This is not a new topic – I have written about Melbourne Zoo on a number of occasions, but it’s just one of our favourite destinations.  Grab yourself a Zoo membership and you might just find yourself getting the most out of one of Melbourne’s most iconic spots.

When: 9am – 5pm every day of the year

Where:  Elliott Avenue, Parkville 3052

Cost: Adult $26.10, children free weekends and school holidays, Adult membership (nominated children FREE) $91

Baboon enclosure

Baboon

Koala

Girafe

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids

Keeper Kids lunch pack – eating our lunch and hanging out at Growing Wild

Meerkats

Meerkat

Bongo and baby

Running through the jungle

One of the hundreds of beautiful butterflies

Glimpse of new baby elephant

Picnic area

Seal demonstration, 1.30pm

Seal demonstration, 1.30pm

Patting a ray at the seals enclosure

Play area outside seals enclosure

Play area outside seals enclosure

A secret path

Zooperhero Zone

Zooperhero Zone

Zooperhero Zone

Review

About a year ago I bit the bullet and got us a Zoo Membership.  I was a little hesitant – we’re a pretty busy family, would we really have time to make the most of it?  I can report to you after a full year (and now looking at my renewal form with the intention of signing up for year two) that we totally have.  We made a trip to Healesville, Werribee, Taronga (Sydney) and made six visits to Melbourne Zoo this past year.  All our visits have been worthwhile – the kids never tire of going, in fact they are now asking when can we go again.  And to be honest I haven’t tired of going either – if anything I have fallen deeper in love.

Above are some of the photographs from our most recent visit.

It’s actually not physically possible (well okay maybe it is if you start at 9am and just jog passed the enclosures) to see all the animals in one visit – and so whilst we always aim to explore animals we’re not so familiar with each time, there are so many favourite spots that have to be seen again, no matter what.  High on our list (but not limited to!) are:

• Growing Wild
• Keeper Kids
• The Meerkats
• The Seals – the daily show at 1.30pm is a must see

After we’ve ticked off our must see spots we then always include a few of the following:

• Monkeys or Apes
• Butterflies
• Reptiles
• Big cats
• Elephants, giraffes, zebras
• Australian animals

And that’s just scraping the surface.

Of course there are lots of other benefits that come along with membership – but I’m not doing a hard sell.  If you want to support the Zoo with a membership then you can read about all the perks of membership here.

Click here to read our previous Melbourne Zoo post.

Click here to read about Taronga Zoo.