This weekend we had the pleasure of visiting Australia Zoo it was Pipers first trip to the zoo and lets just say she sure made a day of it!

The Irwin family have worked hard to make Australia Zoo a world class tourist attraction and conservation facility  with seventy acres of tropical parkland and more than one thousand native and exotic animals makes Australia Zoo an awesome place to visit.

If ever there was a place to get hands-on with animals surely it is Australia Zoo.

Australia Zoo is extremely family friendly and the perfect place to take the little ones from its policy of allowing patrons to bring their food and beverages into the park to multiple baby change rooms and providing lots of opportunities for parents to take free photos of their family with animals as well as the usual free Zoo demonstrations of the feeding of animals.

The zoo is open from 9am until 5pm every day, except Christmas day and on Anzac day it is open from 1.30pm until 5.30pm.

Australia Zoo is located at 1638 Steve Irwin Way, Beerwah Queensland and it’s approximately a one hour drive from Brisbane. Car parking is free. Alternatively, you can catch a train from Brisbane to Landsborough or Beerwah station and a free zoo shuttle bus will take you the rest of the way.

 

 

If possible, book your discount tickets online before you go as this will save you having to line up to purchase them on the day, the less waiting around with little ones, the better! And don’t forget to grab your free map on entry so you can navigate your way around.

For small children, you will need a pram as there is a fair amount of walking to do. The cheapest option is to bring your own. If you forget, or if that’s is not possible, there are prams and “tag along wagons” available for hire. You can also make use of “Steve’s Shuttle Service” to get around the zoo and give tired legs a rest. This free shuttle can accommodate prams without needing to fold them up, which is very handy if you have a sleepy baby. There are also plenty of ramps and lifts available for easy pram access, and the paths around the zoo are wide and pram friendly.

What Piper suggest you must see:

Pipers big favourite for the day was ‘Roo Heaven’ is a large and natural home for kangaroos and wallabies, children can hand-feed them, pat them and have their photo taken with them.

There is also a kids’ zoo where children can hand feed goats, pigs, calves and sheep you can buy a small bag of feed and feed the crazy goats this was a big hit!

 

The  koalas are a must see and children are able to pat them and learn more about this vulnerable species of unique Australian wildlife.

Plus we cant forget the Crocodiles as they were always Steve Irwin’s passion, and so you can’t go past the crocodile enclosure without having a look at these amazing prehistoric reptiles.

It’s a special experience to see these big cats and their cubs up close and learn about how we can help save them. There is even an underwater viewing enclosure to watch them having a swim, and you can witness the handlers keeping them entertained with toys and games.

Explore the wide open plains of the African Savannah and see the rhinos, giraffes and zebras. You may even see a cheetah walking by. The setting is completed with a big canvas safari tent where you can stop for a rest, a drink from the kiosk and time to just gaze at these amazing animals. This makes for a wonderful experience for your children.

The Australia Zoo roving wildlife team give you the chance to meet koalas, wombats, possums, dingoes, blue tongue lizards, skinks, pythons, alligators, macaws, cockatoos and many more. You can also have your children’s photo taken with them, either by yourself (for free) or by one of the professional photographers. These photos are then available to purchase in the photo lab.

Wear comfortable clothes, a hat, carry a water bottle and apply sunscreen as you will be out in the open a lot. In summer, the zoo can get very hot, so take lots of water for our Queensland weather. It is also a good idea to pack a poncho if it looks like rain. Don’t forget your camera, as there will be many photo opportunities. There is free Wi-Fi available in the Crocoseum, admissions area and food court if you want to share some of your snaps with the world.

For more information and full Zoo Details go to Australia Zoo

Love Kerry and Miss Piper xoxo