Mansfield Zoo — Attraction in Mansfield

Unusual encounter in the High Country! Meet the aging lions, meerkats, bison, monkeys etc plus friendly deers, peacocks & other critters that roam free within the wide expanse of fenced off premises.

Entry prices are very reasonable for the variety you find here. It is all very open & casual - the long, beaut tree tunnel avenue with water buffaloes, bison & horses roaming on either side of fenced paddocks gives a bit of a thrill of what awaits here.

Kitsch & rather whimsical safari park of the unusual kind...The backdrop of Mt Buller & Mt Stirling plus the surrounding distant ranges gives this zoo a mystic, other worldly charm. Interesting wrought metal sculptures scattered around adds interest & a Melb Tram greets you on entry! Parking is rather limited but I guess the long driveway is the overflow car park.

Two hours (at least) to hike around the large expanse, from one enclosure to the next all the while amused & entertained by the antics of the animals. Buy special feed for $3 to hand or spade feed some - a map of layout, species & what you can feed is listed & will be handed on purchase of entry tix. I opted out of feed & found that the critters were expecting it! 😁😁 Baleful glares from the Emus, Donkeys & Deers - how dare you two legged critter cheat us!! Followed around in anticipation by this cutesy trio of spotted deers... Next visit I shall not disappoint - promise!

As for "just for the kids" typecast - get outta here!! I had an absolute ball...Watched up close the white lion getting a dental inspection, the mane wolf coaxed out of its den, monkeys interacting with keeper & every enjoyment that watching animal antics bestow. Weekday visit was so serene with only a few other visitors & my lucky timing coincided with an official inspection of the animals. Check website for other details & feeding time. Ice-creams, drinks, snacks & limited packed food is available at the small entry area cum gift shop.

Without the funding of city zoos - I am impressed with the animal variety & care. Talk to the friendly staff & clear any concerns about animal welfare you may have. Signage & info could be updated.

Gumboots are freely available if ground is wet & muddy - near the toilets. There is limited covered picnic & bbq area. High country has been a dry, parched country for a while now - so now (visited 21/5/25) is a great time to visit. Cooler weather, less buzzing beasties & with so much of manure (poop) everywhere, probably kinder scentwise too.. Pretty exposed, undulating terrain to traverse - so not sure about wheelchair or pram/stroller friendly.

Will definitely visit again & put the word out there. This zoo has been here since 2000 & yet few Melb city folks who have visited Mansfield know about it... It is such a click worthy, picturesque setting that the zoo should entice visitors with "paint...

I have been to many zoos & wildlife parks around Australia but I have never wanted to leave due to pure discomfort and sadness because of them until we went here. When arriving we were greeted by a lady who didn't even give us a map as we were 'adults' and didn't need one, we were told to just walk around and we'd figure it out. This wasn't helpful as we didn't know where anything was nor if we'd seen everything. Once entering the zoo we were shocked to see the state of the enclosures. They were messy, dirty and needed a lot of work. The signs hung on the enclosures were rusty and impossible to read. The monkey enclosure was dangerous due to the edge of the tin roof of their housing (where they're able to climb) was accessible and not covered which caused them to cut/injure themselves. There were male deer walking around the zoo freely whilst in their mating season which could pose a threat to customers & small children, having a deer pen myself I am aware of the aggression & damage they can do at this time of year so I found that very dangerous. There were also many animals that looked injured or unwell whilst visiting which saddened both myself and my partner, we'd never wanted to leave a zoo as fast as we did when we visited here. The entry to the zoo also was very much like a junk yard and was not inviting nor looked like a zoo at all. If you're wanting to see healthy & happy animals in a zoo do not go here, extremely...

I'm from the city of Melbourne so I was happy to see the variety of deer in large grazing pastures and others free roaming, all looked beautiful and were not shy or skittish, they were very peaceful and many came up to us and welcomed a gentle pat while hand-fed long grass. The emus and camels cheerfully trotted over to greet us, they were very curious investigating our accessories (umbrella, hat, watch, buttons). It was special to experience animals voluntarily come to greet us (except those enjoying an afternoon nap) because they weren't forced to be "on show", they were content just fossicking around or resting in our company unfazed. To see how trusting the animals were is a real credit to this zoo, perhaps because it is a privately owned smaller zoo it isn't hectic and overwhelming for the animals so they feel safer and enjoy human interaction. It was nice not to have to rush around to make sure we saw everything, we were able to relax and actually enjoy it (within a few hours). We watched the lion and meerkat feeding on Saturday around 1:30pm (26/02/22). The presenters were extremely knowledgeable about these animals, why they aren't permitted to breed, and the dedication that goes into providing the habitat (the White Lions went extinct in the wild). Highly recommend a visit and support the...