Nova Ravenspire_Taronga Zoo_Attractions

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- Taronga Zoo

· Taronga Zoo sits on hills in Sydney's North Shore, offering spectacular views of Sydney Harbour, Opera House, and Harbour Bridge from its giraffe enclosure.
· Larger than the city zoo, it houses Australian native animals including koalas, kangaroos, wombats, platypus, dingoes, Tasmanian devils, and native birds. Other animals include chimpanzees, penguins, otters, rhinoceros, seals, raccoons, and reptiles.
· Visitors can interact with free-roaming kangaroos, but koalas are view-only. Koala photo opportunities require booking before 2:30 PM. Daily animal shows are featured.
· This hillside zoo offers two touring options: take the cable car up and walk down, or walk up and take the cable car down.

Transportation

Water Transport:

Sydney Ferries from Circular Quay (every 30 mins, 12-min trip)
Zoo Express by Captain Cook (connects zoo with Circular Quay/Watsons Bay/Darling Harbour)
Sydney Harbour Ecohopper from Manly Wharf or Circular Quay
Fantasea Cruising Sydney (twice daily from Darling Harbour Wharf 8 or Circular Quay)

Train:

Take train to Circular Quay for water transport
Or train to Central Station/Town Hall/Wynyard, then bus M30 (30-45 mins)

Bus:

M30 from city center (via Harbour Bridge)
257 from North Shore (transfer to M30 at Mosman Junction)
238 from Balmoral Beach
228 from Clifton Gardens
Northern beaches areas: Take bus to Spit Junction, transfer to M30

Admission
Standard tickets:

Adult: $45.90
Child (4-15): $27
Family 1 adult + 2 children: $88.80
Family 2 adults + 1 child: $105.60
Family 2 adults + 2 children: $129.60
Free: Children 0-3 years

Opening Hours
09:30-16:30 (May 1 - August 31)
09:30-17:00 (September 1 - April 30)

Location
Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman NSW 2088, Australia

Nova Ravenspire Apr 07,2025

Originally an unplanned stop, we only came because it was included in the ferry ticket. Rarely mentioned in travel guides, but after visiting, I'm so glad we didn't miss it.

To reach the zoo at the hilltop, you need to take a cable car (included in the combo ticket) and then work your way down. The cable car ride alone is worth the trip - that first moment of ascent is breathtaking.

From the cable car, you can see the zoo's traditional thatched roofs below, with spectacular views of the entire Circular Quay and Sydney's beautiful skyline.

The zoo entrance is right at the hilltop. Not many tourists, mostly locals enjoying family days out.

The giraffes have secured prime real estate - facing a natural parkland with the city and Harbour Bridge as backdrop. It creates an intriguing, almost surreal movie-like scene, reminiscent of a Madagascar-style urban zoo.

The zoo's quietness, despite being so close to the city, is remarkable.

There's an afternoon seal show - very cute performance, but make sure to check the timing and queue early.

Taronga Zoo is surprisingly close to the city center. Though I expected little content, it took most of our day and we still couldn't see everything. While visitor numbers are modest, there are plenty of seemingly wild or free-roaming small animals confidently weaving through crowds. With its excellent environment and clean grounds, spending such a therapeutic half-day here instantly helps you understand Sydney's livability appeal.