{"id":30,"date":"2025-12-31T05:16:30","date_gmt":"2025-12-31T05:16:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/?p=30"},"modified":"2025-12-31T05:16:30","modified_gmt":"2025-12-31T05:16:30","slug":"melbournes-best-zoos-wildlife-parks-animal-encounters-for-kids","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/melbournes-best-zoos-wildlife-parks-animal-encounters-for-kids\/","title":{"rendered":"Melbourne\u2019s Best Zoos, Wildlife Parks &amp; Animal Encounters for Kids"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>If your kids are going through a &#8220;dinosaur phase,&#8221; a &#8220;shark phase,&#8221; or just really want to pat a kangaroo, Melbourne is arguably the best city in Australia to be in. We are spoiled for choice when it comes to <strong>wildlife experiences for families<\/strong>, ranging from massive open-range savannas to intimate, hands-on conservation parks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>In this guide, we\u2019ve rounded up the <strong>best zoos and animal encounters in Melbourne<\/strong>\u2014including the ones that won&#8217;t break the bank and the &#8220;bucket list&#8221; experiences worth the splurge.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">1. The Big Three: Zoos Victoria<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The most popular choices for a reason, <strong>Zoos Victoria<\/strong> runs three distinct sites, each offering a completely different vibe.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/activity\/vic\/melbourne-zoo\">Melbourne Zoo<\/a> (Parkville)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Located just minutes from the CBD, this is Australia\u2019s oldest zoo. It\u2019s perfect for a classic day out.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Highlights:<\/strong> The &#8220;Growing Wild&#8221; area specifically designed for toddlers, the Butterfly House, and the Elephant enclosure.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Pro Tip:<\/strong> <strong>Kids under 16 visit for FREE<\/strong> on weekends, Victorian public holidays, and school holidays.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/activity\/vic\/werribee-open-range-zoo\">Werribee Open Range Zoo<\/a> (Werribee)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Want a taste of Africa without the 14-hour flight? This is an open-range zoo where animals roam across 225 hectares.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Safari:<\/strong> Entry includes a <strong>free 40-minute safari bus tour<\/strong> where you\u2019ll see giraffes, rhinos, zebras, and camels.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Best For:<\/strong> Active kids who love big vehicles and wide-open spaces.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-image\">\n<figure class=\"alignright size-medium\"><img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"243\" height=\"300\" src=\"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-31-160557-243x300.png\" alt=\"\" class=\"wp-image-31\" srcset=\"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-31-160557-243x300.png 243w, https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/guides\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/Screenshot-2025-12-31-160557.png 484w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 243px) 100vw, 243px\" \/><\/figure>\n<\/div>\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/activity\/vic\/healesville-sanctuary\">Healesville Sanctuary<\/a> (Yarra Valley)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>This is the place to go for <strong>native Australian wildlife<\/strong>. It feels more like a bushwalk than a zoo.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Must-See:<\/strong> The <em>Spirits of the Sky<\/em> bird show is world-class and included in your ticket.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Conservation:<\/strong> Visit the Australian Wildlife Health Centre to see real vets treating injured wild animals.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">2. Best Interactive &amp; Boutique Wildlife Parks<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you want to get closer to the animals than a traditional zoo allows, these smaller parks are the way to go.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/activity\/vic\/moonlit-sanctuary-wildlife-conservation-park\">Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park<\/a> (Pearcedale)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>Located on the way to Phillip Island, Moonlit is famous for its <strong>hand-feeding experiences<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Animal Encounters:<\/strong> You can book private encounters to hold a koala, meet a dingo, or even walk with a wombat.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Night Tours:<\/strong> Their lantern-lit evening tours are legendary for seeing nocturnal animals like quolls and gliders when they are most active.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/activity\/vic\/ballarat-wildlife-park\">Ballarat Wildlife Park<\/a><\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>A short drive from the city, this park is home to over 100 <strong>free-roaming kangaroos<\/strong> that you can hand-feed.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Wow Factor:<\/strong> It features &#8220;Crunch,&#8221; a five-meter-long Super Croc, and a state-of-the-art Tiger Sanctuary.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Vibe:<\/strong> Very relaxed and &#8220;walkable&#8221; for younger kids.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<h3 class=\"wp-block-heading\"><a href=\"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/activity\/vic\/gumbuya-world\">Gumbuya World<\/a> (Tynong)<\/h3>\n\n\n\n<p>While many know it for the water slides, <strong>Gumbuya Wildlife Park<\/strong> is home to 52 species of animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>Unique Encounter:<\/strong> They offer a &#8220;Quokka and Koala&#8221; close-up where you can get that iconic quokka selfie without flying to WA.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">3. Best for Marine Lovers: <a href=\"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/activity\/vic\/sea-life-melbourne-aquarium\">SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>If you need an indoor option (because Melbourne weather happens), the Aquarium is a winner.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong>The Highlights:<\/strong> The massive Shark Tunnel, the colony of sub-Antarctic King and Gentoo Penguins, and the interactive &#8220;Rocky Shores&#8221; touch pools.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong>Savings Tip:<\/strong> Pre-book online for &#8220;Off-Peak&#8221; sessions to save up to 20% on ticket prices.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<hr class=\"wp-block-separator has-alpha-channel-opacity\"\/>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">4. Best &#8220;Budget&#8221; Farm Experiences<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>You don\u2019t always need a $50 ticket to see animals.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/activity\/vic\/myuna-farm\">Myuna Farm<\/a> (Doveton):<\/strong> A public community farm where entry is only about <strong>$10 per person<\/strong>. You can take a train ride, feed goats, and see the famous fruit bat colony.<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li><strong><a href=\"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/activity\/vic\/collingwood-children-s-farm\">Collingwood Children\u2019s Farm<\/a>:<\/strong> An inner-city gem. It\u2019s the perfect place for city kids to see where their milk and wool come from. Look out for their &#8220;Family Days&#8221; for extra activities like pony rides.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>If your kids are going through a &#8220;dinosaur phase,&#8221; a &#8220;shark phase,&#8221; or just really want to pat a kangaroo, Melbourne is arguably the best city in Australia to be&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":32,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-30","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-victoria"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=30"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":33,"href":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/30\/revisions\/33"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/32"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=30"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=30"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/todowithkids.com\/au\/guides\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=30"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}