Updated on June 11th, 2026
During my trip to Australia in September 2019, I had a few days to explore Melbourne, a city I visit almost every year. This visit was special because it centred on family functions, making it a joyful gathering of relatives and close friends. Amidst the celebrations, we planned a memorable family outing to Werribee Open Range Zoo in Melbourne, one of the most popular wildlife safari attractions near the city.
Spread across 225 hectares, Werribee Open Range Zoo is an impressive African-themed zoological park located along the Werribee River, approximately 32 kilometres southwest of Melbourne. The zoo offers an immersive open-range safari experience, allowing visitors to observe African wildlife, exotic birds, and native animals in vast natural habitats. We spent almost the entire day enjoying safari tours, close-up animal encounters, and educational experiences, creating unforgettable memories that made our visit to this iconic Melbourne wildlife attraction truly special.
Plan Trip with Family & Friends
This tour can be more fun-filled if you visit with family, friends, and especially kids. We enjoyed watching wildlife, including camels, zebras, crocodiles, horses, waterbuck, giraffes, ostriches, rhinoceroses, and many others. Because of its size and variety, this place promises you an entire day packed with many activities.
Off-Road Safari at Werribee Zoo
At Werribee Zoo, visitors can book various ‘speciality’ tours, including the Off-road Safari, and have close encounters with gorillas, giraffes, and ostriches. With this tour, you can experience animals’ natural habitats; live commentary makes you more aware of wildlife. On this safari, you pass through well-maintained grasslands and natural forest surroundings. When Safari stops, you sneak a peep into the lives of different animals; you feel amazing when the giraffe touches the window of Safari, and you touch and even feed them.
Road Safari tour takes you off-road and up close to the animals, creating a more intimate and exceptional experience. You get opportunities to stop, observe, ask your guide questions, and capture the perfect photograph; it’s nothing less than a true African safari.
A day at Werribee Open Zoo offers wonderful opportunities to observe the lives of many wild animals, including lions, hippos, Kudus, and cheetahs. The Gorilla encounter is one of the largest in the world and allows you to feed and interact with the gorillas. The Texas Longhorns, alongside the zebra, make the grassland look even more amazing and remind you of the more lively African wildlife.
Feeding giraffes can be a wonderful experience
Another wonderful experience that you can have with your kids is feeding giraffes at the Werribee Zoo while you see eye-to-eye with one of the tallest animals in the world. There are plenty of giraffes, so everybody easily sees them closely. Normally, they bend their long necks over the fence, and you can even touch them, as they are so friendly.
Other attractions nearby
Other attractions near Werribee Zoo are Werribee Park Mansion and State Rose Garden. Thomas Chirnside, who built the Italianate-style mansion, came from Scotland, as did his brother, Andrew Chirnside. Nowadays, it is a five-star Mansion Hotel & Spa, also known as the ‘Most Romantic Hotel in Australia.’ The mansion has several rooms open to the public, including the billiards room, main bedrooms, reception rooms, and the kitchen. In the surrounding State Rose Garden, 5000 roses are blooming. You can plan and enjoy a picnic or explore the gardens.
Carry some eatables
As you will be there for almost an entire day, you must carry some eatables or fruit, but if you forget, don’t worry about lunch. There is a cafe with an excellent menu of scrumptious food. The menu includes soups, salads, sandwiches, steaks, etc. You can also order a glass of wine or a bottle of beer. Enjoy your meal and drinks with wildlife animals in lush green grassland.
Werribee Open Range Zoo tickets
You need to purchase entry tickets to visit Werribee Zoo. You can buy tickets at the counter, but it is safer to buy them online to avoid long lines. We also recommended opting for a guided tour pass to learn more about the zoo’s various animals and their habitats. If you’re planning to visit on the weekend, having an entry ticket on hand is the best way to make the most of your tour.
Must visit while you are in Melbourne
This time, when you visit Melbourne, you must book a Werribee Open Range Zoo Tour with Wildlife Tours Australia and experience the grassland wildlife. You will surely have a once-in-a-lifetime experience of the grassland, with a savanna-like African environment.
William Wordsworth’s Timeless Lesson for a Noisy World
Explore William Wordsworth’s insight on wisdom, humility, and the beauty of simple living in a rushed world.
No Comment