Melbourne Zoo
Melbourne Zoo things to do, attractions, restaurants, events info and trip planning
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Visited during Sept 2024 school holidays. With Family and Friends There were No crowds all day!! Started at the railway entrance at 9am. Ample Parking which I recommend paying through the pay station before you go into the zoo. However I used Easy Park a bit messy, but I got there in the end. I'm a member, so entry was free and no wait, But other members of our party got there early and were only in line for less than @5 mins. We took a path up the left side of the Map saw loads of Animals. Its the absolute best to go on an overcast day. Most of the animals were moving around. And the crowd load was low through threat of rain. Our only disappointment was there was only 1 penguin but this was more than made up for by the cheeky seals doing tricks under water. We had our lunch at 12:30 No problems finding a table. Food was very expensive though. Allocate @$30 per person. Only one vendor took Cash A chicken Burger with no warning that it had Spice on it, a small watermelon cup and a drink cost @$30. $12 for a plain sandwich, not many to choose from. $29 for a Gluten free salad. Most of us had packed lunches, drinks and snacks. Knowing the zoo has a monopoly on the food prices. After lunch we did the top section. Loved the Meerkats, then swung over to the right side of the Map. Was thrilled by the activity of the Otters and in the Butterfly enclosure. We Snuck back to the reptile house and only missed a few out of the way animals, Siamangs over on the top left of the map, Giant tortoises, Japanese Gardens, Australian animals, Nayalas and Peccaries. International visitors might like to do our itinerary in reverse and see the Australian Animals first! After a quick trip through the Magical Souvenirs shop we departed after a wonderfully Full and Fun day out. I highly recommend this. Bring your own food, esky on a trolley (what we did) or ... We saw a few times... Beach Carts!! Carting kids and esky all in one!! Great idea!!
Helen SpillaneHelen Spillane
00
I've come to love Melbourne Zoo after being a member for a year. I'll start with the literal elephant in the room - there's always a hint of sadness to see animals in any type of enclosure, particularly the likes of the tigers. But Zoos Victoria are doing great things for conservation, and the former orangutan cage is a reminder of how things have improved - and hopefully how they'll continue to improve in future. The elephants, by the way, will soon be going to Werribee, which I think is a fantastic move. Some of my family's favourite things to see are the meerkats (that whole area is so well designed for kids), everything in Wild Sea (the seals and penguins are often out of view but so be it), and the reptiles, gorillas, giraffes and lions. The zoo can be a hectic and even unpleasant place in the school holidays or when there's school excursions (especially the sweary older kids), but we've still enjoyed lots of peaceful experiences with the zoo animals over the last year. The staff members, including in the shops, have also invariably been lovely and good with kids - some have been extremely lovely. Parking has usually been no problem on weekdays, and it's easy to pay using the EasyPark app. The only parking trouble we had was on one busy day in the school holidays, when even the overflow parking areas were getting full and communication wasn't great. Royal Park station has also been very convenient when we've caught the train - just keep an eye on the PTV app to avoid a wait of up to 20 minutes for the next train to the city, and allow up to 5 minutes to walk from the zoo exit to the station. I'd highly recommend becoming a member if you might visit any of the zoos (Victorian and some interstate) three times or more in a year. I've also been to a couple of corporate functions at Melbourne Zoo this year and they were nicely done.
Paul RichardsPaul Richards
00
New to Victoria, so we bought some zoo memberships ahead of time as it was honestly extremely reasonably priced, and we are stoked we can try to come as often as possible + a few other sanctuaries too. We arrived at 9:15am and left by 2pm a solid time to look around with our daughter. The first hour we spent wondering if there were any animals in the zoo at all, we saw more staff gardening than animals. It was becoming a cross off the map of what we visited but couldn’t see. Platypus no where to be seen, otters no where to be seen, lions not in their enclosure but in cages out the back, large tortoise missing in action, elephants took like 3 hours to leave the barn to the exhibit, the seal unless you go to the show is a bit disappointing, occasionally you see one come up to the surface, shame there isn’t an underground part to see him/her swimming around, we saw 1 penguin in the water, I realise it’s a zoo and animals could be sleeping, and I appreciate the animals getting their daily checkups etc. Was extremely packed for a cold Monday, never seen so many school kids, I tend to agree with a few comments below, none of the animals looked overly happy to be there, I hope today was just an off day in general, and hope to change my review to a better score. The highlight was the butterfly house, a warm place to get out of the cold, and so many unique butterflies and lots of smiles from people in there. Also we wanted to buy coffee beans in support of the zoo, but honestly it had to be one of the worst coffees I’ve ever tried. Please get a better coffee roaster collaboration.
Andrew HancockAndrew Hancock
00
Our recent visit to Melbourne Zoo was an unforgettable experience. The zoo is exceptionally well-organized, making it easy to navigate through the diverse exhibits. From the playful meerkats to the majestic giant tortoises, the variety of animals is impressive. The aviaries are a paradise for bird lovers, showcasing a colorful array of species, while the butterfly house is a serene escape, fluttering with beauty. The big cats, including lions and tigers, exude a regal presence, and the gorillas remind us of our connection to nature. Australian natives like kangaroos are always a delight, and the elephants never fail to amaze their gentle giants. The reptile section offers a glimpse into a different world, and the sea world section is a dive into the aquatic wonders. A special mention must go to the Dino World section – it’s a roaring success, providing an immersive dinosaur experience that’s both educational and entertaining. It’s a hit with the kids and adults alike! I highly recommend arriving at opening time and booking tickets in advance to make the most of your visit. With ample parking and reasonable prices, Melbourne Zoo offers great value. It’s a fantastic outing for families, truly a treasure trove for children’s curiosity and fun. I hope this review captures the essence of your visit! 🦁🦋🦕
Sampath RajapakshaSampath Rajapaksha
10
Melbourne Zoo is a good zoo but not the best. The zoo is composed of several different parts: aquatic area, reptile, etc etc Depending on the place, the paths to walk are sometimes small for the present world and so we are crowded. The zoo has many different species, but not enough local species. Australia is a country that has itself, has a lot of unique faunas and flowers, which is not found in any other place in the world. And despite this, the zoo has too many "common" species that can be found everywhere (zebra, giraffe, elephant, crocodile, etc). There are not many species typical of Australia, which is very unfortunate. The butterfly greenhouse, on the other hand, is really nice and very relaxing, where you can admire hundreds of different butterflies, all very beautiful, that you can approach easily, and if you are lucky, some will land on you. In France, for example, we have the Beauval Zoo, which is one of the largest zoo in the world, which has species from around the world, with over 35,000 different species. This one is perfect, and incomparable. But overall, the zoo is nice, nice to spend an afternoon, or a day with the family, where the children will enjoy admiring the animals.
maxence ricardmaxence ricard
00
Strikes a very good balance between conservation and entertainment. The zoo is within walking distance of the CBD, and it's an enjoyable walk through the suburbs. It's also well served via the tram network. Very friendly staff and well laid out with a tremendous amount to see. It's a great day out for old and young, with plenty of toilets and places to eat and drink. I visited out of season and on a weekday (Monday, July), so it was busy, but far from crowded). Modern zoos have a difficult tightrope to balance between entertainment and conservation and Melbourne's Zoo does this well. It's great to see animals being well cared for and mostly happy in their confinement, including a couple of baby elephants. The large aviaries are excellent to walk through, yet no so spacious that you end up having to play hunt-the-animal in the enclosures. No zoo will ever be perfect, but this one must be high up on the list of good ones, and ones doing their best to make a difference in terms of education and values in conservation. The butterfly house is a must visit - tranquil, fragile beauty abounds.
Ian JordanIan Jordan
10
Nearby Attractions Of Melbourne Zoo
Princes Park
Zoos Victoria Head Office
Ikon Park
Australian Native Garden
Royal Park
Manningham Reserve
Princes Park
4.6
(551)Click for details
Zoos Victoria Head Office
4.5
(201)Click for details
Ikon Park
4.4
(107)Click for details
Australian Native Garden
4.6
(72)Click for details
Nearby Restaurants Of Melbourne Zoo
MOJA DUCK CHINESE RESTAURANT & BAR( Parkmore Hotel)
Parkside
STREAT Parkville Cafe
Lakeside Cafe
Zouki Cafeteria
Macaw Takeaway
MOJA DUCK CHINESE RESTAURANT & BAR( Parkmore Hotel)
4.4
(162)Click for details
Parkside
4.2
(126)Click for details
STREAT Parkville Cafe
4.7
(40)Click for details
Lakeside Cafe
3.5
(84)Click for details
Learn more insights from Wanderboat AIBasic Info
Address
Elliott Ave, Parkville VIC 3052, Australia
Map
Phone
+61 1300 966 784
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Website
zoo.org.au
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Reviews
Overview
4.3
(2.7K reviews)
Ratings & Description
cultural
outdoor
family friendly
accessibility
Description
Melbourne Zoo is a zoo in Melbourne, Australia. It is located within Royal Park in Parkville, approximately 4 kilometres north of the centre of Melbourne. It is the primary zoo serving Melbourne. As of 2021 the zoo contains 3742 animals comprising 243 species, from Australia and around the world.
attractions: Princes Park, Zoos Victoria Head Office, Ikon Park, Australian Native Garden, Royal Park, Manningham Reserve, restaurants: MOJA DUCK CHINESE RESTAURANT & BAR( Parkmore Hotel), Parkside, STREAT Parkville Cafe, Lakeside Cafe, Zouki Cafeteria, Macaw Takeaway
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