You can purchase your ticket when you arrive at the Zoo, or you can pre-book on the Taronga website here.

Taronga offers free entry to a NSW Companion Card* holder with the purchase of a ticket for the person needing support, and we also accept reciprocal state issued companion cards. Simply show your Companion Card with your ticket upon entry to the Zoo.  

*People with significant or permanent disability who need a high-level of care are eligible for The NSW Companion Card. 

Ensuring the Zoo is a safe and accessible place to visit is important to us while also ensuring we consider the welfare of the animals in our care. We welcome Assistance Dogs that have been trained to assist guests in managing their disability. 

At Taronga, animal welfare is our highest priority. Zoos are unique venues, and some animals may perceive dogs as either predators or prey, which can cause them stress or alter their natural behaviours. For some animals, the presence of a dog, even one that is highly trained, may lead to heightened alertness, agitation, or attempts to hide, which can impact their wellbeing. 

For this reason, there are some areas of the Zoo that Assistance Dogs are not permitted to visit. These areas are listed below and are clearly signposted in the zoo. 

These restricted areas are shown on our Assistance Dog map which can be viewed here.

There are a number of measures we have put in place to ensure the welfare of all animals (both wildlife in our care and visiting Assistance Dogs) as well as the safety of our guests and workers. 

These measures include: 

• Providing 48 hours’ notice prior to your visit to ensure we can best welcome you and your Assistance Dog
• Completing a short online application form that provides current training, accreditation and vaccination records for your Assistance Dog
• Meeting a Guest Experience team member at the Main Entry Information Desk for a welcome, Assistance Dog briefing and a map showing of permitted and restricted areas.

You and your Assistance Dog are welcome to explore permitted areas of the Zoo independently, and do not need to be accompanied by a Taronga Guide, unless this is your preference.  

Should you wish to be accompanied by a Taronga Guide (fee applies & subject to availability), we ask that you provide 48 hours’ notice via the form, so that we have an appropriately trained resource on hand to assist. 

Should you wish to visit restricted areas where Assistance Dogs are not permitted, Taronga can offer a trained Taronga Guide (fee applies & subject to availability) to accompany you. You may also opt to leave your Assistance Dog with a team member at a designated ‘waiting zone’ nearby the animal encounter or presentation experience. 

To ensure a positive experience, please keep your Assistance Dog under control, adhere to the Conditions of Entry including restricted areas, and ensure it wears a harness and lead at all times.

We hope you can enjoy Taronga Zoo at any time. We know that the Zoo is busier with high volumes of guests during school holidays, so we encourage you to plan ahead should you wish to visit during this time. Our quieter times are generally weekdays outside of school holiday periods. 

To book your visit today, complete this form. 

For any other enquiries please contact our Contact Centre team via email: webmaster@zoo.nsw.gov.au

We are committed to continuous improvement relating to assistance animals on-site at Taronga. If you have any feedback on your experience accessing the Zoo with your assistance dog, please contact us. 

Download here.

Please complete this form so we can ensure an enjoyable and safe visit to Taronga Zoo.

REGISTER YOUR DOG HERE

Taronga has accessible parking. There are a number of accessible car parking spaces located on the ground floor of the car park which has ramp access. There is also a drop-off Taxi rank near the front entrance.  

Taronga Zoo Sydney has a free, accessible shuttle bus from the ferry. The free Taronga Shuttle will operate during school holidays between the Taronga Ferry Wharf and the Main Top Zoo Entrance, along Bradleys Head Road.

For dates outside of school holidays, Sydney Transport buses operate from the Taronga Wharf to the Taronga top entrance, roughly every 30mins. Sydney Transport buses are accessible for wheelchairs and prams.

Times: The Shuttle service will operate from 9.15am till 3.30pm daily during school holidays, in line with arriving and departing ferries 
Cost: Free with Zoo ticket, Free for Wildlife Retreat at Taronga guests, Free for Function Centre guests 
Accessibility: Wheelchair accessible via electric ramp (up to 4 wheelchairs). Prams are encouraged to be folded where possible. 

• Spring NSW School Holidays - Saturday 28 September 2024 to Sunday 13 September 2024
• Summer NSW School Holidays - Saturday 21 December 2024 to Sunday 2 February 2025
• Autumn NSW School Holidays - Saturday 12 April 2025 to Sunday 26 April 2025 

More than 95% of our animal displays are wheelchair viewable. All food outlets, shops, shows and presentations are wheelchair accessible, and all new developments since 2001 have been fitted with elevators.   

Taronga Zoo Sydney is on a site of 28 hectares and the topography is quite steep in some areas. All paths are bitumen and many that traverse the Zoo are reasonably level, however some paths linking the various levels within the Zoo are steep. 

Visitors with limited mobility can still traverse the entire Zoo with elevators and ramps around the site, indicated on the Accessibility Map. 

Top Plaza Shop, Map reference 7L

You can hire a Mobility Scooter or Wheelchair from Taronga. Taronga provides long range, easy to manoeuvre and comfortable electric mobility scooters at a cost as well as complimentary sturdy, all-terrain manual wheelchairs to those who require mobility assistance. ID is required and a disclaimer form must be completed. Seat belts are required to be worn and wheelchairs must be pushed by a carer/companion. Advanced booking is recommended by contacting the team as both are usually in demand. Please contact the Taronga Contact Centre for more information.

As per manufacturer specifications, for safety reasons, the maximum weight for a mobility scooter is 140kg and for manual wheelchairs is 120kg. Mobility scooters and wheelchairs are not designed to hold more than one person. In inclement weather, mobility scooters will not be available for hire.

Advanced booking is recommended by contacting the team as both are usually in demand. Please contact the Taronga Contact Centre for more information.

Email: tz@zoo.nsw.gov.au 
Call: (02) 9969 2777

Accessible toilets are located at the north and south entrances, at the Food Market, outside the Function Centre and at the Concert Lawns. There is also a wheelchair accessible bathroom at Parents Change Room located near the Giraffe exhibit. For all amenity locations, please refer to the Accessibility Map.

Backyard to Bush is an area that comprises of an urban home and backyard, a rural living area and the bush. There are interactive displays, graphic material and features in the House that make it like a real family home, a backyard which has petting animals and a garden with many fragrant plants and vegetables, an adventure playground with a water-play area and interactive musical stepping points.

Covered areas in this exhibit include the “Keen House” in the urban section, the farmyard barn and the underground wombat burrow in the “bush” section.  
 
Large models of animals including a life size gorilla, komodo dragon, rhinoceros and elephants can be found throughout the grounds. These can be fully explored by children with vision impairments. 
 
Tactile experiences are also provided to visitors including ‘touch-tables’ and smaller interpretive sculptures including a variety of comparative skull and hand/paw installations.

Taronga offers a range of services designed to enhance the Zoo experience for our guests with Autism. Find out more about our Access Taronga days.