You would think that the E’s would be out and about in shopping malls on Boxing day, but nope, not us. We were up for an adventure, so to the Sydney Zoo, we go!
We were eyeing a trip to the new Sydney Zoo ever since it opened on the 7th of Dec 2019 and went on the official website (https://sydneyzoo.com/) to have a look at the ticket prices. After doing some research and price comparison, we opted to get an annual family membership which costs AUD$198 for 2 adults + up to 4 kids (just nice for us!) instead of $140 if we were to get day tickets.
Ticket Pricing
| Ticket Type | Membership (Annual) | Day Ticket |
| 1 Adult + 1 Child | $99 | $54.99 |
| 1 Adult + 2 Children | $99 | $69.99 |
| 2 Adults + 1 Child | $198 | $89.99 |
| 2 Adults + 2 Children | $198 | $99.99 |
| 2 Adults + 3 Children | $198 | $119.98 |
| 2 Adults + 4 Children | $198 | $139.97 |
Location
The Sydney Zoo is located on the Great Western Highway in Bungarribee and is accessible by car and public transport. It took us around 1 hour 45 minutes to arrive at the zoo from Central Coast, but on a good day, it should take less than 1 hour 20 minutes. With ample parking spaces, you won’t have to worry about parking too far from the entrance.
The Zoo
The whole zoo is divided into 5 areas; Australia (which also houses the reptiles & nocturnals, South East Asia, Africa, Primates and Aquarium. They are also colour coded so it’s easy to know which area you are in.
For those of you who feel hungry from all that walking, there’s a variety of food to choose from at the Boulevard Eatery & Lion Deck Cafe that will whet your appetite. Make sure you bring some drinking bottles for your troops as there are several water refill stations around the vicinity.
You will find toilets available in each area and once you are done, the customary gift shop is located at the exit. For those of you who need to pray or meditate, there are prayer rooms right next to the gift shop.
Final Say
Even though there were quite a few attractions that were not available, it was still an enjoyable day out with the kids. Having bought the annual pass, we will surely be coming here again and try to cover as much animal shows & talks as possible.
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Ticket Price5/5 AmazingThe fact that the family membership includes up to 4 kid makes it a good value for big families.
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Entertainment Value3/5 NeutralWe did not catch much of the shows on the day, but the talk about the aboriginal culture was good info.
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Cleanliness4/5 GoodSince it is a new Zoo, it is definitely clean but we did noticed a few trash lying around here and there.
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Animals On Show3.5/5 NormalSince it was quite a hot day, the animals were mostly resting under the shade or were in their resting area.
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Facilities4/5 GoodThere were toilets and water refill stations all around the Zoo with even a prayer room which is located beside the gift shop.
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Food5/5 AmazingThere was a good variety of food available with a good portion and value for money.
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Halal3/5 NeutralChickens are said to be from halal source and there are many vegan options as well. No alcohol is served on the premises.
The Good
- The whole zoo is accessible by prams and wheelchair
- Prayer rooms
- Lots of shaded area with mist fan
The Bad
- Indoor area could easily be crowded
- Not as much animals as Taronga
- Could complete the whole Zoo within an hour
