf for the afternoon feed. My guide was telling me that zoo workers have to travel four hours daily to collect eucalypt for the hospital and zoo (60+ individuals) koalas. They have a plantation at the zoo but it’s still a few years away from sustaining all the koalas. There are several other enclosures for koalas; a special area for females and joeys and a fenced off plantation area which is essentially just bush to acclimatise the koalas in preparation for release. I also saw an enclosure with a Short-beaked Echidna that was being prepared for release soon. The echidna was wedged in a corner but you could see it poking its tongue out of the fence. Very cool.
The zoo’s hospital is currently treating several Green Sea Turtles in collaboration with SeaWorld Gold Coast and Sea Life Sunshine Coast. They have four main tubs and one large pool for the larger turtles. The majority of the sea turtles come from the Sunshine and Fraser Coast region due to boat strikes or floating problems. There has recently been an influx of older sea turtles and the facility was running at full capacity last week. All in all, it was good to see the hard work that goes behind the hospital; the backbone of the zoo.
Green Sea Turtle
Concluding Thoughts:
Australia Zoo presents a pleasant visitor experience if you ignore all the rampant commercialisation, and just focus on the animals and their exhibits. There are some quality enclosures and great viewing opportunities for many charismatic and unusual species for the local ZooChatter. My recent visit was particularly a good opportunity to enjoy the grounds as it was relatively empty, relishing the chance to avoid the crowds that are traditionally a staple with Australia Zoo. I have also liked their move towards adding more reptile and amphibian species on display which has been a welcome, rather unexpected development. In saying this, Australia Zoo is certainly overrated and I don’t think it meets all the hype that often surrounds this establishment. I’d be interested if others ever get a chance to visit what their opinions and thoughts around Australia Zoo are.
Australia Zoo’s future developments are bit of a grey area as well. The zoo has confirmed their plans to open up their alligator lagoon to the public which is located just past their African complex, new overnight accommodation themed around Crocodile Hunter and of course, the elephants. It will be interesting to see how the zoo progresses over the next couple of years and how it fits within the local dynamic as collections all around it rapidly begin to expand and mature. For more photos see here and species list is below: Australia Zoo - ZooChat
