Australia Zoo

Australia Zoo, one hour north of Brisbane on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast, was made famous by  the Crocodile Hunter Steve Irwin. Nestled on 105 acres and featuring over 1,200 native and exotic animals, it’s the most interactive wildlife adventure and conservation destination on the planet.  Check out giraffes, rhinos, zebras, meerkats and cheetahs at the African Savannah, and majestic tigers and red pandas in South-East Asia. Visit Bindi’s Island, where you can explore a three-storey treehouse with sweeping views of Australia Zoo, and see ring-tailed lemurs, giant Aldabran Tortoises, colourful macaws and more!

Watch the world-famous Wildlife Warriors show, with all the slithering, swooping, jaw-snapping action of saltwater crocodiles, birds and snakes LIVE in the Crocoseum.   Cool off at The Laughing Frog Water Park, this fun-filled area is open to all guests and boasts a water splash play area with spectacular wildlife sculptures!

Learn about amazing animals by booking an up-close animal encounter or check out the free daily wildlife shows on offer. And don’t forget to say hello to all the roving wildlife around the zoo too! 

Elephantasia

Conservation Shows are on throughout the day so you can schedule in time with your favourite beast. The tropical ‘Elephantasia’ is where zookeepers introduce you to the wonderful Sumatran elephants. Watch and experience first-hand as these majestic mammals show off their impressive dexterous trunks and playful nature. These Sumatran elephants are herbivores and their trunk and large molars enable them to gather and process between five to ten percent of their body weight in vegetation per day, including grasses, leaves, fruit and bark. Elephants do not drink with their trunks; they use them as ‘tools’ to drink with. Consuming up to 200 litres of water each day, a Sumatran elephant will fill its trunk with water and then pour the water into its mouth. These creatures get to enjoy the many acres available to them at Australia Zoo.

Crocoseum

One of the highlights of your visit will no doubt be showtime in the Crocoseum. The Wildlife Warriors Show will get you exposed to a variety of creatures including birds, snakes and of course the frightening crocodile in all its snapping glory. The zookeepers will teach you more about these  amazing animals in the world famous Crocoseum! Let yourself enjoy the slithering, swooping, jaw-snapping adventure offered by  these animals. The staff at Australia Zoo are tackling the world’s conservation issues in their quest to protect the animal kingdom, and want you to join their army of Wildlife Warriors.

Tiger Temple

Pay a visit to the Tiger Temple, which is home to the magnificent Sumatran and Bengal tigers! This is where you can get up close and personal with these magnificent felines. The Temple is built to resemble an ancient south-east Asian temple, with two massive Thai dogs at the entrance, several Balinese huts and bamboo galore! Playing within this  80 metres of lush surroundings, the tigers can run and swim to their heart’s content! The expertly trained tiger handlers ensure the tigers are entertained with a vast selection of toys and the Temple showcases the only underwater viewing enclosure for tigers in the southern hemisphere.

African Savannah

The African Savannah is the place to spot a variety of different species from this region of the world. Living here you will see rhino, zebra and giraffe, and of course those cute little meerkats! You may also catch a Cheetah on their walk each day. The zebra is currently listed as a near threatened species. You can even adopt one of these incredible looking creatures which are a close cousin to horses and donkeys. If you wish to carry out an animal adoption this will be a single payment and lasts for 12 months from the date of purchase when you can choose to renew.

Sponsor a cocodile

There are lots of ways to help the conservation fight. If you have an attraction to the reptilian giants you can sponsor your very own crocodile! What a unique gift for someone with a fondness for these mighty creatures! The Australia Zoo team travel to Steve Irwin Wildlife reserve in Cape York and carry out valuable research into the saltwater crocodile. By getting involved, you not only help with the quest to find out more on these creatures, you also get to name your crocodile. The saltwater crocodile is the king of all 27 species of crocodilian. They grow to be the largest and most fierce  reptile on the planet! They are also a direct link to our prehistoric past and have been on the planet unchanged for over 65 million years. These impressive carnivores are capable of reaching up to seven metres in length and weighing over 1,000 kilograms. Something to marvel at from a distance!

Wildlife Hospital

For the small cost of a bag of food, you can enjoy feeding the Aussie kangaroos – there are red and  grey kangaroos, rock and swamp wallabies all located within Roo Heaven. These Aussie icons are extremely tame and used to having people around so make sure you get to know them.

One of the amazing opportunities on offer at Australia Zoo is the ability to be a Zoo Keeper for a day! This is a must do for kids aged 4 – 16 who have a penchant for wildlife. Kids will learn what a day in the life of a Zoo Keeper holds. From finding out how to prepare the animals’ food to how humans can assist in their entertainment and play. Kids are also given lunch to round out their experience and meet like minded friends.

Australia Zoo provides a much needed sanctuary for the over 100 species of animals in their care. It also allows them the opportunity to educate the public about conservation and research all benefitting the protection of these animals in the wild.

Another stop on your day would have to be the Wildlife Hospital. Here you can appreciate the incredible work that the veterinary staff do to save and treat wildlife both from the area and the park. Opened in 2004 the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital has treated and released tens of thousands of sick or injured native animals.