Taronga Western Plains Zoo opened to the public on 28 February 1977 in Dubbo, New South Wales, becoming the first new zoo built in Australia in 60 years. Run by the Taronga Conservation Society Australia alongside its sister site, Taronga Zoo Sydney, the Dubbo property was created specifically to give large animals like elephants and antelope far more room to roam than the harbourside Sydney zoo could offer.
Spread across 300 hectares (741 acres) of woodland and irrigated grassland, the zoo pioneered an open-range design in Australia, replacing cages and fences with concealed moats so visitors feel as though they’re walking among free-ranging herds rather than looking into enclosures. The park took on its current name in January 2008 to better reflect its conservation mission, and today houses more than 1,000 animals across 40-plus species.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia
- Opened: 28 February 1977
- Size: 300 hectares (741 acres)
- Animals: Over 1,000
- Species: 40+
- Operator: Taronga Conservation Society Australia
- Famous for: Australia’s first open-range zoo design
An Open-Range Safari Experience
Because the zoo was designed around hidden moats rather than fences, most visitors explore on wheels rather than on foot. The park rents out standard and geared bicycles along with electric carts and pedal boats, letting guests cover the wide circuit and duck onto smaller side trails for closer views of grazing herds.
For an overnight stay inside the grounds, the zoo offers the all-inclusive Zoofari Lodge with tented accommodation, guided tours and meals, along with self-contained Savannah Cabins and the more rustic Billabong Camp for campers.
A Conservation-Driven Mission
The Dubbo site was built to solve a real space problem: Sydney’s harbourside zoo simply couldn’t give elephants, rhinos and antelope the room they needed to breed and thrive. That founding purpose still drives the park’s work today as part of the Taronga Conservation Society’s breeding and research programs.
The zoo has also drawn high-profile attention to its conservation causes over the years, including a visit from Queen Elizabeth II in 1992 and a 2006 fundraising visit from comedian John Cleese in support of a new Greater One-Horned rhino exhibit.
Explore more: Explore more Zoos & Aquariums.
Hauls kids, coolers and souvenirs across a big zoo or park, folds flat for the trunk.
Little hands reach in, snacks stay in — a lifesaver on long zoo days.
Easier on your back than carrying in arms all day at the zoo.
Taronga Western Plains Zoo FAQs
Where is Taronga Western Plains Zoo located?
It’s in Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia, on the Newell Highway about 5 km from the city centre.
What makes Taronga Western Plains Zoo different from a typical zoo?
It was built as an open-range zoo, using concealed moats instead of cages and fences so animals have large, open habitats and visitors view them from walking and cycling paths rather than through bars.
How many animals live at the zoo?
The zoo is home to over 1,000 animals representing more than 40 species, spread across its 300-hectare grounds.
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Photo: Maksym Kozlenko / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.