Zoos South Australia’s 20-year Master Plan released in February 2015, outlined forward infrastructure plans for both Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park.
The document was intended to guide our evolution and prepare us for the years ahead, offering our visitors an experience that is easy to access, fun, friendly and meaningful, helping us lead the way when it comes to animal welfare standards, enhance our species conservation efforts, and ensure even greater impact in our delivery.
Our longer-term vision for Adelaide Zoo and Monarto Safari Park remains unchanged, with developments intended to reflect a vibrant city oasis and an expanded African Savannah showcasing life’s diversity, and offering visitors an accessible, intimate and rich experience.
In late 2015, the first major development for Adelaide Zoo under the Master Plan was completed.
A nature-based playground jam-packed with loads of natural play elements for children of all ages to explore, including creek beds and an aerial walkway to give children a tree-top view of the zoo.
The playground has proved a popular addition to Adelaide Zoo’s exciting line-up and has significantly impacted return visitation of families to the zoo with our increasingly engaged members reinforcing its appeal.
In September 2019, continuing our successful partnership with Variety SA, the Variety Children’s Zoo was opened to the public. This provides an amazing space for children, filled with interactive areas, allowing them to get closer than ever to some of Adelaide Zoo’s most popular animal residents.
Complete with areas for children of all abilities to play and explore, some of the Variety Children’s Zoo’s key features include climbing branches for our friendly native mammals and a dedicated presentation area for keepers to share stories about their animal friends.
The following projects are earmarked for development in 2023 and over the coming years.
Depending on funding availability we would be hopeful that some of these could be commenced earlier.
In November 2017, the first major development at Monarto Safari Park under the current Master Plan was completed, with the opening of Lions 360.
Visitors walk through a tunnel before emerging into a dome surrounded by lions. 360-degree view of the lions is enjoyed by the visitors as the lions explore their surrounds above, in front and on the side of the dome.
The exhibit has proved a popular addition to Monarto’s exciting line-up and has positively impacted return visitation to the park and income generation for us and our conservation partners in Africa.
Less than five years later, in March 2022 our new Visitor Centre was opened to the public.
The new Visitor Centre is positioned on the northern boundary of the site and enables direct access to the park without queues spilling onto the main road. The centre provides many amenities and facilities for visitors to enjoy whilst deciding the itinerary for their day in the park prior to purchasing admission and specific tours.
The following projects are earmarked for development in 2023 and over the coming years.
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