Australia Zoo

Open 9am-5pm daily.
The Australia zoo is an excellent place to visit for all visitors to the Sunshine Coast. Being a treasured guest of the Buderim Fiesta Motel entitles you to a 10% discount upon entry to the zoo. Australia Zoo is an iconic Queensland treasure, and is extremely close to people’s hearts for its strong/fervent dedication to conservation. It was the home of the late crocodile hunter, Steve Irwin. Steve’s legacy still lives on at the zoo with his wife, Terri and children, Bindi and Robert, fulfilling his personal vision of making the zoo the ‘biggest and best wildlife conservation facility in the world’. The Australia zoo is extremely keen to see that Steve’s vision comes to fruition and it is well on its way. Steve’s dream was to ‘educate people how to look after the creatures we live amongst’. This is reflected in every aspect of the overall functioning of the Australia zoo.

The wildlife team at the zoo are dedicated preservationists, compassionately working to not only care for the zoo’s wildlife but to ensure that educational and conservational awareness about the zoo’s inhabitants is directly passed on to the visitors of the zoo. They do this in many ways, in particular through their various shows where visitors can learn all about the zoo’s animal residents. The devoted and enthusiastic staff at the zoo are all committed to ensure that Steve’s vision lives on by placing the animals first. Their values reflect the Irwin families’ ideals by putting the zoo’s animals first, staff second and visitors third.

The zoo is well-respected and held in high esteem for its dedication to conservation and all of this stems from Steve’s upbringing and his parents influence. Steve Irwin was raised in a family that not only loved animals, however, but lived and breathed compassionate conservation. His parents, Bob and Lyn Irwin were adoring wildlife carers and lived very close to animals. They originally opened the Australia zoo as a reptile park in 1970. Steve’s father was a world renowned herpetologist (a branch of zoology) and his beloved mum cared for, nurtured and rehabilitated injured/sick wildlife. The animal hospital (located next to the zoo) was built in honour of Steve’s beloved late mum. The hospital staff and volunteers work round the clock to treat sick wildlife and prepare them for release back into the wild.

Steve’s parents love of wildlife had a great impact on Steve who continued their work after they retired. Steve’s family have had a huge impact on conservation in general and wildlife rehabilitation as a whole, influencing the way people not only see wildlife but how we live respectfully with them and care for them. Today, the Australia zoo comprises 100 hectares of bushland and is home to a variety of wildlife, both from Australia and different parts of the world.

A day at the zoo is a wonderful/unforgettable experience. One can see all types of creatures including tigers, elephants, wombats, giraffes, snakes, kangaroos, dingos, kookaburras, pandas, tortoises, cockatoos, rhinos, Tasmanian devils, zebras, macaws, eagles and a variety of many other types of other animals. You can get up close with many of these creatures and hand feed them (well, maybe not the snakes!!) and learn all about them. If you feel like a hug, you can even have your very own picture taken holding a cuddly koala!!

The zoo has a large food court and dingo diner where you can go and relax after your wonderful adventure of visiting the zoo’s inhabitants. It is a must see for every visitor to the Coast and will provide you with a memory that will be cherished.