Top Zoos in Victoria, Australia for Family Fun

Want to keep the kids entertained when you’re in Melbourne? You can visit these Zoos in Victoria. Whether you have a day free or just an afternoon or morning, you’ll find one of these Zoos in Victoria for you.

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All prices and times were accurate when this information was written or updated; however, please verify the details on the websites before your visit.

Zoos in Victoria

The following Zoos in Victoria, apart from Ballarat Wildlife Park and SeaLife Aquarium Melbourne, have reciprocal rights.

If you plan to visit Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Safari Park, Healesville Sanctuary, and Kyabram Fauna Park during your stay, or make repeat visits within 12 months, consider purchasing a Membership Pass to save money. See Membership Benefits below for more information.

Melbourne Zoo

Melbourne Zoo is Australia’s oldest Zoo, having opened on 6 October 1862, and it’s still on the same 55-hectare piece of land after 161 years.

This zoo is well-organised and easy to navigate around the exhibits. Take a walk through the Lemur enclosure where they roam freely alongside you, or walk up on elevated walkways to get a closer look at Koalas and Monkeys.

Open the Zoo Map to help plan your day.

All Australian and New Zealand Zoos have conservation programs, helping to keep animals like the Sumatran Tiger alive for future generations.

Melbourne Zoo has a great breeding program, so you may see baby animals that will delight all ages.

Keeper Talks

Times for the Keeper Talks can be found by clicking on the link. From here, you can plan your time at Melbourne Zoo and see animals more active, as well as learn more about them in their natural habitat.

Animal Experiences

There are many types of Animal Experiences that you can take part in at Melbourne Zoo. From Walking Tours to Going Behind the Scenes or Spending the Night, there’s something for everyone.

The money charged for these experiences helps ensure that animal conservation continues for many years in all Australian and New Zealand Zoos.

Times and Prices

Melbourne Zoo is open every day of the year, 9 am – 5 pm.

Everyone should book online, unless they have a membership, which is scanned at the gate, allowing them to avoid the queues.

Membership Benefits

Membership offers benefits such as unlimited entry for 12 months to the following three zoos featured in my blog, as well as Taronga Zoo and Western Plains Zoo in NSW, Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Zoo in South Australia, and Perth Zoo in Western Australia. It is a great option for travellers spending the year travelling around the country.

Other benefits include free admission for children under 16 accompanied by an adult ticket, exclusive offers, and invitations to special events, among others. For more information, please visit their website.

How to Get Here

Public transport is the easiest way to get to Melbourne Zoo.

By Tram:

With Stop 26 right outside Melbourne Zoo, you need Route 58 between West Coburg and Toorak. It runs via William Street in the city centre every day, with services as often as every 6 minutes.:

By Train:

Once again, you have Royal Park Station across the road from Melbourne Zoo. Trains run from Flinders Street Station on the Upfield line every day. You can also use the V/Line trains from Regional Victoria.

By Bus:

Again, the Bus Stop is outside Melbourne Zoo. Take the Bus Route 505 from Moonee Ponds to Melbourne University.

By Car:

Melbourne Zoo is located at Elliott Avenue, Parkville, only a 15-minute drive from the city centre.

There is a reasonably large car park that charges $2 for a five-hour ticket.  Pay for parking from your phone by downloading the EasyPark App from the App Store or Google Play. It saves you from queuing up and gives you more time with the animals.

Werribee Open Range Zoo

Werribee Open Range Zoo is another Zoo that features a diverse array of animals in a compact area, with a particular focus on African wildlife. As the name suggests, it is a big open area for the animals, and although you can’t drive through the parkland, you are taken on a Safari Bus to see them roaming across the Savannah.

Check out the links to plan your day, as well as using the Zoo Map.

Keeper Talks

Koalas, Wallabies, Vervet Monkeys and hippos are the animals you’ll learn about on the Keeper Talks.

Animal Experiences

Get up close to African animals by taking these Animal Encounters. Hippo, African Wild Dog, Cheetah, Meerkat and Giraffe with an Australian Experience, Ranger Mystery Tour and Early Morning Savannah Experience.

There are also Special Experiences that you can enjoy, or why not stay for the Night, to get even more out of your time at Werribee Open Range Zoo.

Times and Prices

Werribee Open Range Zoo is open every day of the year, 9 am – 5 pm. Last entry is 3.30 pm.

Everyone needs to book online to get their tickets.

If you have purchased a membership through Melbourne Zoo, you can enter for free. You can find more information on memberships from Melbourne Zoo Membership Benefits.

How to Get Here

Werribee Open Range Zoo is located at K Road, Werribee South, a 30-minute drive from Melbourne City Centre.

By Bus and Train:

• From Melbourne

Catch a train from the Melbourne CBD to Werribee station, then catch the Bus 439 Werribee South to the Zoo.

• From Geelong

Catch a train from Geelong to Wyndham Vale station, then catch the Bus 190 from Werribee Station to Werribee Station. From Werribee Station, catch Bus 439 Werribee South to the Zoo.

Healesville Sanctuary

You should visit Healesville Sanctuary if you want to see Koalas up close. You can find only native animals here, scattered throughout the many walks, including one where you can learn about Aboriginal history and culture.

This is a great little park to learn everything you need to know about Australia’s animals, especially Koalas, everyone’s favourite.

You can also enjoy shows here that teach you about Australian Birds in the Spirits of the Sky Show and Wominjeka – Indigenous Cultural Experiences with Murrumdindi, where you can learn all about Aboriginal culture, stories and more. Click on the links to find more information.

Keeper Talks

Keeper Talks take place throughout the day, from the Emus at 10:45 am to the Lyrebirds at 3:30 pm.

Once again, check out the link to plan your day around these talks, where you cannot only learn about the animals but also see them at their most active.

Animal Experiences

Get up close with Platypus, Kangaroo, Koalas and Dingos through Animal Encounters. For more information, click the link.

Times and Prices

Healesville Sanctuary is open daily from 9 am to 5 pm, every day of the year.

You can buy your tickets online here or find information on prices.

If you have purchased a membership through Melbourne Zoo, you can enter for free. You can find more information on memberships from Melbourne Zoo Membership Benefits.

How to Get Here

By Car:

The easiest way to get to Healesville Sanctuary is by car. It’s located at Glen Eadie Avenue, Healesville, a 1-hour drive from Melbourne City Centre.

By Train and Bus:

Catch the train to Lilydale from Melbourne. From Lilydale station, you need to catch bus 685 to Healesville. Then a connecting bus (686 towards Badger Creek) will take you to Healesville Sanctuary. Click on the PVT link to find times.

Kyabram Fauna Park

Kyabram Fauna Park is the furthest of the Melbourne Zoo Membership zoos, but it’s only two and a half hours north of Melbourne.

I have never visited this Fauna Park, but the next time I’m over that way, I will. If you are interested in seeing more native animals than exotic ones, this is the park for you.

Opened in 1976 with a few Kangaroos and Emus, it now has over 600 animals for you to visit. You can also walk through the Kangaroo enclosure and hand-feed them.

You can use the online Zoo Map to help you plan your day at the Park.

Keeper Talks

Keeper Talks are on weekends and School Holidays only. It is a Reptile Show, which takes place twice daily at 11:30 am and 2:30 pm.

Animal Experiences

If you would like an Animal Experience, getting up close with a Koala or feeding a Cassowary, then click on Animal Experiences for more information.

Times and Prices

Kyabram Fauna Park is open every day of the year, from 10 am to 5 pm, except on Christmas Day, when it’s closed.

You can find the Kyabram Fauna Park prices here, which can be purchased at the gate.

If you have purchased a membership through Melbourne Zoo, you can enter for free. You can find more information on memberships from Melbourne Zoo Membership Benefits.

How to Get Here

Kyabram Fauna Park is located at 75 Lake Road, Kyabram. It’s a one-minute drive from central Kyabram, a 35-minute drive from Echuca and Shepparton and just under one hour to drive from Bendigo. If you’re driving up from Melbourne, it’s 2 hours and 30 minutes.

SeaLife Aquarium Melbourne

Now that you’ve seen mostly land-dwelling animals, look at what lies beneath at SeaLife Aquarium Melbourne.

From Rainforest critters to the deep ocean, you will learn about all the animals that depend on our waters to survive.

Unfortunately, the Oceanarium, where the Sharks and Rays are, is undergoing renovations this year and isn’t due to reopen until December 2023. Lucky for you, there is still so much more to see here.

Come face-to-face with one of Australia’s largest captive Crocodiles. At over 5 metres and 750kg, 55-year-old Pinjarra is a sight to behold.

Click on the Map to help plan your day exploring the deep.

Keeper Talks

Check this link for Keeper Talks times. If you want to see the Crocodiles being fed, that’s once a week on a Thursday.

Animal Experiences

Are you interested in Jellyfish? Then try one of these Jellyfish Experiences.

Times and Prices

For opening times, please check their website, as hours vary depending on the day. It’s usually 10 am – 5 pm on weekdays, unless it’s Victorian School Holidays, in which case it’s the same as weekends, 9:30 am – 5 pm.

Bookings must be made online. Here you’ll find tickets for the Aquarium and Combination Passes.

How to Get Here

SeaLife Melbourne is located on the corner of Flinders Street and King Street, Melbourne City, opposite the Crown Casino.

There is no parking on-site, but public car parks are available nearby.

Public Transport

By far the easiest way to get to the Sea Life Melbourne Aquarium is by train into the City and then walking or catching a Tram.

The free City Circle Tram has Stop 2 right outside the Aquarium.

Ballarat Wildlife Park

Ballarat Wildlife Park is another small park in the regional town of Ballarat with native wildlife and more.

Although it will only take about 2-3 hours to go around the Ballarat Wildlife Park, there is still plenty to see and learn about here, especially if you don’t know anything about Australian animals.

See Venomous Snakes safely behind glass, Kangaroos, Koalas and more. Bring a picnic or dine at the Cafe, or consider hosting a birthday party here if your child is under 12 years old.

There are also the ever-present Meerkats, Kai the Sumatran-Siberian Tiger and Crocodiles to see.

Keeper Talks

Weekdays

• Noon Meerkat presentation
• 12.30 pm Penguin Presentation
• 1.30 pm Dingo Walk/Talk
• 2.00 pm Reptile Presentation
• 2.30 pm Tiger Presentation
• 3.30 pm Tasmanian Devil Presentation

Weekends/holidays

• Noon Meerkat Presentation
• 12.30 pm Penguin Presentation
• 1.30 pm Dingo Walk/Talk
• 2.00 pm Reptile Presentation
• 2.30 pm Tiger Presentation
• 3.00 pm Crocodilian Presentation
• 3.30 pm Tasmanian Devil Presentation

Check here to see if times have changed.

Animal Experiences

Have you ever wanted to hold a Snake? Pat a Wombat? or feed a Giant Tortoise? Well, your dream may come true here, and you get a photo of your Animal Experience to remember it by.

Children aged 6-15 who have always wanted to be a Zookeeper can sign up for the 3-hour Junior Keeper Program. Not only will they learn about the animals, but they will also help prepare their food and clean up after them—an excellent experience for any kid.

Times and Prices

Ballarat Wildlife Park is open every day from 9:00 am to 5:00 pm, except on Christmas Day, when it’s closed.

You can pay at either the gate or online, which is cheaper than at the gate.

How to Get Here

You’ll find Ballarat Wildlife Park on Fussell Street, Ballarat, where there is plenty of parking for your car.

If you need public transport, click on the link to plan your trip using PTV (Public Transport Victoria).

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Links

If you’d like to read more of my blogs about Australia, you can find them at the following links: Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Camping and Silo Art. Alternatively, if you’re interested in New Zealand, the United Kingdom, or Photography, you can click on their respective links.

Travel Resources

• Flights & Accommodation—You can search for the cheapest flights and accommodation using Booking.com, Tripadvisor, and WayAway, which offers 5% cashback.
• Car Hire—In Australia, you can use Apex Car Rentals Australia, Budget Car Rentals Australia, or Avis Car Rentals Australia.
• Camper & RV Rentals—Want a quieter pace exploring Australia and New Zealand in your own accommodation? Jucy Rentals and Star RV Rentals will give you an unforgettable travelling experience.
• Train & Bus Tickets UK & Europe—Use Trainline to plan and book your rail and bus travel in the UK and Europe.
• Travel Insurance is the number one thing to pack when you’re travelling. Cover-More Australia, Cover-More New Zealand, EKTA, Travel Insurance Master, and Insubuy provide insurance coverage during your travels.
• Attractions—buy before you leave home with these great sites: Big Bus Tour, Get Your Guide, GoCity and Viator.
• Visa Applications—apply online for your visa requirements with iVisa.
• SIM cards—Try Airalo, the world’s first eSIM store, which solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving travellers access to eSIMs (digital SIM cards).
• Power Stations—Bluetti Australia and EcoFlow Australia Power Stations are your choices for sustainable, eco-friendly power on the go or at home.

• If you’re interested in learning more, try my Travel Links and Resources page.

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