
|  | | Feed the giraffes at Taronga Zoo |
| Discover the Evolution of Zoos in Australia
Brooke Montgomery channels her
inner historian to discover the
evolution of zoos in Australia. | | |
| Human interest in keeping animals
dates back thousands of years
and began with the royal families
housing animals in menageries.
Jack Hanna once described zoo
animals as “ambassadors for their cousins in
the wild”. It was only once scientists realised
the potential of zoos as entertainment that the
modern zoo was born with exhibits and a
strong focus on conservation. Plus, there are
so many adorable animals to fall in love with!
| | |
| Taronga Zoo
Sydney, New South Wales
The first public zoo in New South Wales
opened in 1884 and was reopened as Taronga
Zoo in 1916. The new park was modelled after
the bar-less exhibits of Germany’s Hamburg
Zoo and nearly 850 animals crossed Sydney
Harbour to their new enclosures on board a
barge. In 1967 the zoo began to focus on
conservation, research and education, and is
now involved with breeding programmes for 18
different species and cares for roughly 1500
native animals each year in its animal hospital.
With 4000 animals to visit and over 20 keeper
talks and shows each day it’s a wonder visitors
can fit it all in. Although, why not have a
sleepover? Roar and Snore is Sydney’s
ultimate slumber party
set in the heart of the
zoo with spectacular
views over the Sydney
Harbour Bridge and the
Opera House. Just
imagine that sunrise! | | |
| Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary
Currumbin, Queensland
Local beekeeper and flower grower, Alex
Griffiths, accidentally established the sanctuary
in 1947 when he began feeding the lorikeets so
they wouldn’t chow down on his precious
blooms. The spectacle soon developed from a
local curiosity to a full-blown tourist attraction.
Now set on 27 hectares of bushland,
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary is home to
hundreds of native birds and animals –
including the famous lorikeets, of course. Hand
feed the kangaroos as you venture through
their paddock, cuddle one of the 54 koalas,
feed Boss Hog, the massive croc, and try your
luck at a happy snap with the free-roaming
emus. Visitors can even explore the back deck
of the Wildlife Hospital and get a bird’s-eye
view of the veterinarians at work. | | |
|  | | ©
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary |
| Australia Zoo
Beerwah, Queensland
Australia Zoo spanned just two acres when it
first opened as the Beerwah Reptile and Fauna
Park in 1970, housing mainly reptiles, birdlife
and kangaroos. Following his parents’
retirement in 1992, Steve Irwin continued to
expand both the wildlife park and the Irwin
brand. With a keen focus on conservation,
Steve and his wife Terri put all the money
earned from their filming projects back into
conservation and preservation. It was their
philosophy that “the zoo animals came first,
the zoo team came second and the zoo visitors
came third”. Thanks to this ideology, the park
now encompasses 42 hectares, employs over
400 staff and is home to the largest and busiest
wildlife hospital of its kind in the world... crikey!
These days the zoo houses over 100 different
species from the tiny to the tremendous, but
everyone knows it’s the fearsome crocodiles
that everyone comes to see. | | |
| Melbourne Zoo
Parkville, Victoria
Opened in 1862, Melbourne Zoo was the first
of its kind in Australia and has wowed crowds
ever since. Like many zoos, its objectives have
transformed over time from a purely
entertainment role to a far greater focus on
conservation. The zoo’s “Don’t Palm Us Off”
campaign fights for clearer labelling on
products, particularly palm oil, and conserving
the natural habitat of those beautiful
orangutans. Enjoy the popular behind-thescenes
encounters, immerse yourself in the
magic of the Butterfly House, tour the treetops
in the Orang-utan
Sanctuary, scamper
through the rainforest on
Lemur Island and meet the
magnificent manes of Lion
Gorge – if you dare! | | |
|  | | Meerkats and Ranni. Photo credit: Adrian Mann |
| Adelaide Zoo
Adelaide, South Australia
Opening to the public in 1883, Adelaide Zoo
holds the title of Australia’s second oldest zoo
and was modelled on the European facilities of
the time, particularly London’s Regents Park
Zoo. Some of the original exhibits feature
building styles symbolic of the resident
animal’s country of origin, for example the focal
point of the Elephant House, built in 1900, is an
Indian-style temple. Now the Zoo is a vibrant
sanctuary in the city and more than 3000 exotic
and native animals call it home. With more than
20 amazing animal experiences are on offer for
visitors, from feeding the tiny to the
tremendous, furry to the fearsome, your family
will have a blast. Adelaide Zoo Is also heavily
involved with conservation efforts throughout
Africa and Asia, and has even been at the
forefront of an animal breeding technique
called cross-fostering to save endangered
wallaby species. | | |
| The Australian Rhino Project
More than 5000 rhinos have been poached in South Africa since 2010 and
the animals will likely be extinct within the next 10 years. The mission of the
Australian Rhino Project is to fly 80 African rhinos from South Africa to
Australia in order to establish a breeding herd as an insurance population. | | |
|  | |  | | Bindi Irwin | | © Melbourne Zoo |
| | | This article appeared in volume 49 of Holidays with Kids magazine.
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