Getting up close and personal with animals is always something to enjoy, whether you’re 8 or 80.
Our list of the top 10 animal experiences in NSW will help you to find the perfect adventure for you and your family.
Taronga Zoo
Taronga Zoo is full of incredible creatures to visit, including lions, zebras, seals, and more. But if you’re looking for something hands-on, then you can head down to the Backyard to Bush area, where you can join in on the “pat a pet” experience, and meet rabbits and guinea pigs daily at 10:30 am and 2:30 pm. For more family-friendly fun, their bird and seal shows are an experience not to be missed.
Symbio Wildlife Park
Found just outside Sydney in Helensburgh is Symbio Wildlife Park, with over 16 acres of land to explore. Here, you can get up close and personal with Australia’s native animals, whether you wish to cuddle a koala or feed a kangaroo. With daily presentations on the wonderful animals that call this country home, the park seeks to provide connection and understanding between people, animals, and the environment.
Calmsley Hill Farm
Calmsley Hill Farm is an amazing interactive farm experience. Visitors have the opportunity to engage in a variety of activities, including hand-feeding nursery animals, learning how to milk cows, and taking a tractor ride. Daily shows and demonstrations are also a highlight, like the sheep shearing show and working dog demonstration. With access to BBQs for a hearty meal, there’s nothing stopping you from enjoying a fun day in the outdoors.
Royal Easter Show
Held on the first weekend in April, the Easter Show is known for its unique animal experiences for all age groups. From junior farm hands, where kids can get up close to a variety of farm animals, to outback pony rides, there’s truly something for everyone. While here, why not also stop by the animal shows to see which incredible animals are taking home the gold?
Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures
Glenworth Valley Outdoor Adventures is Australia’s largest horse riding center, with over 3000 acres of wilderness to explore. Located on the central coast, they provide horse riding opportunities for all levels and ages, from free range to guided rides. For more experienced riders, there’s even the possibility to undertake a cattle drive ride, an exhilarating encounter where you and your fellow riders must guide a herd of cattle through the valley.
Catmosphere
Sydney’s original cat cafe, Catmosphere, partners with rescue groups to provide cats with a safe and friendly home. The cafe offers a range of unique experiences, including The Treehouse, a tiki-style lounge filled with adopted kittens, and the Catflix Cat Cinema, where visitors can curl up with some of the older cats and enjoy a film on the big screen. Cat lovers will rejoice at this not-to-be-missed opportunity.
Cafe Bones
If you’re more of a dog person, then this might be the place for you. Boasting the world’s first dog-friendly cafe, Cafe Bones offers a fantastic menu for humans and their canine friends. They also have the world’s first cafe-style dog beverage, the Pupachino, making them the ideal place if you’re looking for somewhere to take your pets, or if you’re keen to meet the cutest creatures around.
Australian Reptile Park
Home to over 2000 animals, the Australian Reptile Park is an incredible attraction located on the central coast only an hour from Sydney. They offer some amazing animal counters with koalas, dingoes, Komodo dragons, and more. Plus, their zookeeper program allows visitors to go behind the scenes and learn how to take care of the animals. During the school holidays, the park is also known to hold the Zooperheroes program, highlighting the heroic powers of Australia’s wildlife.
Golden Ridge Animal Farm
A safe and family-friendly environment, Golden Ridge Animal Farm is a great place to learn more about farm animals. You can cuddle baby chicks and ducklings, have a go milking a cow, or purchase a feed bucket and walk around the farm to hand feed over 200 animals. Need we say more?
Alpaca Magic Farm
Located in Yass valley, the Alpaca Magic Farm offers the opportunity to have breakfast with Alpacas and Llamas. Meet and feed over 200 animals, before digging into your own hearty breakfast of eggs, bacon, and sausage. If you’ve ever wondered what these unique animals are like, this is the perfect place to find out.
Can’t get enough of these animal experiences in NSW? Why not check out the best farm tours in Australia?
To reach these awesome animal experiences, take a look at the Rex route map below and find the best flights for you and your family.
