Australia is notable for having 3 massive open range zoos, and these institutions are famous for having enormous paddocks and a range of hoofstock that is not seen in the urban zoo collections. The zoos often receive around 250,000 visitors a year, which is a lot less than their urban counterparts, but the space given to the animals is hundreds of acres more and thus larger herds can be maintained. There is the Taronga Western Plains Zoo, about 6 hours from Sydney, which is affectionately called Dubbo by most people and was once groundbreaking for the size of its paddocks. Werribee Open Range Zoo near Melbourne only has a few hundred animals but several world class exhibits, including the lion and hippo enclosures. The third establishment is the Monarto Zoo near Adelaide, which has come on in leaps and bounds over the past few years. Monarto is the only one of the 3 that I've visited, and the 20 giraffes, huge african wild dog paddock and incredibly large enclosures are all brilliant for the animals. The upcoming $1.6 million chimpanzee exhibit is reportedly one of the largest on the planet, and there are now plans for an African Serengeti, drive-thru experience. All 3 locations have huge fields for their hoofstock, bus tours that either go around or into the exhibits, and large herds of animals in spacious surroundings. The tendency is for visitors to spend about an hour on the guided tour, and then disembark for a few walking trails around the habitats that couldn't be seen from the main tour. I personally feel that there is definitely a place for huge open range zoos around the world, and the fact that the Taronga, Melbourne and Adelaide Zoos all have ownership over 3 nearby open range collections means that often animals can be shuttled back and forth between the zoos. The breeding record at the open range institutions is often better than the urban zoo, and the same setup can be seen at the San Diego Zoo and San Diego Wild Animal Park in southern California. Which of the 3 open range Australian parks is the best?
Dubbo - best range of species. Werribee - best location. Monarto - best expansion plans. WA - missing a beat??
This one is not so easy as each zoo has a big plus going for them but I would keep my eye on Monarto for the furture
WPZ hands down for species diversity, but many of these are no longer considered viable. nevertheless, i would estimate WPZ will for the next decade at least still maintain the largest diversity of species. i pick Monarto as the up and coming zoo on all fronts, and i think Weribee also has a very exciting future ahead of it due to its proximity to a large metropolitan base. i would speculate that Weribee, in the future will be the only open range zoo in Australia with the sustained potential to increase visitation to pass the quarter of a million mark. WPZ's future, on the other hand might not seem to bright. SA may have to face a number of challenges in the future as it's economy is restructured but i dont think this will affect the zoo's there markedly and i believe extra visitors generated by the pandas will increase Monarto Zoo's visitor levels. WPZ is simply in a bad location these days; as flying between interstate tourist destinations is cheaper than flying, regional tourism will surely be impacted by rising fuel prices, drought and finally Australian's changing 'holiday culture'. it will survive i reckon but one day it might be more sensible for the State Government and ZPBNSW to relocate Western Plains Zoo closer to the coast or open a new zoo near Sydney along the lines of Dubbo and wind-down operations in Dubbo in line with visitor numbers...maybe operate it as more of conservation centre with fewer species, fewer animals and improved facilities.
My order would go:- 1)Dubbo. Three species of rhino, two species of elephant as well as a lot of other species that aren't in other collections in Australia. 2)Monarto. I haven't been in ages but by the look of things it has taken huge steps towards becoming a truly amazing Open Range Zoo. 3)As much as I love this place, I can't deny that it is lacking behind the other two but hopefully when it finishes it's future plans it can move up the list. Like I've said before 100% for good exhibits but not enough of them.
A few years ago there was talk of TWPZ Tripling in size in the local papers and at keeper talks. By thripling I mean the public areas of the zoo, unlike Monarto and Werribee, Dubbo doesn't have guided bus tours operating (unless you book a group tour or are staying the night) but this expansionwas supposed to be primarily a large drive through safari exhibit. I believe this would be a great idea for the zoo. In the last few years there have been talks of expanding Dubbo's airport to allow jets to land. Virgin experssed an interest in direct flights to Dubbo from brisbane Sydney and Melbourne. I think if the council focused on this it would greatly increase visitor numbers to the zoo. And would increase the money spent on the zoo.
The drive through safari was a great idea for the WPZ which would of really set the zoo apart by the sheer size of the exhibit, I read sometime ago that it was going to be 550 acres in area, I believe it got canned due to lack of funds. The idea of taking people into the exhibit in a safari truck where the fences were so far out of sight was a big bonus plus the number of animals and different species which could of been on display would of been a sight to behold, I hope that some day it could be looked at again I feel this could be a real shot in the arm for the zoo.
I personally like Western plains zoo from what I have seen from Photos, Monarto looks pretty great too. Werribee has a great open field and space but it is mostly just a great open field like said before it is lacking something I'm not sure how to describe it.
would play a somewhat part, but imagining like a larger variety of animals in werribee doesn't bust out amazing, the exhibit could be designed more so like a waterhole. Though moree animals would give a more lively effect. Herds of different species at a waterhole I think gives like a more wild side.
I visited all three in December 2007, and I can't pick one as being better than the others. As Mark said, they all have positives that set them apart. Hix
Unfortunately, open range zoos are thought of (incorrectly) by a lot of people as nothing but herds of ungulates. When I recommended a trip to Dubbo to an acquaintance, he replied," Six hour trip to see a bunch of deer? If you've seen one animal with horns, you've seen them all!" Some people just don't get it.
glyn, Long before you were born, the idea was for the open range adjunct to Taronga to be built on Government land near Richmond, west of Sydney. Unfortunately, Gerry Peacocke, a State parliamentarian at the time, was owed a few political favours. He represented the Dubbo area and so Dubbo got the zoo. The zoo has done great things for Dubbo as a destination - but Dubbo, as a location, hasn't done a lot for the zoo. We can only imagine what a wonderful open range zoo NSW would now have if it had been built at Richmond. As the demographic centre of the city spreads inexorably westwards the population base to support such a facility would, almost by itself, guarantee profitability and thus new and better facilities. Hopefully new and better management decisions too. I'm still trying to understand TWPZ management deciding to spend $7 million on a new front entrance and retail area when new attractions are desperately needed to reverse the decline in attendance. Not much sense in having a new and fancy entrance with fewer people using it.
its all about cost recovery. far easier i guess to justify spending that money on a fancy new entry precinct when you can quantify its success in terms of increased visitor spend etc. opening a new exhibit, well....what dubbo needs is a blockbuster, and it aint gonna get one. and as most of the zoos exhibits need upgrading already let alone new ones, you can see how on balance a cahs-strapped State might go with the new entry sales pitch...''we can make it back in cappuchino sales''
Interesting about why "Dubbo". The importance of a fancy new entrance baffles me. At a cost of $7,000,000! That is just ridicolous! There does seem to be a definate trend or pattern to spending allot on the entrance. LA, SF, Twycross also Taronga. As a zoo is a destination venue. Not relying on passing traffic for attendance it would seem to have allot to do with ego. I do appreciate many zoos need to enhance access for disabled. Just not a whole new entrance!
@Zooman: good point on the many entrances that are in the future mix for zoos, as Woodland Park, Minnesota and Phoenix can be added to the list of 4 that you mentioned. I'm sure that we could come up with a long list of zoos that have already or plan to include new entrances in their grounds, but I suppose realistically that gives these establishments room for cafes, gift shops and other visitor amenities. Taronga Western Plains Zoo is never going to be a must-see destination as it is 6 hours inland from Sydney and has never had the visitor numbers that were perhaps anticipated.
I think the entrance at Dubbo is great as it is. I think it creates a great atmosphere, almost like jurassic park, when you drive through those gates you get a feeling that something special is going to happen. $7,000,000 is a ridiculous amount, that money could do a hell of alot to improve current exhibits.
I could not agree more with you guys on this, Seven million up grading exhibits would be better money spent
The way the zoo is setup now, the cafe and gift shop are inside the carpark on the road that leads into the zoo. So people who have done a circuit of the zoo get back to the carpark and can drive straight out without even seeing the cafe and giftshop. I imagine Zoo management wish to rectify this and have you drive past a large and inviting cafe with a suitably impressive gift shop near the exit (at Taronga most visitors have to walk through the gift shop to exit the zoo). Hix
Quite correct Hix. But $7 million is a helluva lot of NETT profit to recoup! Wouldn't it make more sense to let a few customers exit without buying anything and use the $7 million to attract a LOT more customers to your zoo - as well as make a more significant conservation impact? Or am I missing something here?
