Location: Bonorong: 593 Briggs Rd, Brighton, Tasmania; ZooDoo: 620 Middle Tea Tree Rd, Richmond, Tasmania
Wildlife is always an enjoyable go-to entertainment option when visiting a new destination - particularly if you're bringing kids along - and Hobart is no exception in this regard as its greater area is home to two quality wildlife facilities that come highly recommended: Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary and ZooDoo, each of which offers something slightly different.
Tasmania is home to a wide array of diverse and fragile wildlife, and both of these facilities to an admirable job of showcasing creatures from all over the animal kingdom while keeping both conservation and a reasonable price in mind wherever possible.
Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary lies just to the north of Hobart (roughly a 30 minute drive) and is one of Tassie's premier animal attractions, home to plenty of Aussie animals and with a focus on hands-on experiences – such as feeding – that adults and children alike will love.
The passion of the sanctuary's staff is obvious here, and they go the extra mile to entertain and educate about the animals and their habitats. What truly sets Bonorong Sanctuary apart, however, are their outstanding night tours – as the vast majority of the most intriguing animals on offer are nocturnal, it's a great and intimate way to see some of these natural beauties at their most active.
"Tasmania is home to a wide array of diverse and fragile wildlife, and Bonorong Sanctuary does an admirable job of showcasing creatures from all over the animal kingdom while keeping both conservation and a reasonable price in mind wherever possible."
Extraordinarily cute creatures such as sugar sliders, Tawny Frogmouths, possums and – of course – Tasmanian Devils all take on a whole new life at night, and are all done with a sense of delicacy and care that you simply don't find often at larger and more commercial facilities.
Tickets to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary start from $30 per adult and from $15 per child, which is more than reasonable given the quality of the facility, while night experiences require prior bookings and come at an additional cost.
ZooDoo, meanwhile, sits slightly east of Bonorong Sanctuary and offers a wider arrange of exotic animals, leaning more towards the typical “zoo” rather than the “wildlife sanctuary” end of the scale. It's here that you'll want to head if you're more interested in the likes of lions, tigers, llamas and more all set out amongst an expansive property that sits somewhere between a farm and a savannah/safari type theme.
Safari bus tours – which are included in the cost of entry – run throughout the day and take visitors around the grounds to see all the various animals in the open air, which is a nice touch and helps alleviate tired legs from walking from one animal to the next.
Hand-feeding the big birds and cats is always a joy and a favourite with children, with optional face-to-face animal encounter experiences available at an extra charge.
So which Hobart wildlife park is best for you? They're both quality facilities, and given their similar distance from the Hobart CBD it will largely come down to personal preference: If you're wanting to see examples of rarer Aussie wildlife at their best, particularly Tassie Devils, then Bonorong is your choice.
If, however, you're after a more standard zoo-like day out with a more international-animal flavour, then you can't go wrong with ZooDoo, either (and there's nothing preventing you from visiting both!).
