Taronga Zoo

Park Sydney zoo overlooking harbour, housing diverse wildlife

Taronga Zoo sits on Sydney Harbour in Mosman, reached by ferry; visitors come for native and exotic animal exhibits, daily keeper talks, conservation programs and harbour views from the zoo’s terraces.

Taronga Zoo is a major zoological park on the northern shore of Sydney Harbour in the suburb of Mosman, New South Wales. It combines animal exhibits with extensive harbour views and visitor facilities.

Exhibits include Australian native species alongside animals from around the world, supported by conservation and breeding programs. The layout uses the sloping harbour-side site to provide tiered viewing areas and vistas over Sydney Harbour.

The zoo opened in the early 20th century as a replacement for an earlier inner-city collection and has since developed into a leading Australian zoo focused on species conservation, public education, and research. Facilities include daily keeper talks and demonstration displays.

Taronga Zoo is located in Mosman on Sydney’s northern harbour foreshore, about 7 kilometres north of the Sydney central business district and routinely reached by a short ferry ride from Circular Quay.

Access: Accessible by ferry from Circular Quay, with the zoo located on the northern shore of Sydney Harbour and offering skyline views across the water.
Animal collection: Houses roughly 4,000 animals representing around 350 species, with a focus on regional Australian wildlife and global conservation programs.

How to Get to Taronga Zoo #

From Sydney CBD take the regular Taronga Zoo ferry from Circular Quay (F2 Taronga Zoo service) to Taronga Zoo Wharf - the ferry crossing is about 12 minutes. From the wharf it’s a short uphill walk (around 5-10 minutes) to the main zoo entrance, or you can take the zoo’s Sky Safari cable car from the wharf to the top.

You can also reach Taronga Zoo by car via Bradleys Head Road and Military Road to Mosman (there is visitor parking, but ferry is the most direct public-transit option).

Tips for Visiting Taronga Zoo #

Take the public ferry from Circular Quay and use Taronga's Sky Safari cable car from the wharf up to the zoo entrance for the most scenic arrival and to save time and parking headaches.
Arrive on the first morning ferry to catch the most animal activity and to attend scheduled keeper talks and presentations that many visitors miss-check the daily program on Taronga's website on the day you visit.
Head to the highest-demand exhibits (e.g., Great Southern Oceans, Australian Walkabout) early, then explore quieter enclosures later in the day; arriving earliest also avoids the peak mid-morning ferry crowds.