Updated for September 2026
The Best Zoos in Oceania
How this list is ordered: by how complete our listing is — how much we hold on opening hours, ticket prices, accreditation, photographs, animals and facilities. It is a measure of our own coverage, not a judgement of the venue. We hold no visitor scores or conservation assessments, so “best” here means every zoo in Oceania that qualifies for the list, fullest entry first.
Listed alphabetically
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PlaygroundGuided tourOn-site dining
Adelaide Zoo
Zoo in Adelaide
The grounds cover eight hectares of parkland immediately north of the city centre. The newest enclosures form the second phase of the South-East Asia area, called Immersion, where Sumatran tigers and orangutans are seen at close range. The Envirodome, a hands-on visitor space, shares the former Ape Block with the Education Centre.
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Auckland Zoo
Zoo in Auckland
The zoo sits beside Te Waiōrea Western Springs Park, close to the central business district. It is governed through a charitable trust and Tātaki Auckland Unlimited, a council-controlled body.
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Parking
Hamilton Zoo
Zoo in Hamilton
Hamilton Zoo, opened in 1969, is a zoo in New Zealand. Animals on show include tigers, chimpanzees, parrots, Lemur and Rhino.
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Guided tour
Orana Wildlife Park
Zoo in Christchurch
It opened in 1976 and is owned and run by a registered charitable trust. Animals on show include giraffe, Southern White Rhino, kiwi and lions.
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Perth Zoo
Zoo in South Perth
By 2011 the zoo held 1,258 animals of 164 species, along with a large plant collection.
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Animal encounterParkingKeeper talk or show
Sydney Aquarium & Sydney Wildlife World
Zoo & Aquarium in Sydney
It opened in September 2006 beside a leisure and retail precinct that also holds the Sea Life aquarium and Madame Tussauds, and is laid out in ten themed zones.
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Keeper talk or showRides and attractionsBehind-the-scenes tour
Taronga Zoo
Zoo in Mosman
The zoo occupies 28 hectares, split into zoogeographic regions. Its name is an Aboriginal word for a fine outlook. From September to April it closes at 5pm.
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Wellington Zoo
Zoo in Wellington
Opened in 1906, it is the country's oldest public zoo and has long operated under the city council. Travel + Leisure named it in July 2026 among 25 top zoos worldwide on ethics, education and research investment, and a 2025 Seven Corners global ranking placed it thirteenth for animal encounters.
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Animal encounterEducation programDisability admission concession
Ballarat Wildlife Park
Zoo in Ballarat
The ten-hectare site holds over 300 animals, among them more than 100 kangaroos roaming loose, along with a large reptile collection.
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Animal encounterAnimal feeding experienceKeeper talk or show
Billabong Sanctuary
Zoo in Townsville
Billabong Sanctuary, opened in 1985, is a zoo in Townsville, Australia.
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Animal encounterEducation programOn-site dining
Butterfly Creek
Zoo in Auckland
The site covers roughly eight acres and started as a walk-through butterfly garden, which remains the main draw. There is also a farm section, shortfin eels and tropical marine and freshwater tanks.
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Animal encounterBehind-the-scenes tourOn-site dining
Cleland Wildlife Park
Zoo in Crafers
Cleland Wildlife Park is a zoo in Crafers, Australia. Animals on show include Dingo, Tasmanian Devil, Koala, Echidna and Cockatoo.
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Animal encounter
Crocodylus Park
Zoo in Darwin
The park's work centres on the conservation of the saltwater and freshwater crocodile, and it includes a museum devoted to crocodiles. The collection extends well beyond crocodilians to big cats, primates, birds, turtles and snakes.
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Keeper talk or show
Hartley’s Crocodile Adventures
Zoo in Wangetti
The site borders the Wet Tropics World Heritage rainforest, which can be walked either independently or with a guide.
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Hobart Zoo
Zoo in Hobart
The site lies close to the Governor's residence and the botanical gardens, laid out among sweeping gardens with wide views over the River Derwent.
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Keeper talk or showOvernight stayEducation program
Melbourne Zoo
Zoo in Melbourne
The zoo sits in Royal Park at Parkville, about 4 km north of the city centre. As of 2021 it held 3742 animals of 243 species. It is reached by Royal Park station on the Upfield line, by trams 58 and 19, and by bicycle along the Capital City Trail.
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Animal encounterGuided tourOn-site dining
Mogo Wildlife Park
Zoo in Mogo (South)
Mogo Wildlife Park, opened in 1991, is a zoo in Mogo (South), Australia. Animals on show include Spotted Hyena, Binturong, Meerkats, Silvery Gibbon and Siamang Gibbon.
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Animal encounterEducation programNight and evening opening
National Zoo & Aquarium
Zoo & Aquarium in Canberra
It sits in Yarralumla at the west end of Lake Burley Griffin, beside Scrivener Dam.
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Animal encounterPicnic areaDisability admission concession
Ranger Red’s Zoo & Conservation Park
Zoo in Pinjarra
Over 100 native and exotic species are kept, with a hands-on approach that extends to hand-feeding and to close encounters with snakes, rufous bettong and ferrets.
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Animal encounterAnimal feeding experience
Symbio Wildlife Park
Zoo in Wollongong
It started in 1975 showing only native Australian wildlife, and later broadened to foreign species, taking on conservation and captive breeding work for both. Purpose-built breeding facilities were set up in 2021 for Bellinger River and Manning River snapping turtles and for stuttering frogs.
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Taronga Western Plains Zoo
Zoo in Dubbo
The zoo lies on the Newell Highway, roughly five kilometres out from the town.
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On-site diningNight and evening openingAccessible toilets
Tasmania Zoo
Zoo in Rosevale
The zoo is set in 900 acres of old-growth native bush. Over 100 species and around 1,000 individual animals are held, including what it claims is the second biggest primate collection among Australian private zoos.
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Werribee Open Range Zoo
Zoo in Werribee
The zoo belongs to Zoos Victoria alongside Melbourne Zoo, Kyabram Fauna Park and Healesville Sanctuary. It covers about 225 hectares on the Werribee River, next to the Werribee Park Mansion, on land once used to agist Melbourne Zoo animals.
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On-site diningAccessible toiletsAssistance animal policy
Australian Reptile Park
Zoo in Central Coast
The park displays close to 50 reptile species, among the largest such collections in the country.
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PlaygroundOn-site diningParking
Brooklands Zoo
Zoo in New Plymouth
Brooklands Zoo is a zoo in New Plymouth, New Zealand. Animals on show include capuchin monkeys, meerkats, parrots, tortoises and Cotton-top tamarin.
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Animal encounterRides and attractionsOn-site dining
Central Coast Zoo
Zoo in Wyong Creek
Access is limited to private tours booked by telephone or email, with a full public opening anticipated for 2023. Six African lions taken from circus life, three of each sex, were expected to be the main draw.
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Flying High Bird Sanctuary
Zoo in Apple Tree Creek
The sanctuary stands at the junction of the Bruce Highway and Old Creek Road, roughly 50 km south of Bundaberg.
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Animal encounterNight and evening openingMobility equipment loan
Halls Gap Zoo
Zoo in Halls Gap
Billed as the biggest regional zoo in Victoria, it keeps around 120 species, native and foreign combined.
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Hunter Valley Wildlife Park
Zoo in Nulkaba
The park began operating in 2007 as Hunter Valley Zoo. New owners took it over in 2021, and the present name was adopted in November of that year.
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Keeper talk or show
National Kiwi Centre
Zoo & Aquarium in Hokitika
National Kiwi Centre is a mixed in Hokitika, New Zealand. Animals on show include New Zealand Kiwi Bird, Tuatara, Freshwater Eels, Koura / Freshwater Crayfish and Whitebait.
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Animal encounterOn-site diningParking
Rockhampton Zoo
Zoo in Rockhampton
Rockhampton Zoo is a zoo in Rockhampton, Australia. Animals on show include Asian small-clawed otters, Cassowary, Chimpanzees, Dingoes and Frilled Lizard.
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Behind-the-scenes tourParkingWheelchair accessible routes
Sydney Zoo
Zoo in Sydney
The site measures 16.5 hectares and lies 38 km west of the central business district. Its enclosures average 2.6 times the size required under New South Wales Department of Primary Industries rules.
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Keeper talk or showRides and attractionsBehind-the-scenes tour
Wildlife HQ Zoo
Zoo in Nambour
It took in many animals in March 2014 from Alma Park Zoo, which had shut.
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Animal encounter
Darling Downs Zoo
Zoo in Clifton
The grounds are laid out as four regional zones, covering Africa, South America, South-East Asia and Australia. Things to do include Zoofari Night Tour and personal animal encounters.
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Animal feeding experienceOvernight stayGuided tour
Mansfield Zoo
Zoo in Mansfield
The collection numbers more than 220 animals, both native and imported. Kangaroos and deer roam loose and take feed bought on site. Four African lions are kept, two of them white, and their feeding is shown daily.
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Animal encounterBehind-the-scenes tour
UnderWater World Sunshine Coast
Zoo in Moonlaba
UnderWater World Sunshine Coast is a zoo in Moonlaba, Sunshine Coast, Queensland, Australia.
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Alexandra Park Zoo
Zoo in Bundaberg
Mammals kept include cotton-top tamarin, dingo, swamp and parma wallabies and spotted-tailed quoll, alongside reptiles such as lace and freckled monitors, bearded dragon, land mullet and carpet python. Birds include emu, red-tailed black and sulphur-crested cockatoos, and eclectus and princess parrots. A radiated tortoise called Torty, reckoned to be more than 136 years old, died on 20 February 1984.
Our ranking methodology
This is not a ranking. The 37 venues above are listed alphabetically by name, the same order used throughout this site. We do not collect visitor reviews, star ratings, ticket-sales figures or a conservation-impact score, so none of those exist here to rank by — “best” in this page’s title means every venue that qualifies for this list, not first-to-last by quality. If we ever add a data source robust enough to support an honest ranking, this note and the order above will change together.