taronga zoo

The African Savannah Precinct Opens at Taronga Zoo, Sydney

June 30, 2020 / Animal Experiences, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

The African Savannah Precinct Opens at Taronga Zoo, Sydney

What’s new at the Zoo? A new state-of-the-art African Savannah precinct! The new precinct lets guests at Taronga Zoo Sydney experience a beautiful savannah full of roaming lions, fennec foxes, meerkats, giraffe and zebra.

Educational as well as visually stunning, the new African Savannah precinct takes Taronga guests on a journey to Africa while sharing with them the conservation challenges facing these species and some of the solutions that are supporting communities and wildlife in Northern Kenya.

At the heart of the new precinct is the giraffe habitat, overlooking Sydney Harbour, which includes Giraffes Jimiyu and Zarafa and new arrivals Kito and Ebo, a mother and calf who recently arrived from Taronga Western Plains Zoo.

Interestingly, giraffes have the largest eyes of any land mammal, and great eyesight that allows them to see clearly up to 2km away, while also being able to perceive colours.

The giraffes share The Waterhole exhibit with zebras Kaya and Bwana, who recently arrived from Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Did you know that each Zebra has a unique pattern of stripes, as individual as a human’s fingerprint?

Nearby are Taronga’s pair of Fennec Fox, Zinder and Zalika. Their custom-built exhibit includes full height glass walls to protect their sensitive ears, heating pads, natural spaces for sitting and gathering as well as logs for darker sleeping spots.

A mob of meerkats has moved in next door, in a fantastic new interactive space with plenty of enrichment opportunities for them to enjoy. Meerkats usually live in a mob of up to 30 individuals, who share roles of babysitting, surveillance and foraging.

The much-loved lions have returned to Taronga Zoo, inside the African Savannah. Lwazi and Ato, two male lions, can be found in a huge sprawling exhibit.

The lions are part of a crucial breeding program supporting insurance populations for lions, which are sadly now extinct in 27 African countries.

When visiting Taronga Zoo this winter, note that the zoo has made some changes to the usual guest experience. Daily visitor numbers are currently limited to lower than normal capacity, and guests, including Zoo Friends, will need to register their visit online before attending the Zoo. Hygiene measures including extra sanitizing stations, signage encouraging social distancing and increased cleaning have also been put in place throughout the Zoo.

Taronga Zoo Sydney is located 12 minutes by ferry from Circular Quay wharf, or a short bus trip from the city or North Sydney. Parking is currently $9 all day.

Tickets are only available to purchase online at Taronga.org.au. Online tickets for adults are $44.10 and children 4-15 years old are $26.10.

Taronga Zoo
Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman
Taronga.org.au

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Wild Ropes at Taronga Zoo, Sydney, Australia

July 22, 2018 / Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Is your family looking for a thrill on their next outing in Sydney? Take adventurous kids and adults to Wild Ropes at Taronga Zoo for a challenging walk among the trees, with the best view in Sydney to boot.

Wild Ropes is located right in the heart of Taronga Zoo Sydney, winding through the treetops above the Australian Walkabout. It’s seperate entry to the zoo, however, so if you want to visit the zoo as well, you will need to buy a combined ticket that includes entry to both.

The entry to Wild Ropes is right through the historic Taronga Zoo entrance on the left. Look out for the big signs, you can’t miss them.

There are six courses, two children’s courses and four adult / junior courses.

Children’s Courses

The two children’s courses, Koala and Possum, are suitable for kids aged 3 – 8, up to a height of 140cm. Children are allocated one hour to complete both courses as many times as they like during the session. The Koala course must be completed before kids are allowed to attempt the harder Possum course.

The hour time session includes briefing and being fit with safety gear, so actual climbing time is around 45 minutes.

Parents can observe their kids from a viewing platform but are not able to assist kids if they get stuck. Kids should feel confident about being separated from their parents in order to complete the courses by themselves.

Cheese was a month shy of her 7th birthday when completing the Wild Ropes Children’s Courses. She found the Koala course easy and Possum challenging in places. She repeated the courses over and over again until her time was up and we had to make her stop.

She loved the courses and has enthusiastically recommended them as a fun activity for kids. Two thumbs up, five stars.

Adult and Junior Courses

Juniors aged 8 – 17 and adults aged 18 + can take on the four full Wild Ropes courses. There are two low and two high courses to complete. The two low courses are slightly easier than the high ones, and the courses sit above each other, so the “high” ones are a few metres higher than the low ones.

When signing up for the courses you can choose between the Adventure Package, which includes one low course and your choice of a high or low course, and the Ultimate Challenge, which includes entry to two low and two high courses.

If you decide to do more courses you can add them on when you are there, but it’s always cheaper to buy things in advance!

Juniors must be at least 8 years and 140 cms tall. Juniors aged between 8 and 13 years old must be accompanied by a climbing Adult on the course. There is a minimum ratio of 1 x Adult per 4 x Juniors allowed.

A low course must be completed before climbers can take on a high course. Each course contains approximately 17 challenges, including bridges, tunnels, aerial rock climbing walls, flying fox and even a hover board (I found this particularly nerve-wracking!).

Depending on your group size, allow around 60 minutes to complete two courses. If there aren’t any people ahead of you and your group is particularly agile, it can be completed in about 30 minutes.

I did the two adult / juniors courses while Cheese was taking on the kids’ courses and I found it an exhilarating challenge. Physically, muscles I hadn’t used in years were required to come out of retirement to complete the various challenges, but the biggest challenge I found was mental. It’s quite mentally challenging to get over a fear of falling, even though your rational brain is telling you that you’re hooked up to a harness and completely safe!

The courses were incredibly fun and I would absolutely return to do the other two courses. I enjoyed feeling challenged and pushed out of my comfort zone. I’m usually watching from the sidelines these days instead of participating in activities like this, so it was really fun and exciting to take on a physical and mental challenge for the first time in years!

Information about safety

All safety equipment is supplied and participants must complete a safety briefing before beginning the course. Safety equipment includes:

Harness
Continuous belay system
Pulley
Helmet
Once fitted with all necessary equipment participants will receive a comprehensive safety briefing from an instructor. Once you have demonstrated that you are safe to go, you will be allowed onto the courses.

What to wear / bring

Fully enclosed shoes with rigid soles must be worn on the courses.
Hair should be pulled back.
Jewellery (including piercings) must be removed or taped over.
Glasses, including prescription glasses, may only be worn with a strap.
You must remove anything that could fall off or out of your pockets before accessing the Wild Ropes course. This includes: keys, coins, phones, cameras, bags, watches, loose jewellery. Free lockers are provided to participants.
Genuine Chest and Helmet Go-pro mounts are the only attachment allowed for actions cameras on the courses for safety reasons.
No exposed skin from the ankle down.
Your waist should be covered and any piercings should be taped over or taken out.

Plan to arrive at Wild Ropes at least 15 minutes prior to your session start time. If you are entering Taronga Zoo from the ferry allow an additional 20 minutes to ascend to the top entry where the entry to Wild Ropes is located. A trip on the Sky Safari is included in your Wild Ropes ticket. Note the Sky Safari operates from 9.30am and may not operate due to bad weather. Please note that Children 15 years or under must be accompanied by an adult on the Sky Safari Cable Car.

Opening Times
First session starts at 9.30am
Last session starts at 3.00pm (May – Aug) and 3.30pm (Sept – Apr)

Wild Ropes is open 7 days a week, 364 days a year (closed Christmas Day).

Wild Ropes is open during wet weather, but activities may be cancelled in cases of heavy winds or lightning. Please arrive 20 minutes earlier than your booked session time. Your Wild Ropes challenge can be completed on it’s own or added to your same-day Zoo experience.

Prices

Head to the website for the latest prices and to book. I highly recommend booking online as it’s cheaper, and you also don’t have to worry about sessions selling out.

Get more info on Wild Ropes at Taronga Zoo online.

We were hosted for our visit to Wild Ropes. All opinions are my own.

Vivid at Taronga Zoo 2017, Sydney

May 26, 2017 / Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 0 comment

Vivid at Taronga Zoo is back! One of our fave family nights of the year, it’s also our top pick for taking kids to see to see the lights at the annual Vivid festival of lights in Sydney.

While you do pay an entrance fee for Vivid at Taronga Zoo, the timed and ticked sessions mean that the crowds are way less and it’s much better managed than the other areas of the festival.

In line with Taronga Zoo’s focus on conservation, this year’s light show, “Lights for the Wild”, aims to entertain, but also educate the public on 10 of the special animals they are trying to save from extinction in the next 10 years. Each light installation and sculpture tells an important story about conservation.

“Lights for the Wild” is a spectacularly interactive and immersive event. The sculptures have been especially designed to interact with a state-of-the-art wristband worn by visitors, making for a very special evening where you can become the light the wild needs (more on the wristbands below).

Our favourites this year included the new buzzing bees, the chameleon from last year that now is even more interactive (you can use your wrist band to activate it!) and a giant interactive Port Jackson Shark that “swallowed” us.

Everything you need to know about Vivid at Taronga Zoo 2017

Getting there
While you can catch the ferry, we prefer to drive and park there for $9 after 4pm. We never have any problems finding parking or with traffic either getting there or going back home again.

Pick your session
There are two sessions each night: the more kid-friendly 5:30pm-7:30pm slot and 7:30pm-9:30pm.

Buy tickets in advance
Buy your tickets from the Taronga Zoo website.
Prices: Adult $21.95 + booking fee, Child (4-15 years) $16.95 + booking fee, Child (under 4) are free.

A limited number of Blue Pass tickets are available each night and include a round trip on the Sky Safari. The Blue Passes cost the same as the regular tickets so I suggest getting them if possible. The Sky Safari DOES NOT STOP, it runs along a loop from the top of the pack back to where it started from.

While I saw a lot of people heading straight to the sky safari when they entered, I suggest seeing the other lights first to get ahead of the crowds, and taking the Sky Safari last before you go home when there is no queue.

Make a day of it
If you plan to visit the Zoo during the day before your evening Vivid outing, either buy the tickets online in advance at the same time as your Vivid tickets, or you can buy your Zoo day entry tickets at the Zoo ticket desk on arrival to enjoy a 30% discount off General Admission prices*

Please note: Taronga Zoo closes at 4.30pm and Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo commences at 5.30pm. If you are staying on you will be asked to come up to the main entry plaza to get ready for the beginning of your Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo experience. There is a cafe in the main entry plaza and plenty for the kids to enjoy while you’re waiting for the Vivid lights to turn on.

The Zoo Admission ticket is only valid for use on the same day as your Vivid ticket.

Pack food
While there are cafes open with basic food if you don’t have time to do this, we always like to bring our own.

Get there early
This is really my mantra for anything we go to! Arrive well before the lights go on at 5:30pm so you get in ahead of most of the people in your timed session. The lights are projected onto the entrance well before 5:30pm so if you arrive early you can watch this screening and then head through, check out the sculptures that are placed before the ticketed gate, and be first in line when 5:30pm strikes and the doors open.

Watch the show at the entrance
The front entry wall has a spectacular light show projected onto it that many of the kids say is always the highlight of their evening. We often watch the show at the beginning before heading in, and then linger longer as we are existing. The wall comes to life with animals and colour, all moving over the entrance gates. Well worth watching the entire show cycle through at least once.

Collect your wrist band
This year, all visitors get a very high tech wristband that changes colour over the course of the light trail through the zoo. When you approach sculptures the colour on the wristband changes.

Follow the trail
The trail winds throughout Taronga Zoo on a circular path. It is completely stroller and wheelchair accessible. The multimedia light sculptures are dotted along the path.

Recycle Your Wristband
The interactive wristbands are recyclable, but they need to be sent to a specific facility for this to happen. On your way out, drop your wristband into the dedicated bin in the top plaza (the location can be found on the Vivid map). Wristbands are free to all paid ticket holders. Additional wristbands can be bought on site for $5 each.

The light trail takes about 90 minutes to 2 hours to complete. The whole trail is extremely stroller and wheelchair accessible.

There are family-friendly and wheelchair-accessible bathrooms available for use at the entrance at throughout the trail (please check the map).

Catch Vivid at Taronga Zoo from May 26th to June 17, 2017.

12 Reasons Why Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo Is The Best Place To Take Kids

May 27, 2016 / Outdoor Play, Sydney, Sydney Life / 8 Comments

This is the first year Taronga has participated in Vivid, as part of the Zoo’s Centenary Celebrations. Quite simply, Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo is the perfect way to experience the excitement of the Vivid festival with young kids:

1. It’s ticketed
Yes that’s right, you have to pay to get in and I think that’s a huge positive. On the one hand, it’s nice to go to free events because costs do add up, but then crowds are usually out of control as a result. Vivid at Taronga is $17.95 Adult, $11.95 child entry fee, all of which goes towards conservation efforts.

As a result of the event being ticketed, not only are the crowds kept down because people rather do things that are free, but they are also kept smaller as there are only limited numbers of tickets available for sale. We went on opening night and while there was a decent amount of people, it never felt crowded. We had no problem getting up close to any of the exhibits, and were often the only people at that particular display.

Additionally, less people makes it safer to take little kids. We went with friends and their two kids, so we had three kids aged 6, 4 and 3, all running wild. At no point were we worried about losing the kids in a crowd.

2. There’s food
A huge complaint from families about Vivid elsewhere is the lack of easy and reasonably priced food to grab when you’re out with kids. The cafe remains open throughout the evening with a variety of basic food like hot chips, chicken tenders, sandwiches, yogurt and snacks to refuel small tummies halfway through the walk.

3. It’s educational
Taronga features 10 giant, multimedia light sculptures representing ten critical species from Australia and Sumatra that the foundation is committed to protecting, plus a bunch of cute critters speckled in trees and bushes and thousands of lanterns created by over 4000 local school kids.

Each exhibit has a large placard next to it with important info about the animal on it. Expect to see a Sumatran tiger, sun bear, pangolin plus crowd pleasers like the platypus, echidna and pygmy tarsiers.

4. It’s an interactive adventure
The trail itself is fun for kids, as it winds down through the bushy paths of the zoo with the exhibits popping up in the bushes along the way. Several of the displays are also interactive, such as the chameleon, where kids can move a light onto its spots to change its colour, or the cicadas who respond with noises when you yell at them.

5. It’s completely assessable
I would absolutely not take a stroller to most of the Vivid locations due to the sheer volume of people present, making it really difficult to maneuver with a stroller. By comparison, strollers and wheelchairs had no problems I could see at Taronga. Wide paths with lower amounts of people = an easy outing.

6. Family amenities
Simply: plenty of clean bathrooms with changing facilities!

7. Parking is easy
While you can get the ferry and then a shuttle bus up to the main entrance where the light trail begins, it’s super easy to just drive there and park for a flat fee of $7 after 4pm. We arrived at about 5:20pm and there was a lot of parking available.

8. It’s the perfect length
I find Vivid in the main city areas to be hugely overwhelming with it’s crazy number of locations, and wide distance to be covered. It’s pretty exhausting, even more so when you add young kids to the mix. Vivid at Taronga takes about an hour and a half to walk the trail, stop for a snack, ride the Sky Safari and even watch the light show out the front a few extra times before you leave. If you start at 5:30pm like we did it means you’ll finish up at 7pm, which is still on the early side, and not too tiring for anyone.

9. It starts early
Lights go on at 5:30pm! In the CBD lights go on at 6pm. That 30 minutes earlier made the difference to us between getting our daughter home around bed time vs half an hour after – it might seem like a lot, but it sure makes bedtime easier in our home!

10. Animal sneak peeks
While most of the Taronga residents are happily tucked up in bed during Vivid, a few curious creatures come out to say hi – in particular the giraffes. I was a bit concerned about the effect of the event on the animals, but the giraffes looked pretty chill, even curious about what was going on after bedtime.

11. You can ride the Sky Safari
When you buy a ticket you can select an ANZ Blue pass for no extra charge. These tickets include a round trip on Taronga’s Sky Safari cable car experience, which is a fab addition as you can take a break for a start and sit in an enclosed area where children can’t escape, and also get a stunning view of the harbour all lit up, as well as ride over Taronga’s Vivid light’s, too.

12. The light show will get them dancing
At the entrance to the Zoo a spectacular light display is projected onto the historic entry gates, telling the story of the Vivid theme: “Don’t Let Their Lights Go Out”. This important conservation message is told through a mesmerising show that entertains as well as driving home the importance of saving our endangered animals.

Kids possibly loved this display the most (ours thought it was the show we had come to see in its entirety and were content to just watch it over and over again!), and could be seen running through the lights on the ground, dancing to the music, and squealing with delight as animals they recognised swam, hopped and wriggled their way across the gates. Just magical.

Vivid Sydney at Taronga
Dates: 27 May – June 16, 2016
Hours: 5:30pm – 9:30pm nightly
Prices: $17.95 Adult, $11.95 Child (4-15 years)/Concession. Children under 4 years of age are free.
Parking: Entry after 4pm flat rate $7

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Where The Wild Things Are: A Day At Taronga Zoo With Little Kids

September 22, 2014 / North Shore, Outdoor Play, Sydney Food, Sydney Life / 3 Comments

We recently embarked on a classic Sydney family day trip to Taronga Zoo. Taronga is such an amazing opportunity for children and adults to experience beautiful animals in a world-class facility, set against the most gorgeous backdrop possibly in the world. No exaggeration. While a trip to the zoo can be a little daunting with small children due to its sheer size, with a little preparation it’s a fantastic and memorable day out for the whole family. So make a day of it, take the kids, and use these tips to have a wonderful time.

Preparation!

Take a stroller
Even if your child resists the stroller, it gives you something to push your stuff in so it doesn’t weigh you down. The entire zoo is super stroller-friendly so it won’t get in your way. As the day wears on and your little one’s legs start to wear out, you might be surprised to see the stroller become acceptable again.

Pack well
It’s a long day at the zoo, so take plenty of water bottles, hats, sunscreen and snacks or a even full lunch. There are lots of tables and grassed areas for picnics.

Get an early start
Arrive at the zoo when it opens (9:30am) to take advantage of the quieter mornings. Most people arrive a little later, so early morning means getting to see the most popular exhibits without the crowd.

Collect a map
At the entrance there is a a booth giving out free maps. Take at least one as you will absolutely need it. The map has the main paths, trails and shortcuts, plus all of the show times.

Make a plan
The zoo is massive and little kids move at a snails pace. Before starting out, plan out which areas are the most important to see, and which shows you want to watch, and then schedule your day accordingly.

Prioritise
With little kids, it’s unlikely you will get to see everything. Identify the animals and shows you want to see the most and leave the rest to another day. If you try and fit in everything the day will be rushed and not as fun for everyone.

Must-see: the best best for kids at the zoo

Backyard to Bush
Follow the Kids Trail to the Backyard to Bush area where little ones can enjoy hands-on animal encounters like the “Pat a Pet” encounter (daily, 10:30am and 2:30pm), where kids can pat a rabbit or guinea pig. Kids can get up close to barnyard animals all day in this area, such as chickens, sheep, goats, ducks and pigs.

Farm Yard Playground
The playground in the Backyard to Bush area is fantastic for children of all ages, with a large climbing structure, musical items and a big water feature with gears and sprinklers. Bring a change of clothes and water shoes in preparation.

Lemur Forest Adventure
Another new addition to the zoo, this fun state-of-the-art playground encourages climbing, jumping and exploring, in a safe, enclosed environment. The forest area at the beginning of the exhibit has educational puzzles and games for kids to play and learn about the forest’s food chain and, habitats and environmental sustainability (everyone, if you don’t already recycle, start now!). The playground is right next to the new lemur exhibit (any other Madagascar fans here? “Hello freaks”!).

Seal Show
Who doesn’t love to watch the adorable seals in action? The keepers give a great talk about their charges that is both educational and fun, while running them through predominantly natural behaviours. Sit at the front to get super up close and possibly splashed. Seal shows run daily at 11am, 1pm and 2pm. Arrive 15 mins early to get a good seal in the shade or up the front.

The QBE Free Flight Bird Show
Set against the most magnificent view of Sydney Harbour, the bird show showcases many of the zoos avian residents performing their natural behaviours. Giant beautiful birds soaring over head is a highlight of the day. Arrive 10-15 mins early for the best seats. Shows run daily at 12pm and 3pm.

Lunch Options
If you’re planning on buying lunch, we liked the Fish Stop Cafe Takeaway. It’s a lot smaller and quieter than the huge Taronga Food Market, which is more like a giant cafeteria. The cafe had lots of outdoor tables (most under cover), and had reasonably priced meal options like sandwiches, plus cooked fish-and-chips-type of food. The Fish Stop Cafe is Australia’s first cafe certified by the Marine Stewardship Council as a sustainable seafood cafe, which gives it an even bigger tick in our book.

Sky Safari
The free gondolas take you from one side of the zoo to the other, over the elephant enclosure. A super fun way to end the day and get your family either to the car park or ferry when everyone’s legs (and arms) are worn out. The view of the harbour isn’t so bad either. The Sky Safari is free with zoo entry and operates 9:30am-4:30pm daily.

Consider a Zoo Friends pass
If you’re planning to go more than once a year, think about becoming a Zoo Friend. Membership gives unlimited entry throughout the year so you can visit for an hour or two at a time rather than trying to get your money’s worth in a single day. Toddlers up to age four are free, and you also get 90 minutes of free parking, or $7 (instead of $17) to park all day.

Taronga Zoo
Bradleys Head Rd,
Mosman NSW 2088
(02) 9969 2777
Open daily, 9:30am-4:30pm

Brunch With My Baby received a complementary pass to visit Taronga Zoo. All opinions are our own.