Which zoo to visit in Sydney – Taronga, Featherdale Wildlife Park or Widlife Sydney Zoo ?

Zoos in Sydney - which one is the best? Taronga, Featherdale Wildlife Park or the Wildlife Sydney Zoo... Which Sydney zoo should you visit?
If your time is limited and you have to pick only one wildlife park, here is a detailed comparison of all 3 plus photos to help you decide where to go to discover native and exotic animals. This guide compares the range of animals, the locations, the atmospheres...

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Welcome to the Battle of the Sydney wildlife parks
TARONGA vs WILDLIFE SYDNEY ZOO vs FEATHERDALE
Which ones are the best zoos in Sydney?

INFO - Zoos in Sydney

While traveling to Sydney, Australia, you might want to spend time in some of the top attractions of the city. Why not discover the Australian wildlife: kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, Tasmanian Devils etc? Or do you just want to escape the buildings and spend some times with animals? Sydney offers a variety of options. So the only question is which zoo to visit…

Today I am battling 3 wildlife zoos located in the Sydney area to help you decide which one you visist based on your expectations. The 3 contestants are

• Taronga Zoo
• Featherdale Wildlife Park
• Wildlife Sydney Zoo

Remember that if you prefer seeing those animals in the wild but are short in time, I did a special tour for that. Check out my story about spotting wild Australian animals.

This opinions are my own to those Sydney Zoos and based on visits in 2014.

By the way, those parks propose encounters and behind the scene tours. Check out my day as a keeper at Sydney Taronga Zoo!

Sydney Zoos battle winner

You might have understood via this comparison table, I was not a big fan at all of the Wildlife Sydney Zoo. The settings were not practical, the animals not so vibrant and numerous.

Then between Taronga and Featherdale Wildlife Park it really depends on your expectation.

• Taronga is more of a classic zoo with animals you can see everywhere but in wonderful settings. Their installation for Australian Native animals is not so great though.
• If what you want is discovering all the native Australian wildlife and you don’t mind getting out of the city, then Featherdale is for you. I really loved the park! You can see the animals very well.

So it is a tie!

I know: "BUMMER"

Featherdale Wildlife Park - Photos and Practical Tips

Featherdale Wildlife Park Photos

If you love Australian animals here are some of my shots from Featherdale Wildlife Park:

Featherdale Wildlife Park Tips

• ​Located outside of the city center
• The zoo is not tool big, so you can plan a couple of hours to really enjoy the animals
• Avoid mid-day when it is too hot for the animals to be active
• If visiting on your own, come in the morning to avoid the bus crowd
• 2AUD to get some grass and get the animals to eat from you hand, especially the kangaroos

How to get to Featherdale Wildlife Park

This is the only one of the 3 Sydney zoos that is located outside of Sydney, in the Western Suburbs. But it should not stop you from making a trip there!

• ​Get there with your own car - Location Parking Featherdale Wildlife Park GPS: 33°46'00.3"S 150°53'03.9"E
• Get there by Public transportation - Train North Shore and Western line to Blacktown, walk to Bus Stand E and take Bus 729 during 10 minutes
• On an organized tour with the Blue Mountains - just sit and relax, the guide takes you in the morning to admire the mesmerizing blue of the Blue Mountains and on the way back you stop at the Featherdale Wildlife park where you have some free time to meet the animals before a river cruise back to Sydney - check programs and prices

Sydney Taronga Zoo - Photos and Practical Tips

Sydney Taronga Zoo Photos

See how the exotic animals stand out in their surroundings:

Sydney Taronga Zoo Tips

• Where good shoes and take some water - its is set up on a hill!

How to get to Sydney Taronga Zoo

Taronga Zoo is located in the heart of Sydney

• ​You can pre-purchase your Taronga entry ticket to save time and avoid queuing at the ticket booth - Get it here
• By car - Taronga zoo parking entrance GPS: 33°50'29.9"S 151°14'37.1"E
• By public transport - Take the ferry to the Taronga Zoo wharf and then the bus or the Gondola to the entrance at the top of the hill  - or come by bus: line 238 and 247 stop near the entrance
• Or Save money and time! Buying a ticket that includes the Return Boat trip from Darling Harbour, the Gondola ride and the Entrey to the park - Get the combo ticket here

Wildlife Sydney Zoo

I was so underwhelmed by the park that I have very little photos to show you... Just this typical bird (of which I forgot the name) during feeding time

Other options to see wildlife and animals

If you can't choose....

If you love animal and can't choose, you can purchase an Adventure pass that include all 3 zoos in Sydney, plus the aquariums plus many other attractions.

Get your Sydney Attraction Pass ​

Aquariums

And if you are interested in the marine wildlife check out the Sydney aquarium battle: Sydney vs Manly!

And further away...

This is a long way inland but for a truly amazing zoo experience, consider flying to Dubbo to visit the Taronga Western Plain Zoo (see this article from Christine).

Or for something different

Check out this day trip to see Australian animals in the wild from Sydney

Aren’t they adorable?

Pin it!