Perth Zoo; a great day out for everyone

A Meerkat posing
A Meerkat posing

Perth Zoo is a great place to spend the day. The animals at Perth Zoo range from reptiles, birds, mammals and many unique animals from Australia. If you want to comfortably look at everything at the Perth Zoo, then you really need to spend a bit longer than half a day. There are a lot of different parts of the Zoo to see, and they are all worth the time.

The elephant show
The elephant show

Where is the Perth Zoo?

The Zoo is located only a few minutes from the Perth CBD, very close to the Swan River. The actual address is 20 Labouchere Road, South Perth. The easiest way to get there by car is to take the Mill Point road exit from the freeway. If you want to catch the train in, then you get off at the esplanade and catch bus 31 (Bus stand E4) which stops at the Perth Zoo on one of the first stops. The ferry is a great alternative, which you can catch at the barracks street jetty and get off at the Mends Street Jetty. From there, the Perth Zoo is only a short walk.

A huge tortoise being fed
A huge tortoise being fed

Parking at the Perth Zoo

To be honest, having to park at the Perth Zoo on a busy day can be a total nightmare, and it’s not always very cheap either. If you have the option, seriously consider catching the train and then the bus in, as it’s generally cheaper and less stressful. However, if you are driving in, you have a few options for parking. The first option is to park opposite the Zoo (the corner of Labouchere and Richardson Road). This is paid by the hour, and can be expensive over a long day. Next to the Zoo there are also a few car parks, which are paid by the hour too.

There are further parking bays along Mill Point road, and further down near the large oval. You just have to drive around until you find something that is vacant. If you don’t know how long you are going to be then I would suggest putting in money for a few more hours than you think you will need. This ensures that you don’t have to walk back to the car to top it up half way through the day; that can be a long walk! Don’t park in the paid areas without paying; the rangers come around regularly and will not hesitate to leave you a nasty fine!

A Zebra
A Zebra

Opening hours at the Perth Zoo

The Perth Zoo is open every single day of the year. Some days are busier than others, which is why you need to pick your visiting day with a bit of thought! The Zoo opens at 9am and closes at 5pm, except on some special days where it may be open in the evening too. An important point is that the Zoo is a no smoking area, except for two clearly marked zones.

A big orangutan having a feed
A big orangutan having a feed

Entry fees for Perth Zoo

Adults are $34
Children (4 – 15 years) $17
Concession $27
Seniors $27
Mini group (2 adults and 2 children) $89.2
Children under 4 are FREE
Zoo Members are FREE

A sleeping lion
A sleeping lion

Perth Zoo Map

It can be difficult to navigate your way around the Perth Zoo. You get given maps when you enter the Zoo, or you can download a Map of the Perth Zoo online. We found the best way to navigate the Zoo was simply to do a big circle around the outside, and have a break at the café when people get hungry. Of course, skip things that you are truly not interested in, but as a whole every enclosure is worth the look.

A vigilant Cheetah
A vigilant Cheetah

Facilities at the Zoo

The Zoo has an information centre which is open until 3pm every day. If you are in need of any help, visit the centre. You can find out what presentations are happening and directions to your favourite animals. There are a number of toilets around the Perth Zoo, all of which are clearly marked on the map. Some areas don’t have toilets within a reasonable distance, which means you want to visit them before you leave! There are baby change and disabled toilets available too, which are marked on the map. You can also hire strollers or pull along buggies for small children. Hiring either costs $12 a day, along with a driver’s license or 50 dollars refundable deposit for security reasons.

Penguins relaxing
Penguins relaxing

You can also hire a Zebra electric cart and guide to drive you around the Zoo. Your guide will either tailor a tour or you can ask to be driven to selective places. They seat 8 people and cost $3.50 for adults and $2.50 for concession. The carts are quiet and safe to drive around. People often bring valuables to the Zoo that they decide they don’t want to lug around, which is where the lockers come in. They are found just inside the main entrance to the Zoo, and cost a few dollars each day, but re charge every time you re-lock the door!

There are a number of electric BBQ’s on the main lawn, along with a heap of vending machines spread around the Zoo, and three cafes for snacks, drinks and meals. I would highly recommend you take your own main meals though, as they can be expensive at the cafes.

The aussie Kangaroo
The aussie Kangaroo

Keepers Talks

Throughout the day various keepers will do talks about the animals. These can be found out from anyone working at the Zoo, or the information centre. They are quite interesting, especially the elephant ones. These huge creatures have been trained to do various tricks and are well worth the watch. You will find a number of people working at the Perth Zoo that will be more than willing to help explain a little about the animals, and many volunteers wander around too. They all love the animals, and love to talk about them even more!

If you compare the Perth Zoo to some of the huge Zoo’s in the world then it isn’t anything spectacular, but there are a number of unique creatures to see, and it is set up rather well. You will have a good day looking at the different animals; just pick a day with good weather!

A bright green lizard
A bright green lizard

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3 Comments

  1. Dick Bartnick says:

    I have lived in Perth all my existence and am surprised by the many new issues to discover. It really is a fantastic town.

  2. Thanks for the visit. I hope you enjoyed it 🙂

  3. Moorey Marda says:

    Bookmarked your web site. Thank you for sharing. Definitely worth the time away from the books.