Melbourne Zoo Review

It's a great local zoo. They do lots of conservation as well.

It gets crowdy on the weekends and during school holidays. However, during weekdays you can often take your time take photos undisturbed.

During summer they sometimes have night events, which is fun too. Definitely worth checking them out.

Become a member is definitely worth while if you consider going there more than once a year. The membership also allow you to go to many other zoos around Australia for free.

I went to the zoo today for a nice day out with my partner as it was my only day off from work. WHAT A WASTE. WATCHING PAINT DRY WAS MORE ENTERTAINING.
When we got there the entrance staff were nice and friendly.
We walked around the zoo and not one animal in sight. I'd say more than half the enclosures were closed off for no given reason or were not accessible. The main attractions were the ones that were closed off like lions, elephants, monkeys and gorillas and even the butterflies. And many more. What am I saying.. Most were closed off.
So I walked around the zoo really just to see a small amount of reptiles, 4 wild dogs, and 2 giraffes. And don't forget the seagulls walking around the overly priced cafes and food stall/shops. We sat down for lunch and my partner got a burger (size of lord of the fries size bun) with chips and water and for myself small chips with 6 nuggets... '$39 please'. Mind you this food is served in one of those cups that you buy frozen yogurt in at Highpoint. So over priced.
Sorry but if 90% of the zoo is closed off (I mean enclosures and no animals insight), the entrance fee should be cut in half or even have the zoo just not open. I even believe the enclosures they said animals were avaliable to see were really empty. Zoo workers were standing at enclosures which i believe they were bullshitting saying they can see the animals to customers and all i could hear from other people is there isnt nothing there.
Or even better Melbourne Zoo, update this on your website so I don't have to waste my money and time going there to see animals I can watch on YouTube. How can they scam people like this. Step it up Melbourne Zoo. You've just lost a customer.

one of our favourite places to visit ever. we come often for short stints to keep it interesting. a must for every family.

This zoo never fails to leave me with a massive smile

We were there in earlier Feb and were so lucky the weather was cooling and windy! We reached there about 10am and managed to explore the whole zoo at about 3pm. I am in love with the zoo! It is designed in such a way that there are at least two different angles you can see the animals from. So if they are hiding, you may still see them at another angle of the same enclosure. The zoo is also alike to natural habitats with lots of trees and stoney grounds. This is unlike Singapore s zoo, where there is more roads and paths. And the butterfly area where the butterflies fly freely, it is just amazing. Food is definitely expensive there but the chicken nuggets and chips were tasty. It was a fun day for us ;).

It is a well organized place but I was expecting more to b honest...animals r good however I HV to admit taronga in Sydney was a better experience.
The keeper talk is good..follow the map and u LL b fine..the butterfly garden was fantastic. The reptile section is good..little disappointed with d tiger section, couldn't c the Sumatran tiger all day..
U can end up spending 3 hours at the zoo atleast..it's spread over a large area..good place to photograph..
it's accessible by train tram n bus..u can take tram with route no 58 or a train to royal Park station which is on the upfield line..if u r taking a train from Flinders street it's usually from platform 5.
Do think of getting d zoo membership which will give u access to eight zoos all over Australia for a year(subject to correction), the cost for which annually is 112 dollars. It can b a good gift too..

Worth a visit..

Very disappointed today. Poor number of animals for the rate of pay and being one of the best zoo . Can't they have atleast a bigger crocodile rather than a 4 foot freshwater crocodile.

Excellent day out with the kids and its great to see some great improvements to the enclosures over the last few years. Heaps of animals out to see and displays. Being school holidays there was heaps of other visitors out, to my suprised the layout flows really well and there was almost no delays. Only down side is the cost of food, take your own.

Well maintained with lots of plants and green areas. Great variety of animals to see, including kangaroos..

We had amazing time great place to visit with family and friends.

Bad food ie chips are like cardboard as are the nuggets

Great environment with all the parks and greenery, monkeys,meerkats and dino park entertaining, as for everything else not really...
Hit and miss

Need to book tickets online, even if you are a zoo member. There are two sessions a day: one in the mornings and one in the afternoon/evening. Evening is very quiet. We were the only ones in some of the exhibits and the only ones riding the carousel. We were also the only ones in the dinosaur area for a period. The main food area was closed but the giraffe cafe was open at dinner time.

Great explanations by the guides on the various animals but I would say it is an average size zoo and some animals just don't appear.

Area is clean and managed well. They're always introducing new things. Staff are friendly. Great place for the family.

I was expecting a bit more of wildlife but just found one tiger, few elephants, giraffes and zebras.. If you like bird watching then you should visit this place. So many different birds. The zoo is pretty big so do carry a bottle or two of water. It took me an entire day to cover everything.

was a really nice until all the unruly/unsupervised school kids showed up.

The Melbourne Zoo is absolutely spectacular. You feel like you are in the jungle. The photo opportunities were endless. The lemurs are so amazing they walk right up to you. The butterfly enclosure was enclosure incredible.

It's close to the city, enjoy the butterfly garden and seal show.

I love this zoo. Its great for everyone and really looks after parents with little kids.

Great as usual except for the pushy channel 9 crew moving other paying customers who where there first out of the way.

I had not been to Melbourne Zoo in about 6 or 7 years and when my niece asked me to go so she could take her 4 year old son, I immediately said yes. My niece, her 4 year old son, my 2 elderly parents and myself - $122. I wish I could say it was worth it but it wasn't. The place was overcrowded. You had to wait ages to get into a position to see something and when you did, you saw nothing. A wasted day and a total waste of money. Parking was another issue which I won't go into. I have been to some amazing Zoos all over the world and Melbourne Zoo in my eyes is neither worth your time or your money. I would not recommend it to anyone. Also heard a lot of people complaining about the entry fee and what a waste of money it was and that they would never go again.

Great experience in the city. Lots of fun for all ages and tons of parking

I hadn't been to the zoo for ages but enjoyed looking around, although it was really busy due to school holidays, the car park filled up quickly. Went with a friend to attend a meerkat experience, the experience was suppose to last 15 minutes but in actual fact was more like 5 minutes. The experience was awesome but disappointing that it ended so soon.

Great experience, especially for the kids. Plenty of walking and sights.

Awesome and everyone so passionate about their animals

Fantastic Zoo, amazing animals and the park is well laid out.
Carparking was easy and the food is of good standard to give you energy to explore more. Really enjoyable experience

A great place for kids to come on the weekend, lots of different exotic animals and different enclosures. The lemur enclosure was pretty amazing because you can walk through it and see the lemurs up close. There is also a music festival held at twilight for all the adults.

This place is timeless. A must see for all Melbournians!

Very fun experience! The animals were a delight to see, but one of the koalas was a little different.

The park was clean and well maintained but alot of area's closed off . Not worth the money paid

This is easily the WORST zoo my family and I have ever experienced. There are not many animals at all just alot of gimmicky photo ops.
Layout also annoying.
Very very disappointed. Would've been better taking the kids to the local park
Definitely would not recommend. If you must visit a zoo in Melbourne going to Werribee is a much better option.

Such a great place for the family to spend the day and learn about our world

A fun day out for all ages, definitely recommend a membership for anyone who lives close.

Honestly the worst zoo I have been to. All the animals were either asleep or locked away while their exhibits were being cleaned. Drove 3hrs to see the zoo and got nothing. Would've asked for a refund but words would've been said to the staff so decided to just leave. Best thing was the repitiles, at least they were awake and able to see. Would not recommend this zoo to anyone, try local zoos before this boring place.

It was my first time at the Zoo, I loooved it. Totally recommend to bring your littles ones, or anyone older to the zoo as anyone can enjoy it.

Really enjoyed the new Sea section. They should probably have number references on the map to help you find your way easier.

Entry fee was reasonable, especially with a student discount offered. Great range of animals and handy maps located throughout the zoo provide an excellent guide. Be mindful on hot days that pathways aren't that shady (hello, sunburn) and most animals retreat to a cooler place.

Small zoo but well thought out. The kangaroos were missing from the exhibition which was a shame, need to sort out the seagulls around the cafes.

Wonderful zoo with lots of flora and fauna in a big open space. This zoo has lots to offer for visitors. I particularly enjoyed myself watching the giraffes, the tigers, the lions, gorillas, the ever curious meerkats and the playful hyenas.
Food is moderately priced, but it would be nice to bring your own picnic n chill on the lawn.
I went to the zoo again with my son on Saturday (beautiful weather!) and we were excited to see that they had a Trolls party event going on for zoo members. Members were supposed to receive an email on it, but we did not receive any email on this event. Nonetheless, we enjoyed ourselves.

Plus for families who do not drive, the train station (Royal Park) is just a convenient minute s walk from the zoo.

30 years ago I took my children here and today with my grandchildren, didn't see much animals like before

We visited the zoo on February and now I can write the review. It is the biggest zoo I have ever seen in the past. My kids enjoyed exploring the animals and birds. They were exited and happy. I advise you to visit and enjoy your trip with lots of animals. However, I noticed that only one kangaroo appear at that time and our porpoise was to see them. Hope we visit this zoo again.

Nice! The butterfly yard is fantastic. The lion's clam is wonderful, the butterfly garden is beautiful.

Easy to get around and lots to see. Saw the big cats early in the morning getting fed and quite active

The zoo is close to downtown.
Admission is a bit expensive, but it's nice to go all day long. (If the visit date is set, it looks like Naver, but you can search for it and buy it at a discounted price.

There are many places to eat and eat inside, and the children's playground is also good. (Carousel charges $ 3.5)

I went to see the platypus, but it was a little bit so sad that I was so trapped.
The child was playing and found a medical room with thorns in his hand.

Great layout, split into smaller trails with fabulous gardens. Animal viewing and welfare first class

Fantastic for an outing with kids. If you pay attention to the program you can also learn a lot.

Fun place for kids for fun and a good place for people interested in animals. it is also a great place for tourism.

The best motherf**king zoo I ve ever been to.
You ll think so too.

Great zoo, amazing option to go with kids and family. I kind of like this one much more than the Werribee open zoo

I take my daughter here at least twice a month and she loves it - we find something to do or see every time (tip get the zoo pass, superb value for money). Plenty of wonderful animals, huge enclosures and friendly knowledgeable staff.

Enjoyed the animals we saw, but it was cup day, and with a zoo full of patrons, there was only one food stand open. That was disappointing.

A great place for family time. Plenty of animals and the paintings on the wall are pretty. Lots of water refill locations.

I didn't see a donkey, but I saw everything in between!

Good Shows, Good Exhibits and Great Facilities

Dear Melbourne Zooological. Please tell the sound guy to turn the female vocals up. Every time. For the sake of all animal kind #zootwilights #catpower #theinternet #thefutureisfemale

We got the 4-8pm slot. So it wasnt super busy but still fair amount of people were there. Baboons were the highlights of the visit with lions, snow leopards already sleeping. I would suggeat to bring a picnic with you and spend some time relaxing in the sounds of wildlife.

Such a great place to take the kids.
It is worth getting a family pass if you are planning on going more than 3 times in a year, and your pass is valid at some other major zoos too.

Very disappointing that the Zoo is charging the yearly membership AT FULL PRICE with the Zoo being closed. What a rip of!!! You guys should be ashamed!

A bit overrated. They have focused more on jungle theme but forget to have more variety of animals. In too much big place there are few animals.

Melbourne Zoo is an amazing place to spend the day!

Because it was a warm day
About half of the animals
Hiding in the shade
I couldn't see
Work for "admission fee"

Good value for money, expansive layout to keep you busy exploring. Nice little play areas for kids. Parking was a little bit of an effort to find a spot, until they opened up one of the overflow areas, but at $2 for 5hrs it was fair.

Good day out. Plenty to see, good priced food and souvenirs. Definitely a must

beautiful zoo. we can see all animals and birds this zoo.

Very impressive tourist attraction in Melbourne. Great for kids .

Regret going to this sinkhole, regret funding them my $38 - these animals are living in horrid conditions they are bored witless in there tiny confines. Its actually quite depressing.

Really a beautiful zoo ,wonderful experience. So Better than the zoo in Moscow