Summer Outings – Werribee Zoo

Werribee Open Range Zoo is located 35 kilometres west of Melbourne’s city centre, on the Princes Freeway. It is a short 30-minute drive from the city over the Westgate Bridge or via the Geelong Road.

I was in need of a little bit of fun and frivolity, and we both needed to get out of the house; we vowed over the last 12 months to visit all three of Melbourne’ Zoos – this was the last one. Each of the Zoo’s have a different aspect to them, Healesville is excellent for Australian Wildlife and the Birds of Prey Show and Melbourne Zoo has the Butterfly House, the Elephants and so much more…but to me I still love the Werribee Zoo, it has an African Theme and most of the animals and many of the plants even are African. There is also an Australian Bushland Section, for the overseas visitors I suppose.

Werribee Zoo also has just put the new Lion Cubs on display this week…….have to see these guys!

So that was out first port of call, as they were only on display in the mornings to start with and we got there a bit late…….they had finished playing were getting ready for a nap. Awwwwwwwww so cute.

Next were the Hippos….I gotta love me some Hippo, second only to elephants in my book. I know they are actually quite dangerous, but there is something about them, maybe coz my butt resembles one? lol

Hippo

Anyway we wandered around and saw a few animals, Wild African Dogs, Gorillas, Monkeys, Meerkats and such, then headed over to the Safari Tour, we just did the standard bus tour, but next time the special photography tour by 4X4 might be in order. We got to drive out on the savannah and see buffalo, giraffes, ponies, zebra, eland, rhino and a few others, as well. The tour ride is about 40 minutes and sees quite a lot of animals and there is a guide pointing out animals, habitats and other interesting facts.

We sat and had lunch at the restaurant/cafe which has a long glass wall shared with the main Meerkat enclosure, eat and watch the cutest animals on the planet….yes please!

As we still had plenty of time and had been around once, we decided to head back and see if the Lions had moved….we got some new ones this afternoon, but no movement.

And then went back to the Hippos (of course) and then the Meerkats (for a coffee and cuteness).

Something new for us is the Australian Bushland exhibit and wetlands, we had not seen that before, and I will leave it for another post…I hope you enjoyed our wonderful day at the zoo; we certainly did.

Til next time, happy snapping…

~ Julz