These are hybrids not any pure subspecies.
Australia 2026
- Thread starter aramacao
- Start date
Yes, I'm aware of this, and it's not meant as a destructive criticism of Zootierliste. This website is a great help, and my intention is not at all to discredit it. My argument is simply based on the fact that some of its information is actually incomplete. That's why I'm asking for help here, because your vast experience helps me complete this information.
Perfect, Werribee deleted
Oh perfect sorry you're on Zootierliste members thats great.
Lots of the Australian zoos have species lists on Zoochat. For Hunter Valley this one is from 2023: Hunter Valley Wildlife Park Species List 24/1/23 [Hunter Valley Zoo]
scallywag2024
Well-Known Member
Spectacled flying fox no longer on display - the colony was moved to Central coast Zoo
The Koala Conservation Centre has none of those species, that would be at Phillip Island Wildlife Park which is also on the island.
Ok, Koala Conservation Reserve deleted.
If you are going Melbourne to Cairns and want to concentrate on native species (and also want to do other stuff of course, so you won't want to be visiting zoos every day), this would be my suggestions.
MELBOURNE:
- Melbourne museum (invertebrates, and check with the museum when they put their Moloch on display for feeding)
- SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium (could skip this in favour of the SEALIFE in Sydney)
- Healesville Sanctuary (one of the best zoos for native wildlife)
- Moonlit Sanctuary (especially for gliders etc on their night tour)
SYDNEY
- SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium (Dugong in particular, but also lots of native marine fish)
- Taronga Zoo (Long-beaked Echidna in particular, but also lots of native reptiles, mammals, etc)
- WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo (next to the aquarium, and is mostly/entirely native)
- Featherdale (one of the best zoos for native birds)
- Hunter Valley Wildlife Park (check the species lists against those of e.g. Featherdale and see if you need to include this one)
- Australian Reptile Park
QUEENSLAND
- Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary (only little but has native freshwater fish etc, would be easy to drop in if you're in Brisbane)
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- David Fleay Wildlife Park
- SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium
- Cairns Aquarium
MELBOURNE:
- Melbourne museum (invertebrates, and check with the museum when they put their Moloch on display for feeding)
- SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium (could skip this in favour of the SEALIFE in Sydney)
- Healesville Sanctuary (one of the best zoos for native wildlife)
- Moonlit Sanctuary (especially for gliders etc on their night tour)
SYDNEY
- SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium (Dugong in particular, but also lots of native marine fish)
- Taronga Zoo (Long-beaked Echidna in particular, but also lots of native reptiles, mammals, etc)
- WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo (next to the aquarium, and is mostly/entirely native)
- Featherdale (one of the best zoos for native birds)
- Hunter Valley Wildlife Park (check the species lists against those of e.g. Featherdale and see if you need to include this one)
- Australian Reptile Park
QUEENSLAND
- Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary (only little but has native freshwater fish etc, would be easy to drop in if you're in Brisbane)
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- David Fleay Wildlife Park
- SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium
- Cairns Aquarium
I understand this is a list of must-see places. I think it's a very interesting list. My only question is about the distance between, to give a starting point in Queensland, Cairns for example, and the core of sites made up of Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, David Fleay Wildlife Park and SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium. It's around 20 hours. I don't know if it'll be possible, especially since my girlfriend might not want to... From Sydney, it's around 8 hours. More feasible, but it won't be easy either. Perhaps I could go from Sydney and leave fewer days for the north...
I thought you would be driving up the coast.
If you are plane-hopping up the main centres, then you could just add in Gold Coast/Brisbane between Sydney and Cairns (or just take the train or bus from Sydney to Gold Coast, then fly from there up to Cairns - that would be easier). Then the list might look like this:
MELBOURNE:
- Melbourne museum (invertebrates, and check with the museum when they put their Moloch on display for feeding)
- SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium (could skip this in favour of the SEALIFE in Sydney)
- Healesville Sanctuary (one of the best zoos for native wildlife)
- Moonlit Sanctuary (especially for gliders etc on their night tour)
SYDNEY
- SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium (Dugong in particular, but also lots of native marine fish)
- Taronga Zoo (Long-beaked Echidna in particular, but also lots of native reptiles, mammals, etc)
- WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo (next to the aquarium, and is mostly/entirely native)
- Featherdale (one of the best zoos for native birds)
GOLD COAST / BRISBANE
- Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary (only little but has native freshwater fish etc, would be easy to drop in if you're in Brisbane)
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- David Fleay Wildlife Park
- SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium (you could drop this one out of the plan too)
CAIRNS
- Cairns Aquarium
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Yes, that option could also be interesting. I have to evaluate it, depending on the time involved and the financial implications.
I think I could publish the list of interesting species from each place and from there we could decide to eliminate a place or keep it.
I've noted down some places I know nothing about. I don't know if they might be interesting or if I can delete them. I'll list them below:
- Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre
- Maru Koala and Animal Park
- Merimbula Aquarium & Wharf Restaurant
- Potoroo Palace
- Canberra Reptile Zoo
- Canberra Walk-In Aviary
- Symbio Wildlife Park
- Billabong Zoo Koala & Wildlife Park
- Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary
- Solitary Islands Aquarium
- Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
- Bredl's Wildlife
- Billabong Sanctuary
- Tolga Bat Hospital
- JCU eduQuarium
- Rainforestation Nature Park
- Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation
- Birdworld Kuranda
I don't know what species they host in most of these sites, or the lists I have are very short, so I really don't know if they're worth considering. Do you have information on any of these places? I don't even know where they're located right now, and these are the places I think I could most easily eliminate from the list. Your opinions and advice will be greatly appreciated by me.
- Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre
- Maru Koala and Animal Park
- Merimbula Aquarium & Wharf Restaurant
- Potoroo Palace
- Canberra Reptile Zoo
- Canberra Walk-In Aviary
- Symbio Wildlife Park
- Billabong Zoo Koala & Wildlife Park
- Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary
- Solitary Islands Aquarium
- Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
- Bredl's Wildlife
- Billabong Sanctuary
- Tolga Bat Hospital
- JCU eduQuarium
- Rainforestation Nature Park
- Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation
- Birdworld Kuranda
I don't know what species they host in most of these sites, or the lists I have are very short, so I really don't know if they're worth considering. Do you have information on any of these places? I don't even know where they're located right now, and these are the places I think I could most easily eliminate from the list. Your opinions and advice will be greatly appreciated by me.
- Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre - Not a facility, more a nature reserve.
- Maru Koala and Animal Park - Located near Phillip Island, only really offers encounters.
- Merimbula Aquarium & Wharf Restaurant - It is a restaurant located on the NSW coast.
- Potoroo Palace - Located close to the above restaurant. Very few species however, all common.
- Canberra Reptile Zoo - Looks like a Pet Store. Probably not worth the visit. But they might have some rare reptiles.
- Canberra Walk-In Aviary - If your in Canberra, has a nice diverse bird collection. But just a single aviary.
- Symbio Wildlife Park - Has a few natives, but just the usual ones. So might not be of great interest.
- Billabong Zoo Koala & Wildlife Park - Again, little native species of interest. But they do have Jabiru, which can also be seen at Australia Zoo (if your going to visit there)
- Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary - Really only worth visiting to see the bottle nose dolphins.
- Solitary Islands Aquarium - Small aquarium - reservations required.
- Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary - Don't know much about this unfortunately.
- Bredl's Wildlife - Only tours available. The usual native species too of which can be seen elsewhere.
- Billabong Sanctuary - Small zoo. Little number of species.
- Tolga Bat Hospital - Facility for rescued wild bats - including flying foxes. Again tours need to be booked for this.
- JCU eduQuarium - Research facility. Not open to the public
- Rainforestation Nature Park - Just Koalas mainly. Not worth it.
- Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation - Rescue center. Not open to the public
- Birdworld Kuranda - Good bird collection - but not many species that you can't see elsewhere.
Osedax
Well-Known Member
Canberra Walk-in Aviary will not have anything you haven't seen before. Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary is a marine rescue centre for dolphins, seals, turtles etc. and I don't think there would be anything there that you won't see anywhere else. From memory, I don't think Symbio would have anything you won't have seen before or see anywhere else. Billabong Zoo Koala and Wildlife Park is known on here for Snow Leopards but you will obviously have seen those before, not sure what natives they house. Not sure about the rest.
Edit: Cross-posted with @Jambo , sorry.
Okay, with your suggestions, I've deleted several places. I'm showing you the current list. There are many places on it where I still have questions, and many will be eliminated. Some of the ones you recommended eliminating are still on the list for now, but that doesn't mean they'll make the final list.
- Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre
- Melbourne Zoo
- Melbourne museum
- SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
- Healesville Sanctuary (Zoos Victoria)
- Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park
- Phillip Island Wildlife Park
- National Zoo & Aquarium
- Canberra Reptile Zoo
- Sydney Zoo
- SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
- Taronga Zoo
- WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo
- Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park
- Taronga Western Plains Zoo (I'll almost certainly end up eliminating it, it's very far from Sydney)
- Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary
- Australian Reptile Park
- Blackbutt Reserve Wildlife Exhibit
- Hunter Valley Wildlife Park
- Oakvale Wildlife Park
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- David Fleay Wildlife Park
- Sea World Gold Coast
- Dreamworld
- Darling Downs Zoo
- Ipswich Nature Centre
- Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
- Australia Zoo
- SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium
- Wildlife HQ
- Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo
- Alexandra Park Zoo
- Billabong Sanctuary
- Tolga Bat Hospital
- Rainforestation Nature Park
- Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation
- Birdworld Kuranda
- Kuranda Koala Gardens
- Hartley's Crocodile Adventures
- Wildlife Habitat
- Cairns City (Cairns Aquarium)
The list still contains several places about which I've very little information: Kuranda Koala Gardens, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, Wildlife Habitat, Rainforestation Nature Park, Wildlife HQ, Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo, Alexandra Park Zoo, Dreamworld, Darling Downs Zoo, Ipswich Nature Centre, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary,
Blackbutt Reserve Wildlife Exhibit, Hunter Valley Wildlife Park, Oakvale Wildlife Park, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, David Fleay Wildlife Park...). I'm still open to any advice.
- Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre
- Melbourne Zoo
- Melbourne museum
- SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
- Healesville Sanctuary (Zoos Victoria)
- Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park
- Phillip Island Wildlife Park
- National Zoo & Aquarium
- Canberra Reptile Zoo
- Sydney Zoo
- SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
- Taronga Zoo
- WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo
- Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park
- Taronga Western Plains Zoo (I'll almost certainly end up eliminating it, it's very far from Sydney)
- Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary
- Australian Reptile Park
- Blackbutt Reserve Wildlife Exhibit
- Hunter Valley Wildlife Park
- Oakvale Wildlife Park
- Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
- David Fleay Wildlife Park
- Sea World Gold Coast
- Dreamworld
- Darling Downs Zoo
- Ipswich Nature Centre
- Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary
- Australia Zoo
- SEA LIFE Sunshine Coast Aquarium
- Wildlife HQ
- Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo
- Alexandra Park Zoo
- Billabong Sanctuary
- Tolga Bat Hospital
- Rainforestation Nature Park
- Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation
- Birdworld Kuranda
- Kuranda Koala Gardens
- Hartley's Crocodile Adventures
- Wildlife Habitat
- Cairns City (Cairns Aquarium)
The list still contains several places about which I've very little information: Kuranda Koala Gardens, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, Wildlife Habitat, Rainforestation Nature Park, Wildlife HQ, Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo, Alexandra Park Zoo, Dreamworld, Darling Downs Zoo, Ipswich Nature Centre, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary,
Blackbutt Reserve Wildlife Exhibit, Hunter Valley Wildlife Park, Oakvale Wildlife Park, Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary, David Fleay Wildlife Park...). I'm still open to any advice.
I’ve visited Birdworld Kuranda and Kuranda Koala Gardens. The former is basically a large free flight aviary with a cassowary exhibit and the latter has a handful of exhibits including wombat and koalas, with photo opportunities for an additional cost. Neither are worth an independent visit however they’re next door to each other and could be done in conjunction with visiting the Kurunda sky rail/scenic rail.
Dreamworld has a handful of species you can read about here, but is primarily a theme park (could add some variety to your holiday): Wildlife | Dreamworld
Taronga Western Plains Zoo is too far to make an independent drive in my opinion unless you were passing through.
I've decided to remove Dreamworld from the list because, although it has several interesting species, they're all present elsewhere on the list.
I've also finally removed Taronga Western Plains Zoo: it's too far away, and almost all of the interesting species it houses can be seen elsewhere on the list. In fact, its only unique species was a giant tortoise, which is obviously not native to Australia and therefore of less interest to me in this trip.
For the time being, I'm going to keep the Kuranda parks because I think they're so close together that they're a feasible visit, along with Rainforestation Nature Park (where I'm only really interested in the Lumholtz tree kangaroo, although I may remove it if you recommend seeing it in another park on the list that doesn't involve too much travel) and, of course, the Kuranda Scenic Railway. The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation, Cairns Aquarium, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, and Wildlife Habitat are also in the area, more or less. I've seen that Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation is accessible, but you have to book. I honestly don't know much about Hartley's Crocodile Adventures and Wildlife Habitat, although they could be interesting, and I'd appreciate any information. Tolga Bat Hospital is a little further away, but I don't know if it's worth the hour-plus drive since I can already go to Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation and see the same things at both. Overall, it's an area with many parks; none of them seem large, so they wouldn't take up much time, and I could even see several in a single day since they're so close together. The area also looks spectacular, very beautiful. As always, I appreciate any advice and help.
I've also finally removed Taronga Western Plains Zoo: it's too far away, and almost all of the interesting species it houses can be seen elsewhere on the list. In fact, its only unique species was a giant tortoise, which is obviously not native to Australia and therefore of less interest to me in this trip.
For the time being, I'm going to keep the Kuranda parks because I think they're so close together that they're a feasible visit, along with Rainforestation Nature Park (where I'm only really interested in the Lumholtz tree kangaroo, although I may remove it if you recommend seeing it in another park on the list that doesn't involve too much travel) and, of course, the Kuranda Scenic Railway. The Australian Butterfly Sanctuary, Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation, Cairns Aquarium, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures, and Wildlife Habitat are also in the area, more or less. I've seen that Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation is accessible, but you have to book. I honestly don't know much about Hartley's Crocodile Adventures and Wildlife Habitat, although they could be interesting, and I'd appreciate any information. Tolga Bat Hospital is a little further away, but I don't know if it's worth the hour-plus drive since I can already go to Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation and see the same things at both. Overall, it's an area with many parks; none of them seem large, so they wouldn't take up much time, and I could even see several in a single day since they're so close together. The area also looks spectacular, very beautiful. As always, I appreciate any advice and help.
Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroos are at Billabong Sanctuary, Billabong Zoo, Currumbin Sanctuary, David Fleay Wildlife Park, Dreamworld, Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary, Oakvale Wildlife Park, Rainforestation Nature Park, Snakes Downunder, Walkabout Creek Discovery Centre, Wildlife Habitat, Wildlife HQ.
I know, but I've already eliminated some of those places from the list, and probably several more will soon. In fact, Rainforestation Nature Park is a strong candidate for elimination if I can visit any of those other places, because from there I'm only interested in Lumholtz's Tree Kangaroos. The main reason I haven't done it yet is that it seems like it's safe to see it there, so I'm asking if it's easy to see it in other places on the list, beyond having it.