Australia 2026

aramacao said:
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.
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Taronga Western Plains Zoo also holds Persian onager and is the only zoo in the region to do so. I note there’s only 12 holders throughout all of Europe, but I’m not sure if this would be a species that interests you. Either way, it’s not worth the drive in my opinion and given their age of their two males, I don’t doubt every day their keepers spend with them is a blessing.

Taronga Western Plains Zoo is one of three holders of Galapagos giant tortoise in the region. The Australian Reptile Park and Perth Zoo also hold them. However, the best place to see them in the region is Auckland Zoo when you visit New Zealand. They have a crèche of juveniles you can see alongside the adults.
 
For me, it's definitely not worth the trip: I've already seen onagers in several European zoos (9 in total), and the tortoise I was interested in, the Sierra Negra giant tortoise (Chelonoidis niger guntheri), was, at least theoretically, seen and photographed in San Diego (I should check the photos, but I think it's possible).

The truth is, thanks to your help, I've narrowed down the list a lot. I'll soon publish the lists of animals I'm interested in from each place still on the list to help me narrow it down even further. My questions are mostly directed toward secondary parks, which can take up a lot of my time, and for which the species lists on Zootierliste are incomplete or simply nonexistent. Furthermore, their websites are often not very good and may not give a real idea of what the places are like and whether they're worth the visit, at least not for a zoonerd.
 
aramacao said:
Hello everyone:

Although there's still almost a year to go, I'm already starting the initial research for what will surely be my next big trip: this one to Australia and New Zealand. I'm planning three weeks in Australia and two in New Zealand, giving priority to zoos, aquariums, sanctuaries, nature reserves, and, in short, all the places where I can observe the wonderful wildlife of these countries. I'll talk about New Zealand in the corresponding section, but here I'll just talk about Australia.

My initial idea was to take a trip across the entire eastern part of the country, by car or campervan, roughly from Melbourne to Cairns. However, since New Zealand is included in the trip, this option is impossible; there simply isn't time. Therefore, I have to limit the places I'll visit and I have to discuss this with my girlfriend. However, prior to this decision, I had already prepared a list of intersting places with animals to visit in East Australia. I'll share that list below:

- Mt Rothwell Biodiversity Interpretation Centre
- Werribee Open Range Zoo
- Melbourne Zoo
- Melbourne museum
- SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium
- Healesville Sanctuary (Zoos Victoria)
- Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park
- The Funky Farm
- Phillip Island Wildlife Park
- Koala Conservation Reserve
- Merimbula Aquarium & Wharf Restaurant
- Potoroo Palace
- National Zoo & Aquarium
- Canberra Walk-In Aviary
- Symbio Wildlife Park
- Sydney Zoo
- SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
- Taronga Zoo
- WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo
- Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park
- Taronga Western Plains Zoo
- Walkabout Wildlife Sanctuary
- Australian Reptile Park
- Blackbutt Reserve Wildlife Exhibit
- Hunter Valley Wildlife Park
- Oakvale Wildlife Park
- Billabong Zoo Koala & Wildlife Park
- Coffs Coast Wildlife Sanctuary
- Solitary Islands Aquarium
- Byron Bay Wildlife Sanctuary
- 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
- Rockhampton Zoo
- BREDL'S WILDLIFE
- Billabong Sanctuary
- Tolga Bat Hospital
- JCU eduQuarium
- Rainforestation Nature Park
- Batreach Bat Rescue & Rehabilitation
- Birdworld Kuranda
- Kuranda Koala Gardens
- Hartley's Crocodile Adventures
- Wildlife Habitat
- Daintree Discovery Centre

Obviously, visiting them all is impossible, as I've already said. Doing so would take a lot of time, and it's clear that I'll be doing more than just seeing animals in Australia. Therefore, this list is only a first approximation of what's available in the region. In fact, I've already made lists of the species in each place, and I could cross several of them off the list based on them. However, I mainly got my information from Zootierliste, and I don't think it's really reliable in many places.From now on, I'll be reviewing the entire forum, with the threads about each place, to make a selection. I'll also rely on your responses, advice, and suggestions, which I would greatly appreciate.

I hope you can help me create a trip that is a true dream for me.
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If you will be in the eastern states in Australia then the best Zoos to visit are Werribee Open Range Zoo Melbourne
New South Whales Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo
And Queensland Wildlife Hq
 
aramacao said:
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.
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Currumbin Sanctuary or David Fleay Wildlife Park, both in Gold Coast and both with a range of other natives including species not found elsewhere.
 
Jaiden said:
If you will be in the eastern states in Australia then the best Zoos to visit are Werribee Open Range Zoo Melbourne
New South Whales Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo
And Queensland Wildlife Hq
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@aramacao has already ruled out Taronga Western Plains Zoo due to the distance and Werribee Open Range Zoo due to the lack of native species on display.
 
Jaiden said:
If you will be in the eastern states in Australia then the best Zoos to visit are Werribee Open Range Zoo Melbourne
New South Whales Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo
And Queensland Wildlife Hq
Click to expand...

Over the last few days, I've decided to eliminate Werribee Open Range Zoo and Taronga Western Plains Zoo because I think there are parks that are more interesting to me. I'll remind you that I live in Europe, and many exotic and rare species are common there in Australia, and I've also traveled to the USA and Japan, among other places. That's why on this trip I prefer to focus on native fauna, although I'm sure the zoos you recommended are magnificent. That's why I initially had them on my list.

I'd really appreciate it if you could give me more information about Wildlife Hq. Why do you recommend visiting it so much? What species do they keep to make it worthwhile?
Chlidonias said:
Currumbin Sanctuary or David Fleay Wildlife Park, both in Gold Coast and both with a range of other natives including species not found elsewhere.
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These two places are definitely on the list for now. Whether or not we visit them will basically depend on whether we can get to the Gold Coast, which I still don't know.
 
aramacao said:
These two places are definitely on the list for now. Whether or not we visit them will basically depend on whether we can get to the Gold Coast, which I still don't know.
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Looking at the list of facilities - if you can't go to Gold Coast perhaps your best bet is Oakvale which is about two hours by bus north of Sydney so it would be an easy day-trip if that species is important. I have never been there, but tree kangaroos aren't typically difficult to see where-ever they are kept.

How do I get to the park? | FAQ | Oakvale Wildlife
 
Chlidonias said:
Looking at the list of facilities - if you can't go to Gold Coast perhaps your best bet is Oakvale which is about two hours by bus north of Sydney so it would be an easy day-trip if that species is important. I have never been there, but tree kangaroos aren't typically difficult to see where-ever they are kept.

How do I get to the park? | FAQ | Oakvale Wildlife
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It's a good option. Even if I have time, I could go on the way to or from the Gold Coast, although I don't know if it's worth it if I can actually go to the Gold Coast.
 
Hey mate,

I'd recommend finding out what your girlfriend wants to see the most and then find out what natural areas or wildlife attractions are nearby. I imagine she's gonna want to do the the typical sites like Blue Mountains, Bondi Beach, Great Barrier Reef & the Whitsundays.

  • Do the three core facilities in Sydney (Taronga (great view of Sydney Harbour), Sealife & Wildlife World. With these three alone you'll see the vast majority of what Aussie zoos typically have.
  • Up in the Blue Mountains, staying in a place like Blackheath you will have plenty of trails where you can see wild lyrebird, glossy black cockatoo & satin bowerbird. Echidna are often seen too.
  • David Fleay is the place to go in Southeast Queensland and there's nice beaches near by. Brisbane Museum has a great collection of Australia fossils. If you have time check out Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary or drive up to O'Reily's in Lamington Nat'l Park for Albert's Lyrebird.
  • If you're driving up the coast from Brisbane, Tin Can Bay is great for wild Australian Humpback Dolphin. K'gari/Fraser Island is a good day trip too. Check out mammalwatching.com for all the wildlife possibilities. There are different species of rock wallaby across the various mountain ranges up the Queensland coast.
  • When in Cairns, take a trip up into the Atherton Tablelands for a plethora of wildlife and waterfalls. Carins Aquarium, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures & Port Douglas Wildlife Habitat are great facilities if you have the time. For cassowary, many of the trails in the Daintree Area or just around the town of Mission Beach are excellent to see them in the wild.
  • If you can squeeze in time in Melbourne - the Melbourne Museum and Healesville Sanctuary are must sees to find other native wildlife rare in Aussie zoos. Wild blue penguins & rakali (water rat) are found in St Kilda.
 
gerenuk said:
Hey mate,

I'd recommend finding out what your girlfriend wants to see the most and then find out what natural areas or wildlife attractions are nearby. I imagine she's gonna want to do the the typical sites like Blue Mountains, Bondi Beach, Great Barrier Reef & the Whitsundays.

  • Do the three core facilities in Sydney (Taronga (great view of Sydney Harbour), Sealife & Wildlife World. With these three alone you'll see the vast majority of what Aussie zoos typically have.
  • Up in the Blue Mountains, staying in a place like Blackheath you will have plenty of trails where you can see wild lyrebird, glossy black cockatoo & satin bowerbird. Echidna are often seen too.
  • David Fleay is the place to go in Southeast Queensland and there's nice beaches near by. Brisbane Museum has a great collection of Australia fossils. If you have time check out Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary or drive up to O'Reily's in Lamington Nat'l Park for Albert's Lyrebird.
  • If you're driving up the coast from Brisbane, Tin Can Bay is great for wild Australian Humpback Dolphin. K'gari/Fraser Island is a good day trip too. Check out mammalwatching.com for all the wildlife possibilities. There are different species of rock wallaby across the various mountain ranges up the Queensland coast.
  • When in Cairns, take a trip up into the Atherton Tablelands for a plethora of wildlife and waterfalls. Carins Aquarium, Hartley's Crocodile Adventures & Port Douglas Wildlife Habitat are great facilities if you have the time. For cassowary, many of the trails in the Daintree Area or just around the town of Mission Beach are excellent to see them in the wild.
  • If you can squeeze in time in Melbourne - the Melbourne Museum and Healesville Sanctuary are must sees to find other native wildlife rare in Aussie zoos. Wild blue penguins & rakali (water rat) are found in St Kilda.
Click to expand...

I really have to be honest and say that I haven't talked to her about what her wishes are yet. I just know that she wants to see fluffy animals hahaha

Obviously, I'm preparing an itinerary based on my interests. Then, I'll have to reach an agreement with her to see if I still have to sacrifice more places with animals or not (it's very, very possible that I will). In the end, I'm aware that by visiting Taronga and a couple of other sites, I'll see and photograph species that I'd never see otherwise in Europe. But obviously, the more, the better. It's just a matter of finding a balance.
 
aramacao said:
I really have to be honest and say that I haven't talked to her about what her wishes are yet. I just know that she wants to see fluffy animals hahaha

Obviously, I'm preparing an itinerary based on my interests. Then, I'll have to reach an agreement with her to see if I still have to sacrifice more places with animals or not (it's very, very possible that I will). In the end, I'm aware that by visiting Taronga and a couple of other sites, I'll see and photograph species that I'd never see otherwise in Europe. But obviously, the more, the better. It's just a matter of finding a balance.
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Lol, fair enough. Luckily its really easy to mix your site seeing and finding wildlife in Australia. I'd reckon you'll get more out of your trip if you skip Melbourne and try to fly out to Alice Springs. The zoo out there is amazing and will fill in the gaps of wildlife you're not going to see on the East Coast. Plus sign up for one of the day trips out to Uluru.
 
steveroberts said:
@aramacao

Taronga Western Plains Zoo and Werribee Open-Range Zoo are both very great zoos though and both definitely worth visiting.
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I don't doubt it, but since my priority is to see rare animals, these two parks don't offer things very different from other places on the list.

Chlidonias said:
Night tour at Moonlit Sanctuary! She will love that.
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When we were in the Galapagos, we loved the tours. I'm sure you'll like this, and at night it's very original.
gerenuk said:
Lol, fair enough. Luckily its really easy to mix your site seeing and finding wildlife in Australia. I'd reckon you'll get more out of your trip if you skip Melbourne and try to fly out to Alice Springs. The zoo out there is amazing and will fill in the gaps of wildlife you're not going to see on the East Coast. Plus sign up for one of the day trips out to Uluru.
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Uluru is a must-see in Australia. However, the country is vast, large enough for several trips, and I'm forced to make sacrifices. I think I'll stick with Melbourne because of its proximity, although I'd like to visit the central, northern, and eastern parts of the island someday. We ruled out Uluru a while ago. Also, a friend who sometimes travels to Australia because he has family there recommended I avoid Alice Springs because it's a dangerous city. Honestly, I was sad because the zoo has an impressive collection, and I'd love to visit it someday. But this time, it won't be possible.
 
Right now, there are a number of places that, while interesting, I think I'll have to eliminate because they're not close to the main points of the trip.

First, there's Kyabram Fauna Park (Zoos Victoria). North of Melbourne, it has many interesting and rare species, but it's too far away.

Second, there are the Canberra parks: Canberra Reptile Zoo and National Zoo & Aquarium. I don't know much about the former, and the latter has interesting species, but they're in the middle of nowhere.

Third, north of the Gold Coast, there are a number of places that I find very difficult to visit. If I already doubt I'll be able to go to the Gold Coast, these seem even more difficult. They are Snakes Downunder Reptile Park and Zoo and Alexandra Park Zoo. I don't know much about them.

Fourth, far from everything, between the Gold Coast and Cairns, would be Billabong Sanctuary. Interesting but far away.

And then, within each of the main destinations—Melbourne, Sydney, Cairns, and the Gold Coast—you'd have to choose what to see. I won't deny it, the chances are I'd have to eliminate the entire Gold Coast so I could have more peace of mind in the rest...
 
aramacao said:
Over the last few days, I've decided to eliminate Werribee Open Range Zoo and Taronga Western Plains Zoo because I think there are parks that are more interesting to me. I'll remind you that I live in Europe, and many exotic and rare species are common there in Australia, and I've also traveled to the USA and Japan, among other places. That's why on this trip I prefer to focus on native fauna, although I'm sure the zoos you recommended are magnificent. That's why I initially had them on my list.

I'd really appreciate it if you could give me more information about Wildlife Hq. Why do you recommend visiting it so much? What species do they keep to make it worthwhile?

These two places are definitely on the list for now. Whether or not we visit them will basically depend on whether we can get to the Gold Coast, which I still don't know.
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Alright then if you want to see native species go to Wildlife HQ in Queensland and Australia Zoo also in Queensland and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo in Sydney
 
Does SEA LIFE Melbourne still have flatback sea turtles (Natator depressus) on exhibit? Do any other Australian facilities currently have them? Zootierliste doesn't even have a listing for flatbacks, but I'm fairly certain the species is entirely absent from America and Europe.

Not sure how much OP is interested in them, but I'd say flatbacks are distinctive enough to merit a visit to SEA LIFE Melbourne if there are no other options.
 
SeaOtterHQ said:
Does SEA LIFE Melbourne still have flatback sea turtles (Natator depressus) on exhibit? Do any other Australian facilities currently have them? Zootierliste doesn't even have a listing for flatbacks, but I'm fairly certain the species is entirely absent from America and Europe.

Not sure how much OP is interested in them, but I'd say flatbacks are distinctive enough to merit a visit to SEA LIFE Melbourne if there are no other options.
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SEA LIFE Melbourne is a safe visit and it's on the list, don't worry.

Osedax said:
I think Alexandra Park Zoo has White-throated Snapping Turtles, which you probably won't be able to see anywhere else. It is free to enter, but it is also in Bundaberg, which is a bit of a way north of the Gold Coast.
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I know, it's one of the biggest draws here. It all depends on how much time I have.
 
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