Located just 30 Minutes from Noosa, 1 Hour from Brisbane and 2.5 hours from the Gold Coast is Australia Zoo. The location is spread over hectares of forested land in Beerwah, amount the picturesque Glass House Mountain Region.
Started by Steve Irwin, the famous Crocodile Hunter and his wife Teri, today the zoo is still run by the Irwin family including Bindi and Robert Irwin. It is an incredible and moving experience to witness this legacy live on and expand, seeing the huge effort that has been made toward animal and wildlife conservation in Australia. If you're a lover of Australian wildlife this is one day trip not to miss.
Getting to Australia Zoo, 1638 Steve Irwin Way - Beerwah on the Sunshine Coast:
You'll find self-driving fastest and easiest way to get to the zoo, which has ample free parking on site. Australia zoo is a 2.5 Hour Drive from the Gold Coast or Gold Coast Airport, 1.5-hour drive from Brisbane and Brisbane Airport or just 35 minutes from the Sunshine Coast Airport and Noosa making it possible to do as a day trip from these destinations.
There is also a train station located in Beerwah which if you are not driving which can connect you there from Brisbane, or you could consider booking a tour bus option.
If you want to make an overnight stay for your visit and enjoy the wider Glass House Mountains region, you can look to stay in Beerwah. We opted to rent a place in Beerwah located centrally near shops, restaurants and close to Australia Zoo.
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What you need to know for your visit to Australia Zoo
Opening Hours: 9 am to 5 pm, daily
When to visit: We recommend starting your day at 9 am to beat the crowds and the heat, plus make the most of your day.
Transport Options: Car, train, bus, tour
Ticket Cost: A$59 for adults, A$35 for a child (3 to 14 yrs)
Location: Steve Irwin Way, Beerwah, Queensland, Australia
What to pack: It can get very hot there, we recommend packing a hat, sunscreen, wearing comfortable clothes and walking shoes and ensuring you drink enough water during the day. There is also now a kids water park area if you wish to pack swimming clothes.
Top 7 things to see and do at Australia Zoo:
1. Hand Feed the Kangaroos and Wallabies in Roo Haven and the Red Kangaroo Zone:
An Australian Zoo experience wouldn't be complete without feeding the Kangaroos. At Australia Zoo you can pat and hand feed the red kangaroos, grey kangaroos, and varied species of wallabies as they roam free in Roo Haven. You can purchase the food for them at the Australia Zoo information desk or gift shops.
2. Pat the Koalas in the Koala Walkthrough
Another must meet Aussie Icon is the Koalas, as you wander through the Koala walkthrough, take your time looking up into the gumtrees at them. Be sure to stop in the open section where you can give these cuddly marsupial guys a pat too and learn more.
3. See the lemurs roam free on Bindi Island
One of our favourite animal encounters was seeing the ring-tailed lemurs on Bindi Island, they can be spotted roaming the island or soaking up the sun in the trees.
4. Watch the Croc Feeding show at the Crocoseum at 12 pm
We recommend attending the 12 pm Crocodile feeding show at the Crocoseum, be sure to arrive 15 minutes early to get a good seat, and if you can. HOT TIP sit in the front row at the back above the exit stairs barrier if you want to be part of the pre-show bird life entertainment! The show gives you a great sense of what the zoo is all about, as you wait for the show to start, enjoy the videos of the Irwin family reminiscing on family times at the Zoo. Once the show gets going you're in for a treat as you witness some of the zoos largest and oldest crocodiles get fed.
The show is sometimes hosted by the Irwin's themselves, be sure to check the zoo website for details on when this happens. We were lucky enough to get to see a cameo from Robert Irwin during out show.
5. Watch the Tortoise feeding and show at 10 am
Witness visited the largest species of land tortoise in the world, the Aldabra tortoise, which can weigh up to 300 kg and grow to be over 1 metre tall. We loved learning more about the zoo's resident Tortoises at the feeding show. After the show, you also have the option to give them a pat and take a photo with them.
6. Visit the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital and John Oliver Koala Chlamydia Ward gifted by Russell Crowe
Located on the far side of the car park of Australia Zoo, we recommend a visit to the Animal Hospital at the end of your day before leaving. Here you'll get to see the behind the scenes of the zoo and the efforts that go into protecting and caring for our wildlife. You'll see injured animals getting taken car off as you look through the glass doors of the animal operating rooms and vet facilities.
If you're a fan of the TV show Last Week Tonight by John Oliver, don't miss a visit to the John Oliver Koala chlamydia ward, which was gifted by Russell Crowe. there's a great sign there you can take a picture with too.
7. Don't miss these other favourite Animals
There were so many animal encounters we loved at Australia Zoo it's hard to list them all, so we thought we'd share a few photos of our other favourites.
We hope you enjoyed guide the Australia Zoo, Glass House Mountains on the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia. To see more of our other Australian destination guides click here.
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LITTLE SHERPAs
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