Sydney is the perfect place to get up close with native Australian animals. Its fantastic zoos, aquariums and wildlife parks will let you meet koalas and hand feed kangaroos. If you're feeling brave, you can even pat a snake and dive with sharks.
Taronga Zoo Sydney
Location: Bradleys Head Road, Mosman. Around nine kilometres from the Sydney CBD, the easiest way to get there is a 12-minute ferry ride from Circular Quay across Sydney Harbour.
Don't miss: The incredible vista of Sydney Harbour that pops up behind the animals – the giraffes are a favourite photo spot.
Insider tip: Book the overnight Roar and Snore experience to camp within earshot of the big cats or upgrade to the Wildlife Retreat's eco-luxury rooms set inside the zoo grounds for harbour views and exclusive after-hours animal access.
A Sydney icon, Taronga Zoo is the essential stop for animal lovers. It’s home to over 350 species, from native kangaroos and dingoes to exotic giraffes, gorillas, rhinos, lions and tigers. Get a deeper insight into the resident animals at one of the many daily keeper talks or get up close to your favourite with an animal encounter, where you can meet a koala or feed a capybara. During the school holidays, the dedicated kids’ programs let little ones go behind the scenes, or they can join the immersive Keeper for a Day program year-round.
Taronga Zoo Sydney, Mosman
Sydney Zoo
Location: Bungarribee, Western Sydney Parklands. A 45-minute drive from central Sydney.
Don't miss: This is the only zoo in Sydney to have elephants (three live here) and it also has Australia’s largest Reptile and Nocturnal House.
Insider tip: You can walk, swim or climb alongside wildlife with the zoo’s unique VR experiences. Don the virtual reality headset and go into the world of sharks, polar bears, gorillas and more.
There are no walls between you and the animals at Sydney Zoo. Its unique boardwalk layout and open, safari-style exhibits mean you can walk alongside lions and zebras separated only by a shallow moat. It’s home to over 150 species from Australia and around the world and is the only wildlife park in NSW that has both a zoo and aquarium. The Reptile and Nocturnal House is a standout for anyone chasing unusual wildlife encounters – it reveals what the zoo's snakes, owls, bats, quolls and other nocturnal residents get up to after dark.
Sydney Zoo, Eastern Creek
WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo
Location: Aquarium Wharf, Darling Harbour. Right in the heart of the city, it’s just a short walk from Town Hall Station.
Don't miss: Rocky, a saltwater crocodile weighing in at more than 360kg, viewed from a crawl-through space with pop-up windows.
Insider tip: Book in for a one-of-a-kind breakfast with the koalas. Enjoy a delicious buffet on the rooftop while watching the koalas relax on their eucalyptus branches, then get close for a koala selfie.
If you're wondering where to see Australian animals in Sydney without leaving the CBD, WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo at Darling Harbour is the answer. It’s divided into 10 different zones themed around native environments, from the Daintree Rainforest to Platypus Pool and Devils Den. In the Outback-inspired Kangaroo Walkabout area you can even walk amongst a friendly mob of western grey kangaroos. If you like things a little smaller, go inside the Bug Box to see snails, spiders and beetles.
WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo, Darling Harbour - Credit: Merlin Entertainments Group
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium
Location: Aquarium Wharf, Darling Harbour. Next door to WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo and an easy walk from Town Hall Station or Darling Harbour.
Don't miss: Pig the dugong, one of the few dugongs on display anywhere in the world, and Sydney’s only colony of sub-Antarctic penguins.
Insider tip: Adrenaline seekers can book a scuba dive inside the Shark Valley tank, surrounded by harmless grey nurse sharks, wobbegongs, Port Jackson sharks, huge sting rays, turtles and reef fish.
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium is home to marine life you can't see elsewhere in Sydney. Start with Pig the dugong, one of only a handful of dugongs in human care worldwide, then take an immersive boat ride through the gentoo and king penguin colony. Touch and feel in the rockpools then admire more than 700 species across the aquarium's tanks. Feeling brave? Sign up for scuba diving with grey nurse sharks, one of Sydney's most unique animal encounters. If you prefer to stay dry, you can still get close to the action with a glass-bottom boat ride.
SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium, Darling Harbour
Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park
Location: 217 Kildare Road, Doonside. Around an hours’ drive west of the Sydney CBD, on the way toward the Blue Mountains.
Don't miss: A koala encounter – this is one of the few places in Sydney where you can get a genuine close encounter with a koala, pat them and take photos.
Insider tip: Make sure the kids grab an adventure map at the entrance to follow the Wildlife Adventure Trail. They need to find hidden stamps across the park and can collect a prize at the end.
One of Sydney’s most hands-on wildlife experiences, Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park in Doonside is home to more than 2,000 animals from over 260 native species, including 68 endangered species. It’s one of the best places to see koalas and kangaroos in Sydney, with up close animal encounters and an open walk-through area where you can hand-feed roos and wallabies. There’s also an incredible collection of native birds, from kookaburras and tawny frogmouths to cassowaries and emus. Little kids will love the farmyard, home to curious sheep, goats, ducks and chickens.
Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park, Doonside
Australian Reptile Park
Location: Pacific Highway, Somersby, Central Coast. Just over an hour's drive north of Sydney.
Don't miss: Elvis, a giant saltwater crocodile who is known as Australia’s crankiest croc. He became world famous for stealing a lawnmower from a keeper and dragging it underwater.
Insider tip: Time your visit to catch the daily snake milking demonstration. The raw venom milked here goes to create valuable antivenom that protects the whole country. They also run a funnel-web spider milking program and are Australia's only supplier of Sydney funnel-web venom.
A little further afield but well worth the drive, the Australian Reptile Park at Somersby has one of Australia’s largest collections of reptiles with more than 40 native and exotic species on display. There are snakes, lizards, turtles and tortoises galore, plus legendary creatures like the Komodo dragon and Galapagos tortoise. The most famous resident is Elvis, one of the largest saltwater crocodiles in captivity, who performs thrilling shows on the weekend. There are also mammals, birds, amphibians and spiders on show. The park also plays an important role in Australia's only antivenom program.
Australian Reptile Park, Somersby
Calmsley Hill City Farm
Location: 31 Darling Street, Abbotsbury. Just off the M7 in Western Sydney, it’s a 50-minute drive from the city.
Don't miss: Animal patting happens daily at 10.30am. Join the farmers in the nursery to meet some of the adorable baby animals.
Insider tip: Arrive early and bring a picnic to make use of the farm's free electric BBQs and expansive picnic grounds. From September to April, the farm also runs camping nights around once a month – check the website for details.
Calmsley Hill City Farm blends a working farm with a wildlife park, making it one of the more relaxed wildlife experiences for families with younger children. Daily shows demonstrate the skills of working dogs, shearers and stock-whip crackers, while the farm animal nursery lets kids step inside an enclosure to interact with lambs and kid goats. There's also a large kangaroo pen for free hand-feeding and a daily koala talk. With free electric BBQs and shaded picnic grounds on site, it's an easy full-day outing without the crowds of the bigger zoos.
Calmsley Hill City Farm, Abbotsbury
Whale watching
Location: Coastal lookouts across Sydney's Eastern Suburbs and Northern Beaches, or on a whale watching cruise.
Don't miss: If you want to combine a high-speed thrill ride with whale spotting, book a tour with Ocean Extreme. Their high-tech, military grade boats can reach speeds of up to 49 knots.
Insider tip: Whales tend to be seen closer to shore later in the season (September to November) as they make their way back south with their new calves in tow.
Every year from May to November, around 40,000 humpback whales make their way along the east coast of Australia during their annual migration. Whale watching in Sydney is one of the city's most spectacular – and free – wildlife encounters. Clifftop walks from Bondi to Coogee, the Federation Cliff Walk at Dover Heights, Cape Solander in the Kamay Botany Bay National Park, Manly’s North Head and Barrenjoey Lighthouse all offer excellent land-based viewing. For a closer look, whale-watching cruises depart daily from Circular Quay, Darling Harbour and Manly, taking passengers just beyond Sydney Heads to where humpbacks are regularly sighted. Many of the cruises have marine biologists onboard to share their knowledge and hydrophones to listed to the whales calls beneath the water.
Ocean Extreme, The Rocks - Credit: Ocean Extreme
Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve
Location: Shelly Beach, Manly. A 20-minute ferry from Circular Quay, then a 10-minute walk along the Manly Beach foreshore.
Don't miss: Because fishing and collecting have been banned here since 2002, marine life is unusually relaxed around snorkellers. The famous Eastern blue gropers may come right up to your mask.
Insider tip: It’s easy to explore yourself, but if you’d like to be guided you can join a private tour with EcoTreasures. Your expert eco guide will help you identify what you see and explain how the marine reserve protects the environment.
Cabbage Tree Bay Aquatic Reserve, just off Manly’s Shelly Beach, is proof that some of Sydney's best animal encounters happen in the water rather than on land. This 20-hectare marine sanctuary has been a no-take zone for more than two decades, and the result is an abundance of marine life that's remarkably comfortable around people. Snorkellers regularly spot Eastern blue gropers, wobbegong sharks, giant cuttlefish and even a resident green turtle, all without a wetsuit-and-tank operation required.
Symbio Wildlife Park
Location: 7-11 Lawrence Hargrave Drive, Helensburgh. Around 45-50 minutes' drive south of Sydney, just past the Royal National Park.
Don't miss: In the school holidays, you can sign the kids up for Junior Keeper Camp. They’ll get to have hands on experiences with the animals, help the keepers with their daily duties and learn more about caring for the animals.
Insider tip: Symbio is the only zoo or wildlife park within the greater Sydney area with its own splash park, so pack swimmers for a warm-weather visit.
Have you ever seen an albino echidna? Symbio Wildlife Park is one of the few places you can, with their rare albino echidna Leo on display. He’s just one of the many native and exotic animals found here, from wombats, koalas, kangaroos and dingoes to cheetahs, red pandas, lemurs and meerkats. Book an animal encounter for an authentic interaction, where you can pat, feed and be climbed on by your favourites. There’s also a farmyard where you can feed sheep, chickens, alpacas, goats and more. Daily keeper talks and feeding sessions add an educational layer to the visit, and in warmer months, the splash park makes it an easy full-day option for families.
Local Travel Planner Pty Ltd, Symbio Wildlife Park, Helensburg
Zambi Wildlife Retreat
Location: Wallacia, Western Sydney. Around an hour's drive from the CBD, in the foothills of the Blue Mountains.
Don't miss: Retired and rescued big cats, including lions, tigers and a Sri Lankan leopard, plus hamadryas baboons, red pandas and meerkats. All animals have been rehomed from circuses, zoos and private collections.
Insider tip: Zambi isn't open for general walk-in admission. Every visit is a small-group, pre-booked guided tour, and hand-feeding encounters with the lions, tigers and baboons must be added on in advance.
Zambi Wildlife Retreat in Wallacia is unlike anything else in Sydney. It's a not-for-profit sanctuary for retired and rescued exotic animals rather than a traditional zoo, and it's home to big cats you can't see anywhere else. Guided tours run in small groups and include the chance to hand-feed lions, tigers and baboons, plus gentler meerkat and marmoset encounters. Because visits are limited to pre-booked tours, it feels far more intimate than a standard zoo day out, and every dollar spent goes directly toward the animals' care. It's one of the most distinctive wildlife experiences near Sydney and an unforgettable day out.
Zambi Wildlife Retreat, Wallacia
Central Gardens Nature Reserve
Location: Corner of Cumberland Highway and Merrylands Road, Merrylands West. A 30-minute drive from the city.
Don't miss: As well as native animals, there are two adventure playgrounds, bush trails, tennis courts, BBQs and picnic areas, and multiple water features to explore.
Insider tip: It's one of the only places in Sydney to see native wildlife completely free of charge – visit on a weekday morning to avoid the weekend picnic crowds.
Tucked into the quiet suburb of Merrylands West, Central Gardens Nature Reserve is a low-key alternative to the big-ticket zoos in Sydney – and it's entirely free. The 12-hectare reserve combines landscaped gardens with open-air native animal enclosures, where kangaroos, wallabies and emus roam within easy viewing distance of the boardwalk. A waterfall feature, ponds and shaded picnic areas round out what's a genuinely underrated spot for families after a quiet, budget-friendly wildlife experience without the queues of the major parks.
Central Gardens Nature Reserve, Merrylands West
Auburn Botanic Gardens
Location: Corner of Chisholm Road and Chiswick Road, Auburn. around 20km west of the Sydney CBD.
Don't miss: Visit in August to admire the spectacular cherry blossoms that bloom across more than 200 trees in the Japanese garden. The garden’s annual Sydney Cherry Blossom Festival has Japanese food, workshops, performances and guided experiences.
Insider tip: Entry is free on weekdays, with a small fee on weekends, public holidays and around the Cherry Blossom Festival. Go midweek to enjoy the gardens and animal reserve without the crowds.
Auburn Botanic Gardens pairs over nine hectares of themed gardens, including a Japanese garden and native rainforest walk, with a dedicated Fauna Reserve where wallabies, kangaroos and wombats roam in a naturalistic bush setting. There’s also a bird aviary and peacocks strutting freely through the gardens. It's a peaceful, low-cost option for a slower-paced day of animal encounters.
Auburn Botanic Gardens, Auburn
Australian Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Bargo, Wollondilly Shire. Around 90 minutes' southwest of the Sydney CBD.
Don't miss: This is a wildlife encounter you can feel good about. As a registered charity, every dollar you spend goes directly to supporting the animals in the sanctuary as well as their rehabilitation and release program.
Insider tip: The sanctuary is only open for booked experiences and not general admission, so don’t just turn up without a ticket.
Australian Wildlife Sanctuary is heritage-listed, volunteer-run sanctuary set on 90 hectares of bushland in Bargo. It only offers private tours. That means you’ll get to enjoy an exclusive experience, guided by a ranger, where you can meet, pat and feed resident bare-nosed wombats, long-necked turtles, emus, wallabies and more. You can add on additional experiences (for a fee) including koalas, quokkas and crocodiles. Kids will love the Junior Ranger for a Day program where they can work alongside the expert team.
Australian Wildlife Sanctuary, Bargo - Credit: Sharp Shots
Copyright: Wollondilly Shire Council
