Melbourne Zoo

Lovely environment, one of the best zoos I’ve visited in the world.
The animals are kept in spacious (for being a city zoo) enclosures and sometimes mixed with other species for a more natural feel.
The paths are well designed giving you a feeling of being in the nature (love the shade of the trees!) but 120% pram-​friendly.
Food & beverage options are rather limited and quite unhealthy, but food shouldn’t be your reason to go to a zoo to begin with. You can BYO anyway. Heaps of picnic spots available.
Downside, signs are quite poor. Get yourself a map before starting or you’ll get lost every 5 minutes.

I’ve been to a few zoos in Malaysia, but I really would say this zoo is awesome! It’s so much different where it’s more to nature. It’s huge and the animals looked happy and contented:)
I was excited to get to see the Penguins, different species of kangaroos, I never knew there are different types. Apparently there a kangaroo that climb trees? And it’s orange brown colour. How cute!
I saw fluffy koalas hugging and chilling on the tree. There are really chubby zebras, and elephants that smashes a huge ice cube and eat the smaller pieces to cool them down.
Meercats are really cute. I love it when they stand on 2 feet. It’s like their looking for something in the sky.
There are lions, tortoise, otters, parrots, giraffes there are so much more animals. I didn’t get to see all of them as time has run out.
But it’s a really awesome place. The area for the animals are really spacious. And they are well protected. There are a lot of signs to educate people to conserve water and pretty cool signs just generally to tell people what’s the animal:)
It’s really a place to go!

This place passes as an outing destination, but just has so much room for improvement. Firstly, getting here on public transport.
Apparently it’s close to the CBD, but on a weekend train services go once every 30 minutes at best. Allow an hour just to get here if you aren’t in a car. No dedicated public transport even though there were so many people here is a bit disappointing.
BRING YOUR OWN FOOD AND DRINK, or pay $ 4.80 for a bottle of water: your choice. Blow your whole bonus at the gift shop with apparently gold-​plated soft toys.
Also study the map before you start walking or you will be wasting time walking in circles because there is very little useful signage and no systematic routes to take, which I think is really lazy on the part of the zoo’s management. You need to kind of do a Cert 1 in map surveying to even plan how you will walk around the zoo.
There are display toilets everywhere you look trying to make a point about being environmentally conscious: very eccentric to me. There is even a massive toilet roll.
Everywhere you look there are signs saying: FIGHT EXTINCTION as if there is a war against humans and nature and the zoo are good guy heroes… Yes conservation is a part of the zoo but clearly it is also a business. I don’t need signs every ten metres in my face about donating to boxes convincing me I have just saved a gorilla from death thanks to my loose change. To me it’s a bit cheap, stingy and desperate and takes away from the experience.
However, the animals are mostly really good to see. Highlights were the frog and reptile room, the seals, butterflies, African wildlife, and gorillas.
However many exhibits seemed deserted. We couldn’t see any kangaroos or orangutans and the orangutan enclosure looked like a pig sty even though there seemed to be no animals there.
Overall it’s worth going but don’t expect to be blown away.
In fact, the best part about the zoo I think is the vegetation and display design rather than the actual animals. The wetland bird enclosure, the orangutan, elephant and gorilla sites have really great vegetation as if you truly are in their native settings. Full marks to that aspect of the zoo.

Oh my gosh, this is such a delightful place! Unlike American zoos, where the animal habitats are set off behind giant glass walls or fences, this zoo has several enclosures that you can walk through. Only a shin-​high rope separates you from the wallabies and kangaroos. You’ll be able to wander around the paths that cut through the lemur home. And the gigantic aviary and butterfly house will have you nose-​to-​nose with gorgeous creatures.
The zoo is pretty big. I walked through about half of it in a couple of hours. We have a membership, so we are planning to go back for the rest.
Very, very family friendly. You can take in food or buy what they have at various cafes and chip shops. Lots of adorable stuffed animals for souvenirs. And they even do close-​up encounters with some of the animals. It’s magical!

Melbourne Zoo was fantastic. We loved the variety of animals, their enclosure’s and the interesting and changing trails to each enclosure. Alot of photo opportunities and great viewing areas for young children. Favourites were the Orangutans, the very large male Elephant, Snakes and very cute Lemur’s.
Our girls (3 and 5) were exhausted after 3 hours of walking, which meant for a speedy finish to our visit. We could have spent another 30mins to an hour there. as it was we missed a few animals towards the end.
If driving, we would recommend arriving before opening to get a close carpark… Getting there early (public transport as well), will also help you avoid queue’s for tickets. The carpark was very busy when we left just after lunch and there was a very long queue at this time as well.
On weekends kids are free, even for foreigners.

Really good Zoo for children, the animals looks happy.

I guess because I’m older now, the zoo just isn’t what it used to be. I feel it has become more commercialised and harder to see the animals.
I went on a Saturday afternoon, maybe the wrong choice, especially in the school holidays. Barraged by parents and prams, screaming kids and I only was able to see a few animals… the rest were asleep.
I much prefer the Werribee Open range Zoo or Healesville sanctuary.

Since I was a young child Melbourne Zoo has been one of my favourite destinations and throughout the years it has only become more enchanting and more wonderful. Each visit offers something new: whether it be a brand new arrival, upgraded enclosures or lovely babies (born of the extensive and highly successful breeding programs).
The encloses are all very animal friendly, beautifully designed and interesting. The Butterfly House is probably my favourite spot and, if you’ve never experienced the like (and aren’t afraid of butterflies), a memorable and utterly lovely experience.
Melbourne zoo is vast and you can easily spend a lazy day here thoroughly enjoying everything it has to offer. Give yourself time to enjoy the whole experience as it is quite expansive.
Give the restaurant food a miss: The Lakeside Bistro is overpriced and the quality and flavours (or lack thereof) of the fare on offer is regrettably sub par. Go with the wiser choice and opt for the fairly standard (and much cheaper) fast food. Or better yet bring a picnic to indulge in at one of the many grassed or undercover areas. Your stomach (and wallet) will thank you for it.
For any local (or tourists on an extended holiday) the zoo’s VIP membership is the only way to go. It only takes two visits for the membership to pay for itself (keep in mind that it entitles you to free entry at all three of the Victorian zoos: Melbourne, Werribee and Healesville). What many people don’t seem to realise is that it also entitles you to free entry to a variety of other zoos around Australia. So if you’re travelling around or plan on touring interstate it can swiftly become a very wise buy. The VIP pass also grants you discounts on merchandise and animal experiences (some of which are very reasonably priced).
Melbourne Zoo is a delightful, world-​class location that is a must visit destination for tourists and locals alike. It is THE place I would recommend for any and all Melbourne itinerary.

Beautiful zoo with loads of great exhibits and lovely pathways lined with large trees so that you feel like you’re actually finding the animals in their own environments. The baby elephant brought in quite a crowd and the lions are having their enclosure updated so they have been moved to the Big Cat area. There’s a huge parents room with change tables and all facilities that you’d need which is handy.

We’re going to the zoo zoo zoo how about you you you? You can come to to to? Sorry I couldn’t resist starting my review with an earworm! Melbourne Zoo is a wonderful place to come and spend the day or just an hour or to to talk to the animals. If you love the zoo I recommend a membership as you get your money back after attending two of Melbourne’s zoos. The zoo has improved since I was a kid and I have to say if you have not been and visited the new lemur island exhibit then you need to go!
The lemur island is awesome, the only way I could describe it is that it is like the butterfly house but instead of butterflies there are lemurs running around. It is the coolest :)

This zoo is effing incredible. I don’t say this lightly — I spent portions of my childhood in San Diego, frequenting the zoo & wild animal park there. Nevertheless, this is the best zoo I’ve been to, not close.
The aviary alone is more impressive than many zoos I’ve visited. It’s huge, with a wide variety of interesting birds in varied environments. They have a giant butterfly house too!
And then there’s the section with the free-​roaming emus and kangaroos, huge primate environments with tons of enrichment stuff (I’m a cognition researcher with all of my fingers so I’m not super a subject matter expert on primate environments but what I saw looked comparable or better than the portions of primate labs I’ve seen) — and I’m not talking one or two, every variety of primate that calls this zoo home had a huge enclosure with tons of stuff to do.
My favorite design feature of this zoo is that every animal I saw had the option to go off-​display and get some privacy if they wanted. More zoos should design environments that respect animal agency.

Melbourne Zoo is just a short hop on the train or tram from the CBD. As one of the leading conservation organizations, Melbourne Zoo not only cares for the animals within their zoo, but also across many national and international campaigns. They have recently opened a walk through enclosure with 9 lemurs! This is the first part of the new rainforest walk that also shows off the Gorillas and monkeys. It’s amazing to know that money spent here actually goes to saving endangered animals all over the world, plus it’s a great place to spend a few hours walking around and educating ourselves. The keepers give talks throughout the day, check when you arrive on the timetable as there is always something happening. Being about to talk to the staff is an easy way to get more out of your day.

I’m conflicted about zoos & haven’t been to one in a very long time. I appreciate that they’re probably helpful in saving endangered species and building awareness but the enclosures are never big enough & that makes me sad. So when I was offered a comp to go here while a show was on i jumped at the chance to check it out without paying the admission as i’m ethically conflicted about giving them money!
The show was a part of the Twilight series which is a lovely way to spend a stinking hot Melbourne evening. The animals certainly look happy & healthy and it really is wonderful getting to see amazing animals like lions & bright yellow Bolivian monkeys up close, and all the pretty ducks & geese wandering around freely… and my favourites, the meercats & tapir omg i love those guys. The Zoo is undergoing massive renovations at the moment so hopefully one of those will involve moving the beautiful snow leopards to a more spacious enclosure.
Anyway, I guess as far as zoos go (again, it has been a reallllllly long time since i’ve been to one) everyone ie the residents seem well cared for & not too stressed. I’d like to see zoos phased out completely in favour of the more ‘open plan’ type wildlife parks. But until that happens I guess we should be happy that places like Melbourne Zoo can offer animals a safe environment to breed and educate people.

Overall, a nice zoo and conveniently located. They have huge lions, african dogs, meerkats, seals, giraffes, etc. And they have a whole bunch of encounters you can do on top of your admission price, if you can splurge I say get a kiss from a sea lion (they are very sweet, gentle kissers). It was actually my first time seeing a platypus too so that was the highlight of my day.

I have been a FOTZ (Friends of the Zoo) member for years with Zoos Victoria which includes this amazing zoo in the heart of Royal Park right outside the city centre.
I have seen the progress over the years and the keep improving enclosures all the time allowing animals to have more space and enrichment all the time.
Some of my favourite areas include
–The Elephant especially with the young ones there now and due in the future as you can spend a lot of time watching these beautiful creatures
–The Butterfly house is great on a cold day and everyone loves the chance to have a butterfly land on you (wear bright flowery colours for a better chance) but watch out for the bug tanks just outside of here if you’re afraid of tarantulas.
–The Australian bush area is great for the opportunity to have Emus and Kangaroos hanging out around you although the emus can be a little intimidating.
There is plenty of different activities and things throughout the year including zoo twilight’s during the summer months where you can chill out in the zoo grounds listening to some great Aussie music.
Well worth a visit, especially if you have children or anyone who loves animals. I can easily spend 5 or 6 hrs here taking friends around and enjoying a picnic on the lawns.

If you’re staying in the city, you can take the 55 Tram towards West Coburg that has a stop next to the zoo. My cousin and I literally spent the entire day without realizing it walking around and looking at the different animals. The place looked bigger than I thought. Some of the areas have no gates so you can get up close to certain animals such as the Kangaroos and Emus so be careful! They also have animal feedings and no caged animals. My only disappointment was I didn’t get to see the bear.

I can’t get enough of this zoo! How lucky we are to have an amazing zoo in Melbourne that is constantly changing for the better!
Whenever I go I feel like a kid in a candy store. There’s so many different things to see and everytime there’s something different!
My personal favourite is the area with the emus and kangaroos and wallabies, although it does seem that it’s also the one I always miss out on since its near the tram/​train entrance and we get tired before getting there.
The zoo is well laid out to the point where it’s a nice big block that is quite easy to get around in and easy to find all the animals!
There’s a new close encounter with meerkats and new tunnels and area for the kids to play in too!
Looking forward to finally buying my zoo membership since we visit so much!

What is not to like about a zoo?
Everyone needs to spend more time at their local zoo!
So Melbourne Zoo has all the usual, elephants, zebra, big cats and giraffe as well as the usual Australian set, Koalas, wombats, kangaroos and stacks of Australian birds in the bird house.
However the highlight, the must see list goes like this:
* In the front gate and turn right and spend 20 minutes watching the meerkats.
* back down the central corridor and follow the signs to the elephant but before you get there, head into the butterfly house for another 20 minutes of wonder! (oh and in winter it is even better as it is heated to around 28 degrees)
* say Hi to the elephants and head to the central strip again and cross over to the Seal and enclosure. Again, don’t rush this bit, a good 20 minutes watching the Seals will make you feel so very relaxed.
I could do this one hour tour of the zoo every week of the year!

Melbourne Zoo is great for a day out with family or friends. The place was much bigger than I expected – you can easily spend five hours there; we definitely got our money’s worth from the trip.
There’s tons of animals to see, including lions, tigers, monkeys, and elephants. There’s even a reptile house and an aquarium. Rather than list every species there, I’ll leave it up to you to check out the official website.
I can’t say this is the best zoo I’ve been to. I prefer San Diego and the Smithsonian over this one, but it was still worth visit.

Im an animal lover and have been to numerous zoos throughout the world, yet I still believe that Melbourne Zoo is the best non-​open range zoo of all of the ones Ive seen! Highlights include:
1. The arboreal primates elevated walkway where visitors can see monkeys, gibbons and lemurs at treetop level.
2. The Southeast Asian area which includes tigers, elephants, otters, orangutans and Asian birds. This section contains numerous interactive educational tools for children. The elephant enclosure is a series of paddocks which the animals are rotated through in order to prevent boredom.
3. Mixed ehibits. The zoo focuses on exhibiting animals with other species from the same geographical region. Giraffes and zebras share an enclosure whilst mandrills and pygmy hippos have an enclosue which gives the illusion of being joined.
4. The meerkat sandpit/​playground area helps young children to have an interactive experience with small animals they are not intimidated by.
5. The zoo has at least 3 snow leopards and has bred the species successfully.
6. The gardens around the zoo are beautiful and contain numerous avaries containing a wide variety of parrots.
The zoo has focused on quality rather than quantity and displays a select range of diverse animals in excellent, realistic looking conditions, rather than trying to show every single animal imaginable in mediocre accomodation.
As well as being a great place to see animals, the zoo is a perfect place to take young children — it is car free and the walkways are safe and uncomplicated enough for children to explore without excessive supervision.
Membership is extremely good value (approx $ 80 for a year from memory) and gets you into this zoo as well as Werribee and Healesville.
Parking costs $ 2 for 5 hours. This was enforced by the council — not by the zoo and unfortunately the zoo do not get any of the money collected from parking (I know this because Ive asked the staff).