Werribee Open Range Zoo sits about 32 kilometers southwest of Melbourne in Werribee, Victoria, and gives visitors a rare chance to experience an African-style safari without leaving Australia. Operated by Zoos Victoria, the same organization behind Melbourne Zoo and Healesville Sanctuary, the park opened in 1983 on land that had originally served as agistment paddocks for Melbourne Zoo’s animals.
Spread across 225 hectares (560 acres), the zoo is built around a guided safari tour where open-sided buses roll through sweeping grasslands shared by free-roaming species like rhinos, zebras, giraffes, and ostriches. Beyond the bus route, walking trails bring guests closer to lions, cheetahs, gorillas, and native Australian wildlife, making it one of the most distinctive zoo experiences in the country.
Stats at a Glance
- Location: Werribee, Victoria, Australia (near Melbourne)
- Opened: 1983
- Size: 225 hectares (560 acres)
- Species: About 40 species, roughly 360 animals (2021 figures)
- Annual visitors: Not publicly disclosed by Zoos Victoria
- Operator: Zoos Victoria
- Famous for: Open-range African safari bus tours
The Safari Experience
The centerpiece of a visit is the roughly 35-40 minute bus safari, which carries guests through open grassland habitats where animals such as bison, waterbucks, camels, oryx, and Przewalski’s horses roam with few barriers between species. It’s designed to mimic the feel of an actual African savanna safari, a rarity for a zoo setting.
Away from the bus route, the Pula Reserve Walking Trail and Australian Journey Walk let visitors explore on foot, passing enclosures for lions, vervet monkeys, meerkats, and gorillas, alongside native species like koalas, kangaroos, and cassowaries.
Recent Expansions
The zoo’s gorilla habitat spans about 10,000 square meters (2.5 acres) with climbing structures and indoor facilities. More recently, Zoos Victoria completed a major expansion of the Elephant Trail, a roughly 210,000 square meter habitat that opened to the public in late March 2025 as part of an $88 million development project to relocate the organization’s Asian elephants to Werribee.
Explore more: More Zoos & Aquariums Worth Visiting.
Werribee Open Range Zoo FAQs
How far is Werribee Open Range Zoo from Melbourne?
The zoo is located in Werribee, Victoria, about 32 kilometers (roughly 20 miles) southwest of central Melbourne.
What animals can you see on the safari?
The bus safari passes free-roaming species including rhinos, zebras, giraffes, bison, camels, ostriches, and Przewalski’s horses, while walking trails feature lions, cheetahs, gorillas, and native Australian wildlife.
When did Werribee Open Range Zoo open?
The zoo opened in 1983 on land that had previously been used as agistment paddocks for Melbourne Zoo.
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Photo: ZooPro at English Wikipedia / CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons.