The Zoo of Australia: The Infamous Irwin Family Zoo

Located on the beautiful Sunshine Coast in Queensland, Australia Zoo is a world-famous wildlife sanctuary that captivates visitors from around the globe. Famous for its connection to the Irwin family—and the legendary Steve Irwin—this zoo has grown from a small reptile park into one of the most popular wildlife destinations in the world. The zoo’s journey began with Steve's parents, in the 1970s, whom initially founded the park to educate the public on reptile conservation. Over the years, it evolved into the global wildlife center, expanding to include a wide array of other animals.

The Birth of the Zoo: From Reptile Park to Wildlife Sanctuary

Australia Zoo was founded by the parents of the infamous Crocodile Hunter.  Originally managed under the name Beerwah Reptile Park, Steve's father - a world renowned herpetologist - had a real passion for reptiles.  This led to the creation a sanctuary dedicated to the protection and education of these often misunderstood creatures. The park initially focused on reptiles but quickly expanded its focus to other native Australian animals, thanks to the Irwin family’s growing knowledge and expertise.

In the 1990s, the zoo underwent several name changes, and was eventually rebranded as Australia Zoo under the leadership of Steve Irwin. Well know as the Crocodile Hunter, Steve propelled the zoo to international fame using the popularity from his television shows, films, and merchandise to invest heavily in the zoo, continuing his mission of wildlife conservation and education. His work, especially with crocodiles, helped put a spotlight on these creatures.

Highlights of Australia Zoo

Australia Zoo is home to a variety of exhibits, offering an immersive experience for visitors. From interactive animal encounters to world-class exhibits, here are some of the must-see features:

1. Reptiles: A World of Scales and Claws

As you enter the zoo, you’ll be greeted by an impressive array of reptiles. Australia Zoo is home to a vast collection of reptiles, ranging from Bearded Dragons to the iconic Komodo Dragons. The zoo boasts over 100 species of reptiles, including unique species like Rhino Iguanas and Freshwater rocodiles, all carefully displayed in educational exhibits designed to inspire visitors to appreciate these often-misunderstood creatures.

Lazy Rhino Iguanas bask on a rock at the Australia Zoo content to relax and watch the world go by.

2. Crocoseum: The Stadium of Wildlife

The Crocoseum is one of the zoo's most iconic attractions. This stadium-style area is a large area allocated to hold wildlife shows and demonstrations, though it’s designed to entertain and educate visitors in an outdoor amphitheater-like setting. The large dedicated area is equipped with tons of seating, drawing big crowds and taking up a significant section of the zoo.  During our visit, no shows took place, but this area was still exceptionally busy with people still attending the heavily trafficked café and giant merchandise shop that are part of this area.

3. African Savannah: A Journey Through the Wilds of Africa

One of the zoo’s standout exhibits is the African Savannah, a vast open-air space that is home to iconic African species such as rhinos, giraffes, cheetahs, and zebras. The zoo may span over 700 acres, but we were surprised by how quickly we managed to explore the entire park - and this is largely due to the fact that the zoo's space is devoted to building expansive, naturalistic habitats for the animals.  While in some ways, it can make this zoo feel small, it's a bit of an illusion - and it's one you can appreciate when you take note of the wide open spaces that allow the animals to roam freely, offering visitors an exciting chance to witness some of the world’s most beloved animals in action.

A zebra peacefully grazing on the vibrant green grass of the African Savannah exhibit, standing out against the vibrant green landscape as it enjoys a quiet moment in the sun.

4. Bindi’s Island: A Kids’ Wonderland

For families with little ones, Bindi’s Island is a must-see area. Named after Steve Irwin’s daughter, this area is designed with kids in mind. Visitors can get up close to lemurs, tortoises, macaws, and see a boa constrictor - safely housed in a glass enclosure, of course. The island is more than just the animals and features expansive parklands and walking paths, along with a three-story treehouse that offers panoramic views of the area. Bindi’s Island is designed as more of an open space and play area, which is designed with younger visitors in mind.

5. Tiger Temple: Meet the Majestic Sumatran Tigers

One of the most impressive parts of Australia Zoo is the Tiger Temple, home to the zoo’s resident Sumatran Tigers.  This area is designed to resemble a Southeast Asian temple, and provides an expansive area for the tigers - including a place to swim!  The large viewing area allows visitors to get up close to view these majestic big cats. The tigers have a large space to roam that extends beyond the visible area, allowing them plenty of room to roam. It’s easy to see why this exhibit was one of our favorites, especially when you see how happy the cats here are.

A happy Sumatran tiger at the Tiger Temple, showing his playful side with a big smile

6. Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital: A Place of Healing

The Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital is an integral part of the zoo’s commitment to conservation. The hospital is dedicated to the rehabilitation of injured or sick wildlife, and it plays a critical role in the local and national conservation efforts.  The zoo offers paid tours to small groups that want to get a behind-the-scenes view of the hospital, which works in a controlled setting but could be disruptive at times.  We thought it was a shame there were no public "behind-the-glass" viewing areas, as we were quite interested in seeing the hospital, but did not visit it.  The revenue generated goes directly toward funding the hospital’s conservation and rehabilitation efforts, but this is an element of the zoo that has been well promoted, and could provide a real opportunity for people to see the care and rehabilitation efforts here.  Allowing access to this in a way that is not disruptive would give people a glimpse of the overall mission of the Australia Zoo and would be an amazing public education tool.

A Bit of a Controversial Take

Australia Zoo is designed with the animals in mind, offering large, open spaces where they can roam freely. While much of the zoo's expansive size of 700 acres is allocated to provide large habitat areas for the animals, approximately 110 acres are open to the public.  

We were able to navigate the entire zoo in less than half a day, with this zoo feeling almost somehow "smaller" than other zoos we had visited.  After reflecting on the day, we realized how much of this area of the zoo was really not set-up for animal viewing.  One example is the Crocoseum, which has stadium seating for 5,000 - a pretty big area alone, but add in the stage area, large gift shop and an open-air cafe which seats 1,500 people.  This is a very large part of the zoo, and while it is designed for educational shows, there wasn't a single show that took place when we attended.  Another is the Laughing Frog Lolly Shop and Water Park, which is a large play area with a shop, enormous sculptures and a water park that takes up 2,100 square feet of the zoo.  These are only a couple of the zone areas which cater to tourists and are free for kids too attend - and while some parents might appreciate these areas, which are large play areas - it all somehow feels a little commercialized.  There are so many things you can get for just a little extra money, and although we can fully acknowledge that beyond the entry fee, the zoo’s gift shops, merchandise, animal encounters, tours, food and beverages are all ways for the zoo to fund conservation efforts that go beyond their fundraising initiatives - it does feel like these elements of the zoo take up more space than they should.  

The Australia Zoo is famous, not only due to it's connection to a family known around the globe for their conservation efforts, but also for the habitats and housing that the zoo provides - with extremely massive open and expansive areas set-up for the animals.  This is what we had come to see and we got through those areas much more quickly than we had imagined.

What to Bring

1. Comfortable Footwear

You'll be on your feet while you walk through the zoo, so be sure to wear comfortable shoes, especially if you plan on walking around for an extended period. The paths can range from paved walkways to more rugged, dirt tracks in some of the wildlife areas. 

2. Sunscreen and a Hat

Queensland is known for its sunny weather, and the Australia Zoo is no exception. Applying sunscreen generously before you set out and bringing a hat to protect yourself from direct sunlight is essential, especially if you're visiting during warmer months or midday.

3. Camera or Binoculars

You'll encounter a variety of fascinating animals at Australia Zoo, from bearded dragons and crocodiles, to tigers - and you'll want to bring a camera!  Many of the enclosures are designed to provide a lot of space and they are not always visible at key viewing areas or designated spots - but if you bring a pair of binoculars or a camera with a zoom lens, you might have a better chance at capturing cool moments that would be missed by those without.

4. Water Bottle

It's always important to stay hydrated, particularly on hot days. There are multiple water refill stations around the zoo, but it’s always a good idea to bring your own water bottle to make sure you have it on hand when you need it. 

Conclusion

Australia Zoo is a must-visit destination for anyone traveling to Queensland or seeking a closer connection to Australian wildlife.  Whether you catch a show at the Crocoseum to an educational discussion at the Tiger Temple, the zoo offers an enriching experience that are both fun and educational.  Despite feeling some aspects of the zoo were a bit more commercialized, the areas where you do get to see animals give opportunities to learn and see wildlife in a setting where they do see happy, well-cared for and they are given plenty of space to roam.