Taronga Zoo Entry Ticket with Return Ferry from Circular Quay Sydney

Circular Quay and the Ferry Across Sydney Harbour

Your day starts at Circular Quay, the ferry hub of Sydney, set between the Opera House and The Rocks. From Wharf 6 the ferry crosses the harbour in roughly 15 minutes, giving you a close look at the white sails of the Opera House, the steel arch of the Harbour Bridge and the green headlands of the north shore. Ferries run frequently through the day, with the first at about 9 a.m., so you can leave when it suits you.

How to get to Taronga Zoo is one of the first questions visitors ask, and the ferry is the easiest and most scenic answer: there is little parking at the zoo and the road route winds through the suburbs. The ride back in the late afternoon is just as rewarding, with the city skyline catching the low sun. Circular Quay train station sits right behind the wharves, so connections to the rest of Sydney are simple.

Taronga Zoo and Wild Australia

Taronga Zoo opened in 1916 on a sloping bushland site in Mosman, and its name comes from an Aboriginal word usually translated as beautiful view. Few zoos anywhere can match its setting: paths wind down the hillside with the harbour and the city spread out below. The zoo cares for animals from around the world, with a strong focus on conservation and breeding programmes for threatened Australian species.

Wild Australia is where most visitors start. You can see koalas resting in eucalyptus trees, kangaroos and wallabies in open bushland, echidnas, wombats and the shy platypus in its darkened house, as well as colourful native birds in the walk-through aviary. Keepers give regular talks through the day explaining how each animal lives in the wild. Allow at least an hour here, and visit the platypus early, when it is often most active.

Great Southern Oceans, the Seal Show and the Bird Show

The Great Southern Oceans area brings the coast of southern Australia to life, with seals, sea lions and little penguins swimming in large pools that you can watch from above and through underwater windows. The seal show held in the theatre here is a favourite with children, showing how these strong swimmers dive and communicate, and how they are threatened by ocean plastic.

High on the hill, the bird show takes place in an open amphitheatre with the harbour as its backdrop. Owls, parrots, birds of prey and other species fly low over the audience while presenters explain their behaviour. Check the daily show times on arrival and plan your route around them, because both shows are included and they are among the best moments of a Taronga Zoo visit. Arrive about 15 minutes early to get good seats.

Wild Asia, the African Savannah and Practical Tips

Wild Asia is a leafy trail past Asian elephants, Sumatran tigers and other species from the forests of South and South-East Asia, with raised walkways that bring you close to the elephants. On the African Savannah, giraffes stand with the city skyline and the Harbour Bridge behind them, which makes it the most photographed corner of the zoo. Lions, zebras and meerkats live nearby.

Taronga Zoo opening hours are usually from 9:30 a.m. to the late afternoon, with slightly shorter days in winter. The ferry wharf sits at the bottom of the hill and the main entrance at the top, so many visitors go up first and then walk downhill through the zoo back to the ferry. Wear comfortable shoes, carry water and plan five to six hours to see the highlights. Cafés inside the zoo sell food, or you can bring a picnic.