Guests near and afar can now come eye-to-eye with an array of rare and night-loving wildlife including the Greater Bilby, Yellow-bellied Glider, Chuditch (Western Quoll) and more at nguwing nura – Taronga Zoo’s brand-new nocturnal experience located on beautiful Cammeraigal Country.

Opening just in time for the spring school holidays, Taronga’s nguwing nura will be home to approximately 230 animals. These include 12 nocturnal species from around Australia such as Spinifex Hopping Mice, Feathertail Glider and Fat-tailed Dunnarts.

Spanning over 100 meters, nguwing nura is an immersive experience where day becomes night and guests are taken on a journey to discover Australian wildlife usually only seen after dark. Situated in the heart of the Zoo, the new experience lets guests marvel at native nocturnal species and gain a deeper understanding of the relationship and connection between First Nations Cultures and Country.

The name nguwing nura is from Sydney First Language and means ‘Night Country’; these words have been gifted to Taronga through ongoing and respectful consultation with First Nations People, including Taronga’s Aboriginal Advisory Group, Cammeraigal and First Nations staff.

The name nguwing nura is from Sydney First Language and means ‘Night Country’; these words have been gifted to Taronga through ongoing and respectful consultation with First Nations People, including Taronga’s Aboriginal Advisory Group, Cammeraigal and First Nations staff.

Taronga Zoo’s Executive Director Simon Duffy said the new immersive experience completes the Nura Diya Australia Experience which was opened in April 2023.

“The Nura Diya Australia experience strikes at the heart of what it is that Taronga does – connecting guests with wildlife found in their own backyard and our First Nations history.

“Nguwing nura is a nocturnal experience like no other, where guests can see iconic and elusive species that can normally only be seen after dark. It also combines state-of-the-art habitats, connects guests to our crucial conservation work, embeds powerful storytelling from Indigenous artists and leaves guests with an understanding of the role they play in protecting our environment,” said Duffy.

Guests will be instantly transported to the deserts of Central and Western Australia or the bushland along the East Coast of Australia, guided through the journey by a cultural horizon line created by world renowned First Nations artist Jacob Nash. This artwork is brought to life through a tide of light as the guest travels from dusk until dawn.

With a beautiful soundscape that has been specially curated to create a walking-meditation-like experience, nguwing nura is a full sensory journey of rediscovery and deep connection to ones surrounds and is also the perfect respite for those warmer summer days.
Nguwing nura - Nocturnal Country, is the final stage of Nura Diya Australia which combines four unique landscapes bura nura - Kangaroo Country, gulamany nura - Koala Country and wuragal nura - Dingo Country. The full Nura Diya Australia experience is home to 23 unique and iconic Australian species and approximately 270 individual animals.

Nguwing nura - Nocturnal Country, is the final stage of Nura Diya Australia which combines four unique landscapes bura nura - Kangaroo Country, gulamany nura - Koala Country and wuragal nura - Dingo Country. The full Nura Diya Australia experience is home to 23 unique and iconic Australian species and approximately 270 individual animals.

The opening of nguwing nura comes at a time when Australian wildlife is in a precarious position, with more than three billion animals killed or displaced in the Black Summer bushfires and 1,900 Australian species at risk of extinction.

Australian Fauna Unit Supervisor Melissa Retamales said: “From bushfires and drought to more extreme weather events, it’s a sad reality that we’re already seeing and experiencing the impacts of climate change on our precious wildlife.

“There has never been a more important time to connect with and know the species that call Australia home and learn how you can help protect them. So many of us go our whole lives without spotting a Platypus or a bilby or learning about the more than 404 mammal species that are found nowhere else in the world.

“You might think you know Australian wildlife, but I invite everyone to pay a visit to nguwing nura and get to know our unique native nocturnal species. We are all a part of Country, and we can all protect Australian wildlife,” said Retamales.

Taronga is a not-for-profit organisation, and every dollar spent has the power to protect wildlife. Taronga Zoo is open every day of the year and tickets can be purchased online or on entry.

Visit www.taronga.org.au/nuradiya for more info on the incredible animals living in the Nura Diya habitat.