Australia Zoo
$$Steve Irwin's legacy, one of the world's most famous wildlife parks, an hour north of Brisbane
Spend a full day at the zoo founded by Steve and Terri Irwin's family in Beerwah, an hour north of Brisbane. Australia Zoo spans over 700 acres and is home to crocodiles, koalas, kangaroos, tigers, cheetahs, elephants, wombats, and hundreds more species. The Crocoseum show is the highlight, a live crocodile and birds of prey performance in a 5,000-seat stadium. You can also hand-feed kangaroos, pat koalas, and visit the on-site Wildlife Hospital. Open daily 9am to 5pm.
Step by step
From start to finish, what to expect.
Arrive by 9:30am to get ahead of the crowds
Hand-feed kangaroos and meet koalas in the Australian section
Catch the Crocoseum show (check daily schedule, don't miss it)
Explore the African section (giraffes, cheetahs, rhinos) and Tiger Temple
Visit the Wildlife Hospital to see the conservation work in action
Allow a full day, a couple of hours won't do it justice
Cost breakdown
Estimated per person, in AUD.
How you get there
Your options for the trip.
Drive yourself
Local tips
Stuff your mates would tell you.
The zoo is massive, use the free shuttle bus to get between sections rather than walking everything
The Crocoseum show is the must-see, arrive early to get good seats
There's very little shade in parts of the zoo, bring a hat, sunscreen, and plenty of water
BYO food and drinks are allowed (no glass or alcohol)
The free shuttle from Beerwah Station makes this doable without a car, but the train+shuttle adds time