Taronga Zoo

I remember visiting Sydney when I was little and especially Taronga Zoo.  It was a special event to go to Sydney, the ‘big city’ from the capital, Canberra, which was sleepy in comparison.  I loved the skyscrapers and traffic, the bustle of people and the shopping, even as a little girl.  But one of the things that holds a special place in my heart is the ferry ride from Circular Quay across the bay to Mosman and a visit to the zoo, arguably the most picturesque in the world.  Certainly the giraffes that call this view home, reside on some of the most valuable real estate in Sydney.

There’s something really magical about Taronga.  Yes, the location is pretty spectacular but it’s more than that.  Opened in 1916, the zoo promotes conservation, preservation and education.  Yes, you can expect to see all the Australian favourties, including kangaroos, koalas, snakes, wombats and the somewhat elusive platypus there are also some of the more rare and lesser known Australian species like the Tasmanian devil, greater bilby, echidna, sea lions and the Southern corroboree frog.  Asia is well represented, particularly the Asian elephants, who also enjoy spectacular views and Africa with the big cats.

We’re here fairly early and it’s not too busy.  We enter through the main gate and wander through the reptiles and down to the giraffes to take in the views as much as the animals.  We follow the path through the African safari, past the chimpanzees and zebras and then, taking a short cut through the food market, check out the elephants before stopping in for the seal show.  The children are delighted as the seals dive, swim and splash the crowd.  Everyone claps and the seals clap back.

After the seal show we wander along a bit more, past the gorillas and meercats.  We stop for a snack and let the kids run around for a bit.  They’re excited about the gondola ride and we know we only have another hour or so as the afternoon nap is still a necessity.  So we change tactics and head towards Seal Walk and the penguins, stopping to watch the antics and imitate the penguin walks along the way.  We reach the bottom of the gondola and take some family shots with Sydney Harbour in the background.  It’s a beautiful day and the warmth of summer lingers.

The Sky Safari takes us back to the top of the zoo and the Taronga Piazza, near the main entrance.  We haven’t seen everything but also know that we’re not going to be able to string things out any longer so we pause for some lunch and a little treat before heading back to the car.

The boys are asleep before we leave Mosman and we drive back to Gordon, where we’re staying with friends, and put the children to bed, content that we’ve given them their own fond memories of Taronga Zoo.

Good To Know

Taronga Zoo is a not for profit organisation that promotes wildlife conservation, environmental preservation and sustainability and conservation through science and research.  They offer community education programs as well as educational programs for school aged children.

You can reach Taronga Zoo by ferry from Circular Quay or by road.  Parking is available on site.

Taronga Zoo has a sister zoo – Taronga Western Plains Zoo – in Dubbo (a town in NSW about a 5 hour drive north-west of Sydney).

Would I Return?

Yes, this is a picturesque zoo that promotes animal conservation and protection, not just of the species found here but all animals.  The children will love it, it’s educational and an iconic Australian attraction.