Werribee Open Range Zoo - Werribee - TravBuddy

This isn't a conventional zoo. It began as an agistment area for animals from Melbourne Zoo, and so most of the animals have a lot of space to roam.

Several large paddocks enclose zebra, giraffes, ostriches, kudu, waterbuck, oryx, camels, Mongolian asiatic horses, rhinos, even hippos. The area is so large that instead of walking it, you're taken on an hour-long bus tour.

Once you've finished your bus tour, you can take a short walking circuit to visit lions and cheetahs, and have a closer look at the hippos, zebras, ostriches and African domestic cattle.

There isn't much walking involved, other than the walking track which is optional, so this is the ideal place to visit if you want to see something special without tiring yourself out. You can cover the place fairly thoroughly in about three hours.

The zoo also offers specialised tours; like open vehicle tours that allow you to get much closer to the animals, canoe trips, and overnight stays. You should contact the zoo if you want to find out more.