Zoos and Wildlife Sanctuaries

Explore the Best Zoos, Wildlife Parks, and Animal Sanctuaries Across Australia

Australia is home to some of the most unique and fascinating wildlife on the planet, and there’s no better way to experience it up close than by visiting the country’s top zoos, wildlife sanctuaries, and rehabilitation centres. Whether you’re meeting kangaroos and koalas, spotting Tasmanian devils, or learning about native birdlife and reptiles, each state offers something special for animal lovers, families, and eco-conscious travellers. This comprehensive, state-by-state guide highlights the best wildlife parks, conservation centres, and rescue facilities that welcome visitors — complete with opening hours, location details, and animal specialities — making it easier than ever to plan your next wildlife encounter in Australia.

Zoos, Wildlife Parks & Sanctuaries in New South Wales (NSW)

Name	Location	Opening Hours	Animal Focus	Visitor Info
Taronga Zoo	Sydney	Daily: 9:30 AM – 4:30 PM	Native and exotic animals	Iconic zoo with harbor views; offers various wildlife experiences. taronga.org.au
Taronga Western Plains Zoo	Dubbo	Daily: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Large exotic animals	Open-range zoo featuring safari-style exhibits. taronga.org.au
Featherdale Wildlife Park	Doonside	Daily: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Native Australian wildlife	Home to one of Australia’s largest collections of native animals. featherdale.com.au
Australian Reptile Park	Somersby	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Reptiles, native mammals	Offers interactive exhibits and live shows. reptilepark.com.au
Symbio Wildlife Park	Helensburgh	Daily: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM	Native and exotic animals	Features hands-on experiences and animal encounters. symbiozoo.com.au
Koala Park Sanctuary	West Pennant Hills	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Koalas and native Australian animals	Offers close encounters with koalas and other wildlife. koalapark.com.au
Mogo Wildlife Park	Mogo	Daily: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Exotic and endangered species	Houses a diverse range of animals; focuses on conservation. mogowildlifepark.com.au
Altina Wildlife Park	Darlington Point	Guided tours by appointment	Exotic and native animals	Provides safari-style tours in horse-drawn carts. altinawildlife.com
Hunter Valley Wildlife Park	Nulkaba	Daily: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Native and exotic animals	Features interactive feeding experiences. huntervalleywildlifepark.com.au
Aussie Ark	Barrington Tops	Tours by appointment	Endangered Australian species	Conservation facility focusing on breeding and rewilding programs. aussieark.org.au

Zoos, Wildlife Parks & Sanctuaries in the Northern Territory (NT)

Name	Location	Opening Hours / Visitor Info	Animal Focus	Notes / Website
Alice Springs Desert Park	Alice Springs	Daily: 7:30 AM – 6:00 PM	Desert plants and animals	Immersive desert wildlife experience. desertpark.com.au
Territory Wildlife Park	Berry Springs	Daily: 8:30 AM – 5:00 PM	Native wildlife of NT	Wildlife displays, walks, and bird aviaries. territorywildlifepark.com.au
Crocosaurus Cove	Darwin	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Saltwater crocodiles and reptiles	Cage-of-death crocodile experiences. crocosauruscove.com.au
Kakadu National Park Wildlife	Kakadu National Park	Park open daily, visitor centres 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native wildlife, crocodiles, birds	Large national park with wildlife viewing
Territory Wildlife Hospital	Berry Springs	No public walk-ins; some tours by appointment	Wildlife rehabilitation	Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation centre

Zoos, Wildlife Parks & Sanctuaries in Queensland (QLD)

Name	Location	Opening Hours	Animal Focus	Visitor Info
Australia Zoo	Beerwah	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native and exotic animals	Founded by Steve Irwin; offers wildlife shows and encounters. australiazoo.com.au
Currumbin Wildlife Sanctuary	Currumbin	Daily: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Native Australian wildlife	Features interactive experiences and shows. currumbinsanctuary.com.au
David Fleay Wildlife Park	Burleigh Heads	Daily: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Native Australian animals	Showcases animals in natural habitats. parks.des.qld.gov.au
Wildlife Habitat	Port Douglas	Daily: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Native wildlife in natural environments	Offers immersive habitats and wildlife encounters. wildlifehabitat.com.au
Lone Pine Koala Sanctuary	Fig Tree Pocket	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Koalas, kangaroos, and other native species	World’s first and largest koala sanctuary. koala.net
Wildlife HQ Zoo	Woombye	Daily: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Native and exotic animals	Home to over 200 species; offers animal encounters. wildlifehq.com.au
Billabong Sanctuary	Nome (Townsville)	Daily: 9:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Native Australian wildlife	Features interactive wildlife experiences. billabongsanctuary.com.au
Rockhampton Zoo	Rockhampton	Daily: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Native and exotic animals	Free entry; houses over 60 species. rockhamptonregion.qld.gov.au
Cooberrie Park Wildlife Sanctuary	Woodbury (Yeppoon)	Daily: 10:00 AM – 3:00 PM	Native Australian wildlife	Offers hands-on wildlife experiences. cooberriepark.com.au
Wildlife Rescue Fraser Coast	Maryborough	By appointment	Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation	Focuses on rescuing and rehabilitating injured wildlife. facebook.com/wildliferescuefrasercoast

Zoos, Wildlife Parks & Sanctuaries in South Australia (SA)

Name	Location	Opening Hours / Visitor Info	Animal Focus	Notes / Website
Monarto Safari Park	Monarto (near Murray Bridge)	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Large exotic and native animals	One of the largest open-range zoos worldwide. monartosafari.com.au
Cleland Wildlife Park	Crafers (Adelaide Hills)	Daily: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM	Native Australian animals	Walk-through park with koalas, kangaroos, emus. clelandwildlifepark.sa.gov.au
Adelaide Zoo	Adelaide	Daily: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM	Native and exotic animals	Historic zoo with pandas and a large variety. adelaidezoo.com.au
Kangaroo Island Wildlife Park	Kangaroo Island	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native Australian animals	Wildlife rescue and encounters. kiwildlifepark.com.au
Warrawong Wildlife Sanctuary	Mylor	By appointment only	Native wildlife, conservation	Education and rehabilitation programs. warrawongwildlife.com.au
Scarborough Wildlife Sanctuary	Scarborough (Adelaide)	By appointment only	Native Australian wildlife	Rehabilitation and education focus
Parra Wirra Conservation Park	Near Adelaide	Public access, self-guided walks	Native wildlife, birds	Wildlife habitat and walking trails
Mount Lofty Botanic Garden Wildlife	Crafers	Open daily 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native birds and small mammals	Native wildlife in botanical garden setting
Adelaide Koala and Wildlife Hospital	Blair Athol	Visits by appointment only	Koalas and native wildlife	Wildlife rescue and rehabilitation
Belair National Park Wildlife Areas	Belair (Adelaide)	Open daily	Native wildlife	Popular park with native wildlife viewing
Blinman Wildlife Sanctuary	Flinders Ranges	By appointment only	Native wildlife	Remote conservation and rehabilitation

Zoos, Wildlife Parks & Sanctuaries in Tasmania (TAS)

Name	Location	Opening Hours	Animal Focus	Visitor Info
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary	Brighton	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native Tasmanian wildlife	Offers close encounters with Tasmanian devils and other species. bonorong.com.au
Devils@Cradle	Cradle Mountain	Daily: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM	Tasmanian devils and quolls	Provides guided tours focusing on conservation efforts. [devils

Zoos, Wildlife Parks & Sanctuaries in Victoria (VIC)

Name	Location	Opening Hours	Animal Focus	Visitor Info
Melbourne Zoo	Parkville	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native and exotic animals	Australia’s oldest zoo; features a wide variety of species. zoo.org.au/melbourne
Healesville Sanctuary	Healesville	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native Australian animals	Specializes in conservation of native species. zoo.org.au/healesville
Werribee Open Range Zoo	Werribee	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	African and Australian animals	Offers safari tours and open-range exhibits. zoo.org.au/werribee
Moonlit Sanctuary	Pearcedale	Daily: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native Australian wildlife	Offers evening tours to see nocturnal animals. moonlitsanctuary.com.au
Ballarat Wildlife Park	Ballarat	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native Australian wildlife	Features interactive wildlife experiences. wildlifepark.com.au
Halls Gap Zoo	Halls Gap	Daily: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native and exotic animals	Victoria’s largest regional zoo; houses over 160 species. hallsgapzoo.com.au
Jirrahlinga Koala and Wildlife Sanctuary	Barwon Heads	Daily: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Koalas and native Australian animals	Focuses on rescue and rehabilitation of wildlife. jirrahlinga.com.au
Phillip Island Wildlife Park	Cowes	Daily: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native Australian animals	Offers opportunities to feed and interact with wildlife. phillipislandwildlifepark.com
Maru Koala and Animal Park	Grantville	Daily: 9:30 AM – 5:00 PM	Koalas and native Australian animals	Provides close encounters with koalas and other wildlife. marukoalapark.com.au
Kyabram Fauna Park	Kyabram	Daily: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native Australian animals	Features a variety of native species in natural settings. kyabramfaunapark.com.au

Zoos, Wildlife Parks & Sanctuaries in Western Australia (WA)

Name	Location	Opening Hours / Visitor Info	Animal Focus	Notes / Website
Perth Zoo	South Perth	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Native & exotic animals	Large, well-established zoo. perthzoo.wa.gov.au
Caversham Wildlife Park	Whiteman Park, Perth	Daily: 9:00 AM – 4:30 PM	Native Australian wildlife	Koala, wombat, kangaroo encounters. cavershamwildlife.com.au
Armadale Reptile & Wildlife Centre	Armadale (Perth Hills)	Daily: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Reptiles, birds, mammals	Great reptile displays. armadalereptilecentre.com.au
Kanyana Wildlife Rehabilitation Centre	Lesmurdie (Perth Hills)	Open days, school holidays, and tours by booking	Native wildlife rehabilitation & education	Booked tours only. kanyana.org.au
Cohunu Koala Park	Byford (near Perth)	Daily: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Koalas, emus, kangaroos, parrots	Koala photos available. cohunu.com.au
Discover Deadly	Carbunup (near Busselton)	Thurs–Sun: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Reptiles and deadly Australian creatures	Educational focus. discoverdeadly.com.au
Bunbury Wildlife Park	Bunbury	Daily: 10:00 AM – 5:00 PM (seasonal)	Native animals	Family-friendly walk-through park. bunburywildlifepark.com.au
FAWNA Inc. (Forest & Wildlife Association)	Busselton area	By appointment only	Wildlife rehabilitation	Rescue centre; tours by booking. fawna.com.au
Dolphin Discovery Centre	Bunbury	Daily: 9:00 AM – 3:00 PM	Marine wildlife, dolphins	Interactive displays & tours. dolphindiscovery.com.au
Kangaroo Haven	Kununurra (East Kimberley)	By appointment only	Kangaroo rescue & release	Wildlife rescue tours. Facebook or kangaroohaven.com.au
Broome Bird Observatory	Broome	Daily access, tours available	Birdlife (shorebirds)	Birdwatching haven. broomebirdobservatory.com
Eagles Heritage	Margaret River	Daily: 10:00 AM – 4:00 PM	Birds of prey	Flight displays daily. eaglesheritage.com.au
Sunflowers Animal Farm	Margaret River	Daily: 9:00 AM – 5:00 PM	Farm animals & wildlife	Great for kids. sunflowersfarm.com
Yanchep National Park Koala Boardwalk	Yanchep (north of Perth)	Park open daily	Koalas and native wildlife	Koalas on display in natural setting. parks.dpaw.wa.gov.au
W.A. Birds of Prey Centre	Near Perth / traveling	Mobile & static displays	Raptors & owls	Educational events. wabirdsofprey.com
Emu Ridge Wildlife Sanctuary	Kalbarri	By appointment or guided tour	Emus and other wildlife	Small private sanctuary
Uralla Wildlife Shelter	Albany region	Private shelter – tours by arrangement	Wildlife rehabilitation	Bookings essential
Native Animal Rescue	Malaga (Perth)	Not open daily – educational tours only	Wildlife rehab & education	Education programs for schools. nativeanimalrescue.org.au

Plan Your Next Wildlife Experience in Australia

From iconic institutions like Australia Zoo and Taronga Zoo to lesser-known wildlife sanctuaries and ethical rehabilitation centres, every corner of Australia offers opportunities to connect with its remarkable fauna. Whether you’re seeking family-friendly parks, bird observatories, marine life centres, or hands-on conservation experiences, this guide brings together the most visitor-accessible wildlife attractions in one place. Don’t forget to check hours, book in advance when needed, and support local efforts in wildlife care and conservation. Use this list to inspire your next unforgettable Australian wildlife adventure.