Werribee Open Range Zoo in Taylors Lakes

A great place to visit and tastefully set out to reflect the open African style Plains. Would recommend it to any individual, couple or family to visit and view wildlife conservation at its best. I give this place 10 out of 10.

I arrived on opening, counter guy informative and friendly. African huts were a great concept but tatty and rundown looking and specialty things werent operating. Parts of certain areas were shut off and not open.I found the old shearing shed great, as Id never been in a shearing shed. After an hour apart from a parrot, sleeping koala and an emu, disappointment set in, everything seemed in hiding, saw a couple of distant lions and thank goodness for the showoff gorilla that saved the morning. Sad to not be with a family as they are known for being family animals, seemed to be in hatred of the other Silverback there. I would recommend paying the extra for the deluxe safari as I did,it was worth it. The other standard safari seemed crowded, ours had a max of 20 and our guide Jill was very informative and friendly, she did a great job and spoiled us with viewing. The animal information talks and viewings were mostly on when my Safari tour was on, and I didnt have the whole day to be there. I would visit again.

We visited the zoo as we were guests of a wedding being held there. It was a lovely way to celebrate. The ceremony was in a lovely garden, we then had time to wander around & do the safari tour before reception with the meerkats.

Loved it. Eventhough it was raining the day before, the park was relatively dry and cooling. Just unfortunate that a part of the safari was not available due to the flood. Will definitely visit again. Booked tickets online a day before as it was recommended. Zoo members can visit any day.

Quality over quantity. Not many species of animals. Main part of Safari tour is closed. Wallabies and river trail too. Glad I did not pay full price for the ticket (Im a Zoo member).For public transport, bus number 439 only goes once per hour from Werribee station (approximately on the hour, check timings online). Last bus leaves the zoo at 1655 (weekdays), 1640 (weekends PH).There wasnt a huge number of species, and several areas were closed for repairs/flooding (Wallabies, river trail, most of the safari bus tour - no giraffes, zebras or rhinos).But once I got rid of my expectations, stopped comparing it with the bigger zoos around like Taronga and Singapore Zoo, both of which Im a member of, its pretty cool to slow down and spend time observing the animals in their big and beautiful natural enclosures.Recommended to get here earlier for the keeper talks and safari bus tour as the animals are not very active in the middle of the day (in the heat, between 12 to 3pm). Most of the keeper talks are held in the first half of the day (except Gorillas which were not active anyway and hippos which only became active around 330pm).Will return for the full safari bus tour next time (if Im still a member of the zoos). The staff said that the smaller vehicles (extra feecould enter the giraffe, zebra and rhino area in the safari but not the big free safari bus. Didnt feel it was worth it to pay an additional $50 for the upgraded safari tour, given that those animals are aplenty in other zoos and I had just fed the giraffes and rhinos at Singapore Zoo. Be prepared for many very loud children though.Best seats on the safari bus are on the left, second row from the front of the carriage (where theres a bigger gap between the rows), or first row seats on the left in subsequent carriages. Not the first row in the first carriage next to the driver or the ones with glass as the reflection on the glass windows can be annoying if you want to take photos.Loved observing the African painted dogs, hippos and leopard tortoises. Appreciate the African and safari themed decorations, stations and activities (which would probably be cool for hands on and active kids).Love wildlife, love zoos and wildlife sanctuaries (NOT animals in cages though), but i did find this one a tad underwhelming. Im still very thankful for the conservation work that they do and all the staff exude passion for their job and wildlife. Kudos to that.Go to observe wildlife in big enclosures and natural environments. Fairy wrens (tiny bright blue birds - males, great singersare so beautiful and all over the zoo.

We had a really great day out at the Zoo! It’s our first time here and the weather was amazing, lots to see, and it wasn’t really busy (weekdayso we got plenty of time to enjoy it at our own pace. Loved the safari ride! Will definitely be back, keep it up!

Its a lovely zoo with plenty of nature walking trails, cafes and toilets all around. It took us about 2.5 hours all around and we had to skip the safari bus as it was nearing 3.30pm and the queue was extremely long.

Public holiday and the first nice warm day since winter but the queues still moved fast and everything was really well organised. Heaps of buses for the safari too so wait times weren’t long even though queues were snaking down near the exit. Friendly and helpful staff, nice big space and plenty of picnic areas made a lovely day despite the crowds. With the zoo membership the wait time to get in at 9am was only about 10-15 min. The other queues were much longer and moved more slowly as not everyone had prepurchased tickets or didn’t have their qr codes ready etc

The free safari bus is quite a nice experience. We got really close to some of the animals and that was really nice. Thats the highlight of this place.Oh but travelling to the zoo by public transport is quite a b..... The bus is on hourly run. So pls plan your time properly. We had to wait one hour for the next bus cz we narrowly missed the first.

Its one of the smaller zoos, the walking trails to the animals are really well put together design wise with activities to keep children engaged. Its bright and colourful trying to show natural environments that these animals would be found in. The safari ride around the paddocks is also great being able to see the animals room and the driver is very informative

Our favourite main zoo in Victoria. The kids love this place. Such a relaxing place for the family. 1 less star for the lack of kids-friendly toilets though. There should be more available since this is such a popular spot for families.

Good place but trust me it can be managed far better. They got good variety of animals and we loved getting so close them. Not a big fan of captivating but still better than circus or private zoos. Staff is taking good care of them. Parking is bit confusing with no clear signs for parking at the entrance. First timer so was bit hard to find parking. Pro tip for safari, sit in the right hand side of the bus when you enter, you will see more animals.

Great for the kids and parents. Highly recommend the safari bus, but absolutely take a coat. Cos the windows on the bus are open and its feckin freezing. Amazing to go through the safari and be up close and personal with the animals. Huge wait at the café, recommend getting in early and using app to order.

Expect to spend about half a day here. Really nice place especially the safari tram. Note this tram (40 minsis inclusive in your ticket. One carriage sits around 40 pax and the tram needs to stay on the track. If you want the more premium safari experience where u are in a cage and the bus can stop, you need to get the deluxe package.Highly recommended for people who like animals and a tiny bit of walking. Wheelchair friendly. Animals look healthy and dont feel stressed out.

Amazing place with different trails of animal origins. We went on the African trail and then got on the safari bus which took us on a 40minute ride to see the big animals. The kids were overjoyed. The Zoo is too big so if you want to go on all trails, plan for the whole day at the zoo. We couldnt go on the rest of the trails because one was good enough for a days experience. We will plan another day to see the rest of the animals.

I took my grandchildren to Werribee Open Range Zoo Sunday. We had so much fun, we havent been there for about 2 years. It was great to see lots of changers made around the grounds. Staff are fantastic.

It was lovely! Went with my 15 month old and I wasnt sure if he was going to enjoy it. He loved it! He really enjoyed the junior safari which departs at 10am. It was good to see the animals having the room to roam around. The Gorillas talk was great and I wanted to do the bus again and again! The cafe was ok. There are heaps of ground for picnic so I think thats what we will do next time.

Amazing experience!!Enjoyed the neat family time while we were on Safari. Very well explained about various animals and the amiable nature of the team bring ease to people to communicate to them. Going to post few photos so that can have a brief introduction to it. Worth visiting the zoo!

This is the most attractive zoo where you can have a free safari tour and watch animals in their natural habitats. Animals live and roam together. It is a complete breath taking moment to watch them close to a foot from you. Hats off to Australian Govt and entire Werribee crew for loving and offering the bestest facilities of safety, hygiene, good food and an environment of their own. It is clearly visible how comfortable and happy the animals are. A must watch and repeated watch... Thanks to my young daughter who took us to see the beauty of Australia.

Open zoo is very nice, for little ones and adults, this zoo is much smaller but offers different view of animals also taking the zoo membership helps with when to visit and how long your visits will be, short visits are nice and easy for adults and kids, in winter its a bit easier to visit as summer is eventually approaching then it gets really, really busy. Staff is usually okay, just bring your own food or be ready to spend $$$$ for little value and long queues, no seating and dirty tables.

I have the zoos Victoria membership which is nicely priced in my opinion because its worth it for us. With it we can visit the 3 zoos here in Vic along with others around the country.Check out their website for the rates etc but definitely worth having a look at. I just thought I would mention that as well.My husband and I visited the Melbourne zoo and this a couple of weekends ago. Along with the Werribee park mansion/Gardens beside this zooSuch a lovely zoo and much bigger than I imagined.It really is worth visiting.The kids will love it too.Nothing can be paid for with cash in the zoo. Most places are like that after the pandemic but I thought it be best to mention just in case someone doesnt know.

Lovely day out for kids. The free safari bus was a highlight for everyone. There are three zones: the African zone, the Australian zone and a river zone. The safari bus basically drives around the African zone. If you are to walk around that zone it will take approx 1hrThe gift shop are a bit exxy but you would expect that for a tourist attraction

Werribee Open Range Zoo is good for a day trip in Western Melbourne, our kids loved the safari. Safari is the highlight of the zoo trip. Its very busy during the school holidays but staff has managed trip very satisfactorily. There was no Elephants which we expected to see but Rinos, Hippos and Camel were attraction grabs plus lions and leopard was special attractions too.

Werribee Zoo is a great way to spend the day. Membership is the best option. It costs about the price of 2 visits and you can go to all 3 zoos as many times as you want all year.

Comparing to the other 2 Zoos this one is the best with the dulexe ride to explore the outskirts of the zoo to get close and view the animals was an Great experience along with all the other animals in the Zoo for viewing. Great for familys and couples to enjoy while taking and taking lots of photos.

Great day out. We went on the regular safari. It was great, and we purchased tickets for the Felix safari, which was the same just you go off road and get closer photos up close with the animals. Both were awesome.Safari in the afternoon 2:30 was cold so pack jackets.The kids really enjoyed the zoo ages 3-9, so a great family day out.Food was very reasonable, so we had breakfast and lunch at the zoo, and cheaper than eating elsewhere.

How do I start? Magnifique is the word. It’s an absolute delight to visit Open Range Zoo, we do it every 15 days. Its our favorite picnic spot. When you go there, Safari ride is a must. I would suggest get a membership and help fight extinction too.

Kids are Free to enter which is amazing.Tickets cost only around $30-$40 per adults. I went with my wife and 3 x kids, total tickets costed me only $60 for 5 people ,entire family members with concession card.There is no restriction regarding covid, the zoo is totally back to pre-covid. Safari buss are operated every 10-15mins so you will not miss Safari ride which is one if main atraction in the zoo.Gift shop was also huge & great. There many varaeties and choices, such as plush of all animals in the zoo, cup, Glass, interior, experiment kits, VET uniform zookeeoer uniform etc.

We went to two times while school holiday.Great place for kidsExciting with animals better then city zoo animals ;)))City animals looks tired 😴 HahaRange zoo so much better.Real safari;)))Safari bus is great experience with kids.One thing, some kids scary for safari bus and looking animals. Your kids doesn’t want to take safari bus, please just don’t get in. Even do not try for adults.It’s disturbing for driver’s explanations and noise and loud for others families.With membership is so special;))Without waiting and quick entry is of course. When you got membership card, kids love it 😍 why? Just join then you can know that ;)).Thank you for Werribee zoo staff too.They are kind and zoo keepers is friendly looks so special for kids and adults too.

My family and I purchased the Deluxe Safari Tour package - and it was worth every penny! The humour, friendliness and warmth of our guide who took us on the tour, coupled with the picturesque settings of the open range zoo (and, of course, the perfect weather on that daymade for a classic Australian hospitality experience for us all. A strong recommendation for anyone who loves getting up close with animals - even for adults!

The team at Werribee zoo is so friendly and absolutely amazing. We spent a night at the slumber safari huts. Big shout out to Jill, Phil and our amazing cook, they looked after us so well. The food was delicious and they even catered to my special dietary requirements.The huts are super comfortable and the 2 animal encounters were super fun. Absolutely recommend this amazing experience to enjoy with friends and family.We learned so much and loved every minute.

Safari bus was definitely our highlight of the day.Unfortunately we weren’t able to see most of the animals as they seemed to be away from viewing areas. Guess it can be a hit or miss with them, which is understandable.Might be better for those with an annual pass.

Serene place, away from day today life. Well organised Cafe. Great nature play for kids.For us Free Safari was a Hit, fortunately we get to see beautiful animals running around and up close!! 😀

Great day out, lots to do for both kids and adults. Plenty of food places and toilets. The Safari train was brilliant-totally relaxing and the driver was fun and informative. Will definitely visit again.

What a fantastic experience, the safari ride is amazing. You get up close and personal with some pretty cool animals. Highly recommend......

Good safari experience in warm and breezy weather. We could see only few animals. But the experience is good and tiring as well. We went around 11.15am and every 10 to 20 minutes safari is Available. Its a Long queue. You can take the pram and park it in the pram parking area near to the safari entrance. We got out by 2pm.

A great day at the zoo especially on the tour buses. The animals were very active and the kids loved it. The staff were great and very organised. Highly recommended for family outings.

The last time I was here was almost 20 years ago. It has changed a lot and is a great place for all ages. My 5yo loved the safari tour and all the activities to do around the exhibits. I will definitely come back here again.

Depending on personal preferences, this could be better or a bit worse than the Melbourne Zoo. The safari bus is no doubt the unique feature. It is definitely a good experience if you have never had before. However, the animals are much further away compare to a zoo with cages. Thats why I give 4 stars rather than 5. The Australian Trail is pretty boring. If you have zoo membership, this place may be worth to revisit because the animals you can see on the bus can be varied.

Werribee open range zoo is one of the best places for wildlife encounters and not too far from the Melbourne CBD. The safari bus at Werribee zoo is free and offers 40 minutes Safari tour. I would suggest arriving in the morning to encounter wildlife as they are active in the morning, and you will be shocked to see that some of the animals are way too friendly and are curious when you take their picture. It might take 4 - 5 hours to explore the entire zoo, therefore give yourself enough time to cover the Werribee Zoo. If you enjoy wildlife encounters, this is the place to visit for the wildlife experience!

The Sunset Safari was fantastic! Many animals come to life at dusk, without the day crowd made it feel like we were the only ones at the zoo! The African music was excellent, and the roving entertainment made it even more special and fun for the kids!

Great zoo to visit for a day trip! There’s just enough animals to see for a day and there’s cafes to get a drink and snacks too. Really cool to be able to go on the trailer through the open range zoo and see some animals fairly close. Definitely want to come again and bring my child when she’s older.

Great few hours out with the family. The safari bus tour was really good fun and informative. We had a sunny day so the animals were out and easy to see. Took a 7 yo and 10 yo who loved seeing the bigger animals really closely and in an area where they can roam a lot more free than the usual city zoos. This zoo is more so about getting the animals a safe and large space to live a good life and us humans can see them, other zoos have a large attraction feel to them with smaller enclosures so we see more animals all the time.

Had a great time, if you havent been you need to go. The safari bus ride is so good. You should do your bit and get a zoo membership, its well worth it.

Fantastic safari bus experience, especially the host/driver Michael who was witty and full of puns which made the experience that much better.The zoo was nice and we would love to return with the kids.

Nice little zoo with a massive safari ride. Best to get in early before the lunch time rush. Limited seating so be prepared. The zoo it self is fairly small compared to Melbourne zoo, however many animals for the kids to see. The safari makes up for it with a massive wide open range, has a Jurassic park feel to it lol. Worth a visit.

Never have a bad time at the open range zoo. The safari bus trip is the best part of visiting but also knowing you have helped in some small way to conservation efforts is also great. Lots and lots of people there when we went over the Christmas break but well organised. Just have to time your lunch and lining up for the safari bus correctly or be prepared for long queues. Hand sanitiser stations everywhere there was a door to open.

Awesome place! You have to prebook tickets but the safari bus to totally makes up for that! A nice trip around the ginormous zoo land, but maybe the $48 dollar deluxe trip is better, because I saw one bus that went all the way a few meters away from the camels.

A brilliant day out and a wonderful place to see the animals up-close in their natural habitat. The free Safari Bus is particularly good, and although its a little dusty, theres lots to see from the bus on all sides. There is the option of a premium tour to get closer to the animals too if desired. All the staff were very friendly and there were lots to see and explore.

This place is so magical. You can see these animals up-close in their natural habitat. It is also good to know that whoever visits the zoo will be contributing towards the well being of these animals. It’s a little dusty so maybe wear a mask during the safari