A Future Vision For Perth Zoo
The Zoo that moves with you
For 125 years Perth Zoo has been at the heart of the Western Australian community. With more than 700,000 visitors annually from every corner of our beautiful State, as well as nationally and internationally, we connect people with nature and create life-long memories through awe-inspiring experiences.
More than 40,000 school children visit the Zoo for education programs, making Perth Zoo WA’s largest education provider outside of the formal education system. Combined with the many opportunities for visitors to engage with our staff, volunteers and animals, Perth Zoo is at the forefront of inspiring behaviour change to help save wildlife.
But we’re not content to rest on our laurels, and we are building a zoo that meets the challenges of the future.
The Perth Zoo Master Plan has been developed to create more magical wildlife moments, while giving our animals more room to roam. It is based on cutting-edge design and innovative concepts for visitors to delve further into our world than ever before. It will ensure Perth Zoo continues to be a world-class zoo now and into the future. This work has already begun with construction started on a new café, function centre and playgrounds, with the Primate Crossing exhibit due to start in 2024.
To help with our goals, Perth Zoo is a participant in the Resources Community Investment Initiative. Check out what we hope to achieve through this partnership in our RCII prospectus (pdf).
A Zoo That Moves With You!
Perth Zoo is a world-leading conservation zoo, but it is vital that we don’t stand still. That’s why we've developed this master plan to create your future zoo, a zoo that moves with you.
This is a long-term plan for our special zoo site in South Perth and will guide what happens here for 20 years. Perth Zoo is a sanctuary, a school, a wildlife dating agency, a nursery, a hospital, scientific institution and your local wilderness. We want to create new experiences to share all this with you.
We're excited about moving forward. We’re excited to be planning a zoo that moves with you.
Read on to learn more about our wild journey.
Help build YOUR future Zoo
When you donate, you are helping us build a better zoo. Donations made now, will help us launch the first stages of the master plan.
This is your Zoo, thank you for helping to shape its future.
+ Find out more
Your generosity today will help:
- The African Savannah expansion to create a dynamic and expansive habitat.
- The Primate Crossing with overhead rope pathways expanding the gibbon territory to swing as they please and pass over visitors walking below.
- The Orangutan Rainforest Precinct to create a holistic, world-class, and immersive rainforest experience.
- The Conservation Science Precinct to bring critical behind-the-scenes work to the forefront.
Completed So Far
Playground
The new playground is completed, providing a central exciting nature play space for kids of all ages.
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The playground features three zones – Numbat, Cockatoo and Gibbon – that invites and encourages movement, exploration, and fun. Climbing structures, overhead tunnels, rope pathways, cubbies, trampolines, a misting cloud deck and a giant Numbat are just some of the multisensory play opportunities on offer.
Café and Function Centre
The new function centre and a new café right in the heart of your Zoo is complete.
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The café uses the landscape as a hero in the design. It celebrates the open space at the Zoo and creates a beautiful eating and alfresco area with attractive vistas across the Main Lawn. Parents can grab a coffee or sit down for some lunch while watching their kids burn-off some energy in the playground.
The function centre has its own entrance off Labouchere Road and is available to hire for unique events at the Zoo.
Conservation Science Precinct
The Conservation Science Precinct will bring critical behind-the-scenes work to the forefront, showcasing veterinary, scientific and conservation activities essential to animal health and the continued existence of unique Western Australian species.
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It will include a new state-of-the-art veterinary hospital where visitors get prime viewing into the life-saving work that takes place at the Zoo every day. It will feature world-class breeding facilities for some of WA’s most endangered species including the State’s mammal emblem, the Numbat.
The science and research centre will connect innovative state, national, and global partners and showcase the ground-breaking work being carried out in conservation science. It will explore the nexus between bush and western science and communicate the natural wonders of our state through storytelling; and create existing and new pathways for Aboriginal engagement, through design and construction, education pathways and ongoing employment opportunities.
With your support we will build a conservation centre of excellence, showcasing what we do together to save wildlife. It will be something WA can be proud of!
Orangutan Rainforest Precinct
We have the opportunity to create a holistic, world-class and immersive rainforest experience that highlights the amazing work we do with the critically endangered Sumatran Orangutan and take visitors on a journey to discover the many essential connections between animals, plants and people in the rainforest ecosystem.
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This new habitat starts in the undergrowth with creatures great and small and ascends through the treetop canopy to enter the world of the orangutan. It will combine natural elements and digital technology that connects visitors with the work Perth Zoo undertakes with its orangutan colony and the significant contribution we make to orangutan and rainforest conservation in South-East Asia.
African Savannah Expansion
The African Savannah Expansion will leverage and enhance the existing popularity of one of the Zoo’s most successful and immersive experiences.
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For 30 years, the African Savannah exhibit has been a popular and immersive experience where visitors travel along a dry riverbed lined with African plants to spy rhinoceros, lions, meerkats and more.
This project creates a dynamic and expansive habitat where giraffe, zebra, ostrich and guinea fowl roam together, much as they would in the wild, and includes new giraffe quarters where visitors can go behind-the-scenes to see how we care for these giants of the Savannah.
The meerkat habitat will expand, creating an opportunity for a parallel children’s playground with exploratory tunnels, and the addition of a new visitor hub will expand the Zoo’s offerings of education experiences and visitor amenities.
Primate Crossing
The Primate Crossing demonstrates the underlying philosophy of the Perth Zoo Master Plan: change and excitement, along with increased animal and visitor welfare and choice.
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Overhead rope pathways will allow gibbons to swing further than ever before, expanding their territory and choice as they pass over visitors walking below.
The Primate Crossing promises to be an engaging and awe-inspiring moment that greets visitors when they first arrive inside the Zoo and when they leave after a fun-filled and exciting day.
Main Lawn
The Main Lawn is getting a revamped look in 2024.
There will be new pathways, new turf, shelters and seating, as well as a stunning arbor that will help frame the Heart of the Zoo.
Still to Come
Entry Village
We will reorient the Zoo, so that visitors enter from the Windsor Park side of Perth Zoo, establishing an organic connection with the South Perth ferry terminal and Windsor Park.
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A relaxed and open plaza will allow visitors to begin their Zoo experience before entering the gate. Interactive animal experiences at the new entry, such as quokka, will immerse the visitor in the sight and sounds of the Western Australian landscape.
Exceptional Event Opportunities
The Zoo has always been a sought-after location for functions and events, but with the expansion of what’s on offer – including overnight accommodation – people will be stampeding for the experience.
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Following the opening of the new function centre in 2023, the Zoo will be looking to expand what it offers for visitors, corporate clients and weddings. This will include exploration of overnight luxury camping spaces and a revamped outdoor opportunities on the Main Lawn.
Help build YOUR future Zoo
When you donate, you are helping us build a better zoo. Donations made now, will help us launch the first stages of the master plan.
This is your Zoo, thank you for helping to shape its future.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
+ When will development start?
It’s already begun! The first developments (the café and function centre) started in 2021.
+ How will this be funded?
The master plan will be realised through government funding, together with private and philanthropic investment or donations.
To kickstart the development, the State Government has invested $21.8 million to build new café and new function facilities and a further $30 million to progress the first major builds. In addition, Perth Zoo has been identified as a recipient of the WA Government’s Resources Community Investment Initiative, which will be a major boost to delivering on Master Plan projects.
Part of developing the master plan included the development of a fundraising strategy which the Zoo. Staged sections of development will be realised through Perth Zoo's capital budget, together with private sector investment and fundraising.
The Zoo has been the beneficiary of a great deal of generosity by Western Australians in the past and we know it holds a special place in people’s hearts. We would love for that support to continue, along with contributions by the State Government.
+ Who designed the Zoo master plan?
The master plan design process was led by HASSELL and Iredale Pederson Hook following a competitive tender process.
Iph has worked with Perth Zoo on previous developments including the Australian Bushwalk and most recently the African Lion exhibit.
HASSELL is a leading international design practice with studios in Australia, China, South East Asia, the United Kingdom and the United States. Some of HASSELL’s projects include design of WA Museum Boola Bardip; the Optus Stadium design; design of Adelaide Zoo’s entrance precinct, Giant Panda Forest and South East Asian Rainforest precinct as well as master planning for the Zoo’s Stage II; Asian forest and elephant exhibit planning and design at Taronga Zoo; and Werribee Open Range Zoo design projects.
+ When was the community consulted?
+ Will the Zoo be getting any new animals?
The Zoo is a living site that continually changes. We are always looking at what new species would best suit our site in the future.
Choosing what specific animals we have on our site is a very scientific business. Many of our species are at Perth Zoo as part of collective regional or global efforts to conserve them. We also must work within the constraints of not only the physical footprint of our site, with Perth Zoo one of the smallest Australian city zoos, but also animals that are available to us from other regional or international zoos or which are able to be imported under existing Australian import restrictions.
We also need to take into consideration which animals are suitable for Perth’s hot, dry climatic conditions.
+ How can I support the master plan?
You can donate to your future zoo here.
+ Why are we not building an open range zoo?
Our focus is to ensure that our urban zoo continues to provide a world-class experience for the people of Western Australia and visitors.
Our Zoo is an urban oasis playing an important education role and place for many of us to escape and reconnect to nature. This has become even more important over the past year.
Green space within suburbia is important and our zoo is central that.
+ Where are the elephants going?
Planning has commenced to move our two elephants, Permai and Putra Mas to Monarto Safari Park in South Australia. We aim to have them in their 'forever home' in late 2024. Find out more.