6 Terrific Zoos in Victoria, Australia

Want to keep the kids entertained when you’re in Melbourne? You can by visiting 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 correct when this was written or updated, but please check the websites when you wish to visit.

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Zoos in Victoria

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

If you’re planning on visiting Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Safari Park, Healesville Sanctuary and Kyabram Fauna Park during your stay, or repeat visits within 12 months, then you should get a Membership Pass to save you 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.

Melbourne Zoo is well laid out and is easy to walk 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, keeping 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 on 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 to Spending the Night, there’s something for everyone.

The money charged for these experiences goes back to ensuring that animal conservation continues for many years in all Australian and New Zealand Zoos.

Times and Prices

Melbourne Zoo is open every day 9 am – 5 pm.

Everyone should book online unless they have a membership, which is scanned at the gate and you can miss the queues.

Membership Benefits

Membership gives you benefits like unlimited entry for 12 months to the following three zoos 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 are kids under 16 are free on an adult ticket, you get offers and invitations to events and more. Just click on their website for more information.

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 has a lot of animals in a small area for you to see, especially African animals. As the name suggests, is it 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 Hippo 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 and 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.

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 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 dotted around the many walks including a walk 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 favourites.

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 happen throughout the day from the Emus at 10.45 am to the Lyrebirds at 3.30 pm.

Once again, check out the link so you can plan your day around these talks where you don’t 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. You can find more information by clicking on the link.

Times and Prices

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

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 is on 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 10 am – 5 pm except Christmas Day when it’s closed.

You can find the Kyabram Fauna Park prices here, which you can purchase 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 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, Keeper Talks for 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 check their website as times differ depending on the day. It’s usually 10 am – 5 pm on weekdays unless it’s Victorian School Holidays, then it’s the same as weekends 9.30 – 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 there are public car parks nearby.

Public Transport

By far the easiest way to get to Sealife 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 eat at the Cafe or if your child is under 12 years old, hold a birthday party here.

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.

Kids 6-15 years old that 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 help prepare their food and clean up after them. A great experience for any kid.

Times and Prices

Ballarat Wildlife Park is open every day 9 am – 5 pm except Christmas Day when it’s closed.

You can pay at either the gate or online which are cheaper than 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 on Australia, you can find them on the following links; Queensland, South Australia, New South Wales, Victoria, Camping and Silo Art, or if you’re after New Zealand, the United Kingdom or Photography, you can click on their links.

Travel Resources

• Flights & Accommodation – You can search for the cheapest flights and accommodation using Booking.com, Skyscanner, Tripadvisor and WayAway, which has 5% cashback.
• Car Hire – Take to the open road with great deals from EconomyBookings.com, RentalCars.com and DiscoverCars.
• Train & Bus Tickets UK & Europe – Use Trainline to plan and book your rail and train travel in the UK and Europe.
• Travel Insurance – is your number one thing to pack when you’re travelling. Cover-More Australia, Cover-More New Zealand, EKTA, Travel Insurance Master and Insubuy are invaluable in keeping you insured during your travels.
• Attractions – buy before you leave home with these great sites, Big Bus Tour, Get Your Guide, GoCity and Viator.
• House Sitting – is a great way to save on accommodation and Trusted Housesitters has house sits all around the world for you to try.
• Photo Editing – is a great way to bring your photos to life and you can try Luminar Neo, which I use.
• Visa Applications – apply online for your visa requirements with iVisa.
• Sim cards – Try Airalo is the world’s first eSIM store that solves the pain of high roaming bills by giving travellers access to eSIMs (digital SIM cards).

If you want more, try my Travel Links and Resource page.

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