There are three zoos in Melbourne and I made it to the last one this weekend, Werribee Open Range Zoo.
When we arrived the ticket guy immediately booked us in for the safari tour, we only had 20 minutes before it left, so first we grabbed a bite to eat at the Meerkat Bistro/Kiosk. The Kiosk sells quick take-away items like fish and chips, ready-made sandwiches and drinks. If you have a bit more time the Bistro serves fresh made to order meals, steak sandwiches, hot focaccias, pastas. They serve the full menu only during lunch hours (noon-2:30pm), during other hours there is a limited menu available.
Next it was onto the safari tour- the tour is included with your general admission, so everyone should take advantage. At the appointed time you are loaded onto the tour buses with a friendly guide/driver- no food or drinks allowed, so finish up your lunch before heading out.
The buses then take you through the "open range" including the Australian bushlands, the desert, and finally the African savannah. It's a very different way to see the animals and you really get the experience like you're on a real safari. so when you spot the animals there is a sense of excitement, like you were really lucky to see them :) But don't worry, everyone will see them!
The savannah was my favorite part of the tour. first you drive along the ridge of the savanah and are able to see the animals in the distance, then you head down a steep hill into the middlle of it, where you'll get up close and personal with the animals. In the savannah all the animals are roaming free, so you'll see giraffes, zebras and rhinos all in the same area. We loved the rhinos! The were huge and we were able to get really close. So close that one of the females started to get angry and the driver said we might have to drive off if she gets mad enough to charge (I'm sure he just said that for effect, but it was still exciting). The whole tour takes about 45 minutes and was totally worth it.
After the tour we checked out the rest of the zoo- the Pula Reserve Walking Trail. I love how this was laid out. It's set up like you are walking through an African village. So there are huts, chicken coops, trails through tall grasses, a rope bridge, stepping stones across the water. Just walking through was fun. Of course, on your walk you'll also see lots of animals.
I loved how so many of the animals were in what looked like large, open enclosures, with glass that seemed to keep us away from them, rather than the other way around.
There are also plenty of extra tour opportunities available. You can go in one of the open-air vehicles which go off the path during the safari tour and get much closer to the animals. You can even sleep overnight in the savannah! see the website for details on these experiences.
Name: Werribee Open Range Zoo Telephone: 03 9731 9600 Website: www.zoo.org.au/WerribeeOpenRangeZoo Admission: Adult $24.40, Child $12.10, Family $55.50
Friends of the Zoo Passes are good at all 3 zoos (Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo, and Healesville Santuary) for 12 months from the time of purchase. Location: K Road, Werribee, VIC 3030 Getting There: Catch a train from the Melbourne CBD to Werribee Startion (Werribee Line Train), then from the train station catch bus 439 (Werribee South) from Werribee station to the Zoo. Buses leave the train station once an hour (at 15 minutes past the hour). Because buses are few and far between I recommend planning your departure/arrival around the bus schedule.
Where to start? There are lots of things to do on Phillip Island. We did it in one day, we hired a car and drove down in the morning and then left after the Penguin Parade, however there is more than enough to keep you busy for two days, so consider staying overnight on the island. That being said I'll tell about the things we did, and give some other info on the attractions we missed.
Our first stop was Woolamai Beach- I was so sad we only brought bathing suits for the kids, because it was a really fun swimming/surfing beach. Next time, we'll bring suits and boogie boards. There were lifeguards keeping watch over the swimmers, that always makes me feel a little safer.
From Woolamai Beach Carpark there are two walking trails. The first is a two hour walk heading up to the highest point on the island, Cape Woolamai. The is also a one hour walk along the beach to the Colonnades, a "natural attraction featuring columns of basalt and is best seen at low tide". No dogs are allowed on either path. Check here for more walking paths on the island.
Along the main road there is also Surf Beach (original name, right?) which I'm sure is also an awesome beach.
Next stop was the Koala Conservation Centre, so cool! There is a nice gift shop and Visitors Center where you can learn about the koalas before going out to see them. There are a few different paths, The Koala Boardwalk, Woodlands Path and one other that I forget the name :) The Koala Boardwalk is a raised platform that allows you to the walk high up in the gum trees where some of the koalas are resting right at eye level. We got some great views of the adorable little guys.
We were even lucky enough to see a few with their eyes open. Since they sleep 18-20 hours a day, that is pretty exciting.
Don't skip the woodlands walks because you're likely to see some cute little wallabies jumping around and even an echidna if you're lucky.
Another destination is the Churchill Island Heritage Farm. We didn't have time to make it there, but it looked like a lot of fun. Here's what the website says about it:
Experience a piece of Victoria's heritage on this historic island, where you can enjoy a relaxing stroll through the fragrant cottage gardens and lawns. Coastline walks offer magnificent views of Phillip Island and Western Port, while the restored farmhouse and cottages provide a glimpse into the past lives of early Australian settlers and past farming practices.
It was about 2:30pm and by this point int he day we were STARVING! We headed over to the town of Cowes to grab lunch. Bad idea at 2:30pm because most places were closed till dinner. We finally found Gulliver's Cafe and restaurant and grabbed some fish and chips. It was fine, but I was so hungry that anything would have tasted great, so I wouldn't be a very good critic. The town itself was unimpressive, though it did have a lovely bayside beach and nice tree lined main street.
I asked someone once what these trees are called but I cannot, for the life of me, remember. So if you know, please leave me a comment and tell me! I love them!
We didn't go to the Phillip Island Wildlife Park, but I would highly recommend it because you'll have a chance to hand feed the kangaroos, and we all know how much I love that! They also have bats, dingoes, wombats and heaps of other animals.
Next on our list was a visit to The Nobbies, which is a free center and walk along the cliffs just past the Penguin parade entrance. It's the perfect thing to do for a couple hours before you go see the penguins.
The center has lots of great information on the marine life found around Phillip Island, including some cool interactive displays. But the highlight of the Nobbies is the view. Head out onto the boardwalk to the bright green hillside cliffs that drop into the ocean.
Check out all the interesting rock formations at the base of the cliffs, including the blowhole. Wait for a big wave to come into this cave and as it crashes at the back water comes spraying out the mouth of the cave.
On a clear day they say you can see fur seals off the shore, but we didn't see a single one.We did, however, see some of the adorable fairy penguins high up on the hills, poking their heads out of their burrows.
Since you cannot take photos at the Penguin Parade I felt very lucky to get a picture of these little guys.
After a long and fun-filled day we headed over to the Penguin Parade, the culmination of any Phillip Island trip. In case you don't know, here's an explanation of the Penguin Parade:
The Penguin Parade is Australia’s most popular wildlife attraction and home to the largest Little Penguin colony in the world.
Every sunset, the hundreds to over a thousand wild Little Penguins emerge from the sea and march across the beach to their sand dune burrows.
The Little Penguin is the world’s smallest (and cutest) penguin and the Penguin Parade is the best place to experience this completely natural phenomenon. Courtesy of Phillip Island Nature Parks
Don't get your hopes up for seeing "thousands" of penguins, but they are cute and it was amazing to see them heading home after a day out fishing. We upgraded our ticket to the Penguins Plus, based on the recommendation of a friend and I second that advice. Then general viewing area is out on the main beach, but the Penguins Plus section is over on an isolated corner of the beach where 50% of the penguins pass by on their way up the hill, and you can follow them down the boardwalk and watch the find their way home.
Name: Phillip Island Location: an hour and a half south of Melbourne Website: www.penguins.org.au and www.visitphillipisland.com Admission: A 3-park pass get you into Churchill Island, the Koala Conservation Center, and the Penguin Parade. Child $18.00, Adult $36.00, Family $90.00
The Nobbies is Free.
My trip to Healsville Sanctuary led to my first up close and personal kangaroo encounter. This is a rite of passage for a foreigner and my experience did not disappoint. We arrived at the zoo at 11am and they were doing a kangaroo feeding at 11:30, so we made it just in time. NOTE- they only do the feedings once a day, so don't miss it. There were a lot of people around for the feeding, but most got their fill after a few minutes and we were essentially the last ones left with the kangaroos and the keeper. The big males couldn't be bothered to come over and have a snack, but the small females were more than happy to let us pet and snuggle them.
The were all fun to watch, even the big boys over in the corner that pretty much kept to themselves.
The zoo is much less commercialized than Melbourne zoo. The grounds are all kept very natural with dirt paths leading you between the animals. In between the enclosures you can even find lots of large birds and a wallaby if you're lucky. There is a shop with souvenirs near the main entrance and there are a number of places to grab a bite to eat. A few kiosks with snacks and ready-made sandwiches are tucked away among the trees and there is also a yummy bistro if you'd rather have some freshly made hot food (chips, pizza, foccacias, pies, as well as a rotating menu of restaurant style items.)
Back to the animals. The sanctuary mainly houses Australian bush animals: emus, platypus (is there a plural form of platypus?), koalas, Tasmanian devils, various reptiles, dingoes.
Many of the animals have been brought in because they were sick or injured. These animals are treated at the Australian Wildlife Health Center (located on the Sanctuary grounds and available to tour) then some are released into the wild, others who are not fit to be released will stay at the zoo.
There are lots of chances to "Meet the Keeper," in which the keeper will talk to you about the animals and answer any questions. During the kangaroo presentation the allow you to feed the animals and during the reptile presentation you will be allowed to pet a snake or two, but get there a few minutes early, otherwise you can't see anything. The Birds of Prey presentation is pretty amazing, don't miss that one. The keepers bring out lots of different birds and demonstrate their hunting habits as they swoop over the audience. Get there early for this one too, the close the gates and won't let you in late.
Getting there was my only problem with the zoo. If you have a car, skip ahead because you won't have any problem. If you want to take public transport, plan on 2 1/2 hours each way from the city. You'll take the Lilydale line all the way to the last stop. From there you take the 685 or 686 bus to the Sanctuary (the bus leaves right from the train station, though you might have to wait a bit for the next bus). NOTE- be sure you find out when the buses come by the Sanctuary for your return trip home. We were finished at the zoo at 4pm and had to wait for the next bus till 5:30!
Name: Healesville Sanctuary Location: Badger Creek Road, Healesville Telephone: 1300 ZOOSVIC Website: www.zoo.org.au/HealesvilleSanctuary Admission: Adults $24.40, Children $12.10, Family (2 adults, 2 children) $55.50
Friends of the Zoos Passes also available, see website.
I just can't get enough of those cute little penguins! Checked out the Melbourne Aquarium and I could hardly pull myself away from the penguins.
The penguins are the first attraction as you enter the aquarium, we arrived right as they were feeding them, which was fun to see. They are like a bunch of little kids, waddling around on their tiny little legs :) The aquarium is set up in a one-way loop. After the penguins you head to the Weird & Wonderful section, which is just that: a lot of weird looking sea creatures. For example,
whatever this is. Next you'll take the escalator up to the river to reef exhibit. The top floor of this exhibit (which housed freshwater river/lake fish) was not my favorite part of the aquarium. Freshwater fish tend to be a bit colorless and boring to me. The top floor does house the rock pools where you can touch a starfish, shark egg and sponge, which is a highlight, especially for kids. Down the ramp you'll find the jellies and learn all sorts of interesting facts about them. From here you can head toward the sharks but don't miss the coral reef exhibit, which is also on this level. In this tank there are some of the beautiful reef dwellers, including: a sea turtle, huge eel, and heaps of amazing and colorful fish.
The final section of the aquarium is the Oceanarium, which include the sharks and monstrous rays. The rays were amazing, but for all the hype about he sharks I thought they were a bit underwhelming (though I'm not sure what exactly I was expecting). I can imagine though if you had kids with you (mine were at camp this day) they would find the oceanarium mesmerizing.
My overall impression of the aquarium was mixed. It was definitely worth the trip. That being said, it costs more than the Melbourne zoo, which is an all day trip and the aquarium we breezed through in about 2 hours. So I guess I expected more. There were no seals or dolphins, which I have seen at some other aquariums. The penguin enclosure was probably the most fun, and since it was at the beginning, things just got less exciting as you continued.
Name: Melbourne Aquarium Location: Corner King and Flinders Streets, along the Yarra River Telephone: 03 9923 5999 Website: www.melbourneaquarium.com.au Admission: Adult $32.50, Child $18.50, Concession $21.00, Family $87.50
Who doesn't love a trip to the zoo? It brings out the kid in everyone. Standing at the pool of rays I was just dying to reach out and touch them, never mind the sign next to me saying "please do not touch the animals". Moving through the Wild Sea exhibit, I would have given anything to jump in and swim with the seals! For anyone looking to feel young again- head to the zoo!
Melbourne zoo is certainly one of the good ones. Coming from Austin, Texas where we only had a joke of a zoo, I was enthralled with the animals here in Melbourne.
And coming from the United States I was, of course, thrilled to see the kangaroos, koalas, and wombats.
The birth of a new baby elephant, Mali, has attracted lots of new visitors, and for a good reason. She is adorable. Do not miss a chance to see that baby run around and play. She's super cute! I apologize for the blurry photo, that baby sure can run!
My other don't miss exhibits:
The Wild Sea, gotta love those seals!
We especially like the bears- although they look a little pale for brown bears.
Have you ever seen Meerkat Manor? Those little guys are so fascinating! No wonder they can make a whole TV series out of their lives, sometimes I think they might be more interesting than my own life :)
There is certainly plenty to see at Melbourne Zoo. We have been twice now and still haven't seen everything. I appreciate how nicely the zoo is arranged. It's large but you don't have to walk a long distance to get to the next exhibit (even with small children). There are also plenty of cafes and food stands to grab a bite to eat, but they also don't mind if you bring in a sack lunch.
Friends of the Zoo Passes are good at all 3 zoos (Melbourne Zoo, Werribee Open Range Zoo, and Healesville Santuary) for 12 months from the time of purchase. See the website or the FOTZ office near the main entrance to the zoo.
