Melbourne Zoo

I've visited quite a lot of the zoo's here in Australia at this point and had heard some great things about Melbourne Zoo. It's a good size zoo which is very walkable, I chose to navigate it in a figure of 8 so I was able to see every part from one end to the other. The enclosures were fairly large and provided a lot of cover for the animals who for the most part chose to hide away (and I can't say I blame them, we'll come to that later...) but with some patience you could see them clearly once they moved. Some enclosures were empty, the snow leopard for instance won't be on show until April, there was a large enclosure that apparently had elephants in once upon a time but no more. A few others seemingly had nothing living in them, I actually heard another visitor exclaim "I paid $59 for THIS?" at one point. I really enjoyed the butterfly house, that was a great experience! The reptile house was also pretty cool as there were lots of species to see up close. The main draw for me was the orangutans and this is where I have to deduct a star, I should say through no fault of the zoo itself though. PARENTS - please, please, please teach your kids it's not okay to smash and bang on the windows at zoos. One of the orangutans was sitting eating on a perch which has a viewing window and there must have been at least 20 kids of various ages slamming against it to get a reaction from the orangutan. It's just gross behaviour, I'd already told a grown man about 10 minutes previous to that to stop pounding the window where the howler monkeys are.

We had an absolutely fantastic day at Melbourne Zoo! From the moment we walked in, everything was beautifully laid out, easy to navigate, and incredibly family-friendly. The animal enclosures are spacious and thoughtfully designed, giving you a real sense that the animals are well cared for. Watching the gorillas up close was a highlight — so calm and powerful — and seeing the Sumatran tiger walk right past the glass was unforgettable. The giraffes were stunning in their open savannah space, and even the peaceful black swan pond added to the relaxed atmosphere of the day. There’s a great mix of wildlife from around the world, plenty of shaded areas, and lots of greenery that makes it feel more like a botanical garden than a traditional zoo. The staff were friendly and informative, and everything was clean and well maintained. Whether you’re visiting with kids or just love wildlife, Melbourne Zoo is a must-see in Melbourne. We’ll definitely be back! 🦒🐅🦍

I hadn’t been to the Zoo in 13 years. What an awesome day I had. Everything was fantastic including the 400 Gradi popup. Purchasing tickets online made it a quick and easy entry. Such a great day out for families, friends or even if you just want to go by yourself, I would highly recommend. If driving as I did, it’s $2 for 5hrs via the paystation (tap to pay) I had no problem with the price paid for entry as I can’t imagine how much it costs to run such a large zoo.

It was very hot the day we went, many animals didn’t come out, which was quite disappointing. In addition, there were hardly any animal shows, and many cafés were closed. On the positive side, we got to see the tigers and giraffes, which we had been hoping to see. The reptile area was a great experience as well, where we could closely observe lizards and snakes in a variety of colors

We really enjoyed our visit to Melbourne Zoo and had a wonderful day overall. The atmosphere was very pleasant and well maintained, making it a great place to spend several hours. The zoo has a wide range of animals, and the aquatic animals were especially beautiful and enjoyable to see. Some of the animals were hiding or inactive during our visit, which is understandable, so we couldn’t see everything — but this didn’t take away from the overall experience. The reception team were friendly and welcoming, which made a great first impression. I would suggest for the entry fees to be reconsidered, i think it will encourage more attractions. Overall, it was a lovely experience and definitely worth visiting. Highly recommended for a relaxing and enjoyable day out!

Highly recommend Melbourne Zoo! We booked the ultimate experience with Leigh and had the absolute best time! I really appreciate all experiences being firm on not touching the animals, making it feel more authentic to letting the animals do their own thing and seeing all the behind the scenes action. If you plan to go definitely book one of the encounters or even the ultimate experience, all are well worth the money

Melbourne Zoo is one of the best places to visit in the city, perfect for families, couples, and nature lovers. The zoo is well maintained with spacious, natural-style enclosures that make it enjoyable to see animals up close while still respecting their habitats. There is a great variety of wildlife from around the world, including native Australian animals and exotic species. The walking paths are clean, easy to navigate, and surrounded by greenery, making the visit relaxing as well as educational. Informative displays help visitors learn more about conservation and animal care. Facilities like cafés, rest areas, and amenities are well placed throughout the zoo. Overall, Melbourne Zoo offers a fun, educational, and memorable experience and is definitely worth a visit for anyone exploring Melbourne.

It is a really good zoo. Lots of happy animals. Often there are little presentations just going on that you can just join in on; today there was a butterfly room presentation, my kid loved it. There are a few cafes scattered around the place and limited food options pies etc. I advise getting an annual pass to get access to all 4 zoos which are also good days out.

Had some extra time in the afternoon of one of my last days visiting Melbourne so I decided to check out the zoo as I wanted to see some local animals like koalas, kangaroos, and dingos! It was a pretty average zoo and I was able to get through all the animals in the last couple hours they were open. They had some insane (and terrifying) birds. My favorite was seeing the adorable dingos, sleeping red panda, and seeing a baby kangaroo pop in and out of its mom's pouch!

First zoo visit in Australia, was definitely worth a visit! You can take public transit which drops you off at the "northern" entrance. Plenty of animals native to the country and beyond are here. Maps and signs everywhere make it easy to navigate.

I think that Melbourne Zoo is the worlds best zoo no other zoo is better. Firstly, Melbourne Zoo keeps the animals fit strong and healthy for example they have Campanians such as Blow Bubbles Not Balloons to protect the sea animals. Secondly the employees are kind and helpful and have been for the last 150 years. Thirdly at the gift shop everything is a reasonable price for example a keychain for $1.99 so surely you will go to the Melbourne Zoo! Overall you should go to see healthy animals kind staff and cheap stuff. Written by MK - aged 8

We spent today at the Melbourne zoo and came away with great big silly grins on our faces. Not only did we get to spend the day at a zoo but it must be one of the best, if not the very best we have ever been to! The layout is so well thought out and you can really tell how much pride Melbourne Zoo has taken with each enclosure. They have really tried to mimic the animal's natural habitat as closely as possible. There is a sign I took a photo of outside Lion Park that sums up the attention to detail of every section. All of the animals look happy and relaxed, we didn't see any that looked even remotely stressed. We highly recommend spending at least half a day. This zoo is definitely for all ages and family members although kids get in free on holidays with paid adults so it can get a bit crazy on those times. They also have special activities throughout the year so check the website before planning.

I had the opportunity to enjoy the red pandas here! I really only saw one though. The zoo is clean and offered a good opportunity to see animals up close. The areas are portioned into different sections and was very easy to navigate. There are many cafes, eateries, and restrooms throughout. There are some areas that prefers visitors to enter and exit in a certain direction, making it somewhat challenging if time is an issue. On a weekend, the zoo became very busy about an hour after opening. I took the Hop-on/hop-off bus here. After lining up to purchase an entry ticket, there is another line to get checked in.

Had a great time here today. Must say the layout of the Zoo was great, as well as some great attractions and displays. The primate exhibits were dope and gave plenty of natural views of the animals. They have some amazing giraffes, as well as gorillas and other stunning live animal exhibits. One of the sad points was the last Lion in the Zoo had passed away which is definitely a main attraction at all Zoo's. I definitely recommend stopping by the Melbourne Zoo while visiting the city. I had a ball and got some Great exercise as well. Make it a point. Great for the entire family and plenty of places to get snacks and food.

I am going to come out and say it. I am not a huge fan of zoos. Seeing the animals caged up in some manipulated controlled environment that is supposed to echo their home isn't good enough to me. No animal is meant to be in a cage. I understand the endangered and protected ones, yes they should be looked after. But the idea of paying money to see animals not in their native habitat honestly just makes me sad. But this review isn't about me or my numb feeling toward zoos. Now that I let that unload- Melbourne Zoo has been around for quite some time, it's very easy to get to as the Royal Park train station is adjacent to the zoo's car park. What's done well: the butterfly room, the aviary, the elephants. The elephant walk is very themed, like you just got to Asia. Kudos to you guys taking a page from the Disney Animal Kingdom book with the detailed theming. The butterfly room is hot. Go there, you'll have so much fun taking your time, going extra slow with hopes that a butterfly will land on you. My strong advice is to go when it's not school holidays. That would be your biggest regret. Note: kids do enter for free with a paid adult on the weekends. So time it well so you aren't dealing with screaming or running around children. Unless if that is your thing, and maybe you have some of these delights yourself, then by all means. Go and explore and see the wildlife Melbourne Zoo has to offer.

Ok zoo. Good animal exhibits but not informative. Exhibits could be more informative and provide more information. Loved seeing the platypus.

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.

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!

There are heaps of animals to see, including a decently sized zoo. Some animals you can see are the gorillas, the cheetahs, tigers and many more! This is a place I highly recommend to anybody who are planning a nice day out. Exhibits should be more informative while they re explaining things about the animals. Overall a good place to go to! (Also go to the butterfly house, because it I see super good).

What a cool place good for couples and family's lots to see every animal is so cute. The best is the seals they put on a show for us was fab. It takes a good 4 hours to see all the exhibits leave plenty of time . Not to self pack a picnic basket as cafe here knows how to charge.

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 had a friend recently visit from the UK and it was the perfect excuse to visit some of the tourist attractions that I never did. Top of the list was the Melbourne Zoo. There is an array of wild animals with over 320 species. Our personal favourite were the gibbons. Boy were they funky! I think we got a bit fixated on their incredible gymnastics on display and spent about 35 minutes watching the acrobatics show. The other highlight was the lions getting what seemed a little down and dirty. Advice: there is so much to see and time flies here so make sure you don't spend too long on just two animals (like we did). Whilst some zoos are tailored just to kids I'd say the Melbourne Zoo has a lot to offer big kids too. In fact there is fun for all the family. I've been to the Australia Zoo and I'd say the Melbourne Zoo is just as much fun. Definitely check it out!

Upfront confession: I LOVE animals with an almost deranged amount of emotion so Melbourne Zoo is one of my favourite places to spend a day. This highlight for me is always the elephants. About five years ago Melbourne zoo renovated its elephant enclosure and now it is seriously amazing and home to a happy-looking bunch of pakkyderms, including two little babies who are seriously to-die-for cute. One of my earliest memories is of a visit to the Melbourne zoo when I was about four. At that time the gorilla enclosure was quite open and a very angry primate flung a stick at the crowd which hit some guy in the face. Thankfully I can report the gorillas are less angry these days and have an amazing enclosure. There are also heaps of different animals, which is good, being that this is a zoo and all. The zoo is all accessed by foot so be prepared for long walks and take sunscreen and a hat, or a coat and umbrella, or all of the above, since this is Melbourne after all.

Who doesn't love the zoo? Melbourne Zoo is lots of fun for people of every age. Kids, Seniors. Yep, even a group of twenty something friends there to celebrate a birthday. We had a great time. It was a beautiful sunny day, which brought all the animals out to play! Highlights: -Steamy butterfly house -Elephants. Yep, they just rule -The friendly spider monkey -Coiled reptile house -Tigers. They are SO graceful Lowlight: -The Australian Outback area was a disappointment. No animals and rather lackluster plant life. It is easy to spent an entire day at the zoo meeting animals from all over the world and watching their hi-jinx. Pack a picnic, grab some fast food or for those who cant handle a day out with real coffee, run don't walk to the cafe and enjoy real coffee and a muffin or two. During the week school groups run amok throughout the zoo, and on the weekend its hordes and families... and my group of mischief wielding friends. You decide!

Come and see our cousins Yuska, Kanzi, Kimya and Otana! Melbourne Zoo is such a great place to spend some quality time with the family learning about and appreciating just some of the wonderful animals from around the world. It's all set in a very clean environment and you're allowed to BYO food and beverages making it an ideal place for a relaxing day out and picnic. They have keeper talk times all through the day so check into their website to help you make the most out of your visitt. The zoo is exceptionally pram friendly and with free entry for children 3 years and under, it's well worth the trip. Kids between 4-15 are free to enter on weekends and holidays so that's an added bonus for older siblings. I am exceptionally impressed with their many Fighting Extinction goals and especially grateful for their "Adopt a Gorilla" and "They're Calling on You" recycle old mobile initiatives. If you have the opportunity, I recommend booking a "Gorilla Behind the Scenes" experience which lasts for 25 minutes for a closer look. It was definitely one of the highlights of my last trip.

Who doesn't love a day out at the zoo? Melbourne Zoo has a few must-sees at the moment - the baby spider monkey (possibly the most engaging and adorable creature on the planet) and the huge elephant enclosure complete with a few young elephants. Also, in the past month the baboons have been moved into a new big, grassy padlock, although personally I find baboons terrifying so I'm hesitant to say they're a highlight. The grounds at Melbourne Zoo are a peaceful spot for a picnic (just watch out for the wandering peacocks that try to steal your food), and it's a great spot to take foreign visitors as there's a section where the kangaroos and emus walk freely among people. If you don't want to self-cater there's a number of cafes on-site, but the food isn't anything to write home about. The Zoo Twilights series will be starting again come summer, but at my last visit they were yet to announce the details of the 2012 program. Usually there is live music and the opportunity to visit the enclosures after dark, when a lot of the animals (particularly the big cats) are more active. The Roar 'n Snore program (where you camp overnight in the grounds) is ongoing and also chance for night-time animal spotting, but you do need to book ahead of time.

It was a beautiful winters Saturday so we took the opportunity to visit the amazing Melbourne Zoo. Many people had the same idea as we did and consequently parking was at a premium and we spent some time searching for a spot. I was totally surprised to find no weekend charge for children so our only cost was a concession ticket for me. This makes it an extremely affordable outing!! The grounds of Melbourne Zoo are stunningly beautiful. Paths are clean and well maintained as you wander thoughout the gardens surrounding the enclosures. It is great with some of the animals that there is opportunity to get up close and personal with many of the animals. The Butterfly House was a highlight of the day for us. So many butterflies fluttering around each choosing whether or not to land and also where and which person to land on. Tired children always find delight in any playground and the zoo playground is no exception. The Merry Go Round inside the playground area is a highlight and rides are inexpensive. Our last stop today was the Zoo Shop where it was no difficulty to spend the allocated allowance even with the extensive array from which to choose. It was then after selections were made that we were able to find our way home!! Melbourne is a wonderful location for any visitors to Melbourne and can certainly been recommended.

The Melbourne Zoo, without hyperbole, is seriously just world class. I've been to a lot of US zoos, and typically speaking they're filled with Jurassic Park-like giant fences to keep the idiots who go to the zoo from messing with the animals. (RIP Harambe, etc.) Not only does the Melbourne Zoo have an incredibly expansive array of animals, but you can get closer to them than any zoo I've ever been to on this planet. Some areas don't even have fences and you walk right next to the animals. It was a really cool experience. The grounds are kept incredibly well, and walking around the zoo made for a super pleasant day. It helped that I went on a day where the animals were all cooperative and near the front of their pens, which made the whole thing that much cooler. Do NOT miss out on the butterfly area, it isn't super well marked and the hours are different from the actual zoo hours. You walk inside this room and there's just hundreds of butterflies flying all over, landing on you, and other people. It was weirdly magical, and I could have stayed there all day. Oh, and if you're staying downtown and the hotel concierge insists you can just walk, take an Uber. That was a crazy long walk.

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.

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.

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).

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.

What a disappointing experience. I was looking forward to seeing the Koalas. To my amazement and disgust, there was only one and that too it was perched high on a tree that made it impossible to see. The rest of the animals were either taken from there enclosure or too difficult to see. Another suggestion is that you need to put up more signs to navigate the zoo. Too few signs and not a lot of staff to help you. Hoping this will bring some changes to the zoo.

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.

This is a great, small, well organized zoo for children, but I would not recommend it for adults that want to see a lot of wildlife. Fantastic for a family day with young children.

This zoo has so much to see!! The highlight was the kangaroo encounter. Definitely worth the extra money and was on my bucket list to pet one! The guides were also very nice and patient. You're not allowed to wear flip flops which I didn't know, but they were able to bring me out a pair of some Rubber boots which was very nice considering out walk back home was pretty far. I don't have one negative thing to say about this zoo. It's mapped out well and if you're from the US it's a bit comparable to the San Diego 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!

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!

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.

Hands down, the best zoo I've ever been to! The exhibits were great! My favorite was the butterfly "house" ... you walk into this green house and there are butterflies EVERYWHERE! Just floating around, landing on your head, shoulder, back, etc. HUGE butterflies at that. I was almost freaked out, simply because of how large and detailed they were. But still amazing. My other favorite part was when I had a photo shoot with a free roaming peacock. Such a beautiful creature and so elegant (even when trying to get away from the crazy lady taking his picture). It's great that he was allowed to wander where ever he pleased. The elephant exhibit was a bit sad for me, they're so large, they need more space than what a zoo can offer, but it was still a nice exhibit. The monkey section was funny, thank goodness the zoo put up a plastic shield, otherwise, this creepy little monkey would have pissed on us! Haha, yeah, I got picture of that too! It was neat to be able to walk through the "outback" area where there is no barrier between you, the kangaroos, and the emus. That was really cool, the kangaroos were lazy bastards, just soaking up the sun and lounging around. Awesome. There are lots of little hidden treasures around the park. Nice little accents for each section, gives you more to look at and appreciate. The landscaping is really beautiful too.

Seeing I now have kids of the age that appreciate animals and zoos (3 and 1) a trip to the zoo was in order. I have always liked the zoo, little did I know how far it had come in since my last trip, years ago. The seal and penguin exhibit was totally new to me, and quite amazing. Plenty of room for viewing during the busy summer school holidays. The gorillas were very animated, not just sitting around watching us, so we got lucky and watched them for a while. My daughter was excited to see the kanagroos and koalas, my son loved seeing the echidna. Maybe not as much as she loved riding the carosel though! The newer orangutan enclosure was amazing. One mother had her baby way up high and was putting on quite the show. We used an entertainment book 2 for 1 which meant (thanks to the age of our kids) we got in for the price of one adult. We took a nice picnic lunch too. One tip make sure if you drive to have a $2 coin for the parking meter.

To be fair, I haven't been to many zoos but this is probably the best one I've ever seen! The sheer range of animals that you can see here is pretty outstanding, especially considering how small it seems in area. It almost seems like you're walking through a neighborhood park or something. I think that's a good thing personally. When we rocked up to the counter to pay, the lady working there was like "judging by your accents, you're probably going to want to see the kangaroos and koalas over here" and circled them on the map. What! I have an accent?? I thought Australians were the ones with accents!! Anyway, my favorite bit of the zoo had to be the lions. It had to be feeding time when we were there because they were roaring up a storm. I think they were freaking out all the other animals because a lot of the small ones were hiding in their little pens. I also liked the little penguins, which I believe are the same ones you can see in the "wild" at the St Kilda Pier and Phillip Island. The meerkats are simply adorable (I thought seriously about taking one home with me). The elephants are also a highlight. Ironically, the most disappointing part of the zoo was the Australian wildlife section with the 'roos and wallabies, etc. There really weren't many animals in that section for some reason. I guess it's all the same, all you need to do is drive out of the city for an hour or so to see them!

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.

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!

It's the ZOO. With Meercats and Giraffes and Lions and Gorillas and Elephants and Shiny colorful birds and so many more animals.. (If it's not obvious by now, I get tiny bit excited by it) There are food places inside - Hotdogs, sandwiches, Asian Lunch fare. There are gift shops with plushies. If you are lucky enough to time things right, you can be there for keepers watch where they explain things and try to get elephant into water (who wouldn't in this cold) But Still fun. In nutshell, Go and watch meercats be crazy or be stared by Emus or if nothing else, just grab a hotdog and watch seals do seal stuff

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 :)

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.

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.

Melbourne Zoo is such a great place to visit for any age. I've been going annually since I was a child because there's nothing more fun than looking at the gorillas, having butterflies land on you in the butterfly house and walking past the 100 year old turtles that look like huge rocks. Zoo rangers have feeding times that you can go and watch, and there are shows when you can see reptiles and birds of prey up close. It's Australia's oldest zoo, open since 1862, and has more than 300 species of animals from around the world. There have been many renovations over the years and all the animals have lovely big enclosures within the botanical gardens - the elephant's house is fantastic, it's like an airport hangar, and they also have lots of outdoor room to roam. My favourite time of the year is obviously in summer, when closing time isn't until 9.30pm, as they host a Zoo Twilights program where you can visit the zoo and then stay and have a picnic in the park and listen to some great jazz and international music. The Zoo is really easy to get to by car, train or tram, and has all the necessary shops and facilities.

Worst zoo I have ever been to. Most of the exhibits were 'coming soon'. The ones that weren't would have 1-2 animals per exhibit. Butterfly room is the only worthwhile exhibit. Very dissapointing and a waste of time and money. Wouldn't recommend a visit even if you are in the area.

The most fun you and the family will ever have in a day. I love anything to do with animals so that was a start. The Melbourne zoo will give many many MANY hours of fun. The layout of the zoo is easy to navigate through and staff are always willing to help and assist you as well as being very friendly! I would defiantly recommend for a day of fun! Make sure you check out the bird aviary and the Lions which were personal favourites and a must see!

My kids love this place, we purchased yearly family pass and since it's our favourite place for to revisit it again and again with kids. Lots of animals nice greenery and really amazing location to get there and ample parking. What else we need...

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.

So when I moved into Parkville I had imagined hearing lions roar from my bedroom. This was unfortunately not the case :( I had to go and check out what was going on with this zoo and then realized how deceiving the map I was looking at was. After a bit of a hike I made it and started to make my way around. The entry price was pretty decent too, especially after hitting up the Melbourne Aquarium earlier in the week. The exhibits all look very well maintained and the Zoo was huge. You could easily spend a whole day there. The one downer on my day was the small cats exhibits were closed :( I really wanted to see the kitties. I might have to make a trip back again just for them. I always end up spending a half an hour or more in the gift shops trying on all the cool things. Favorite animal: The Red Panda!!!!! OMG so cute I wanted to cry.

I went to Melbourne zoo for the second time yesterday. It was a great day out with my house mates in the sunshine & talking to the animals. I went to the zoo the first time around a year ago and i could see there were a lot of improvements. There are lovely pathways around the exhibits & you can tell it is well looked after. I do think it can be pretty confusing getting around the whole of the zoo and the animals. Although there are sign posts i think there could be a few more. There are great grass areas where you can chill out to. Even though i did not take any children there are play areas and various tasks/quizzes to do on your way around the zoo. I always wonder if the animals are happy as the enclosures are quite small but they look very well maintained and a member of staff were telling me how spoilt the animals were. They were doing some building works yesterday for the lions new enclosure which would be good to go and see once complete. The location of the zoo is great, its not out in the sticks and its really easy to get to. There is a train station just at the exit that brings you straight back into the city. I think Australia zoo is better all around but Melbourne zoo is a great day out with family and friends.

Zoo is great for the kids. The new seal enclosure is awesome. What's better is that entry for kids is free. Always a winner...

Omg a must do!!! Definitely try the kangaroo experience for one on one with a ton of kangaroos, so amazing, loved the whole zoo.