Western Sydney Parklands welcomes Australia's newest zoo

Published: 6 December 2019 at 4:53 pm

Western Sydney Parklands welcomes Sydney Zoo to Sydney’s Biggest Backyard – a $45 million new star attraction for Australia’s largest urban park.

Sydney Zoo is the newest addition to Western Sydney Parkland’s Bungarribee and boasts more than 2,000 exotic and native animals across 16.5 hectares of safari-like enclosures and elevated boardwalks. 

Executive Director of Western Sydney Parklands Trust, Suellen Fitzgerald said the zoo will be a major drawcard for the region.

“Congratulations to John and Jake Burgess for realising their dream of transforming a piece of our Parklands into an amazing African savannah,” Ms Fitzgerald said. 

“This is a significant win for our visitor economy and adds to the extensive list of major recreation and tourist attractions that draws four million people to Sydney’s Biggest Backyard each year.

 “There’s something for everyone in our Parklands - from award-winning playgrounds to walking, cycling and running trails through stunning bushland, picnic grounds, urban farms, a family-friendly city farm - and now a state-of-the-art zoo, boosting tourism and creating jobs in our region.”

The Zoo joins the diverse visitor experiences in the Parklands, including Raging Waters Sydney (formerly Wet’n’Wild), Sydney Motor Sport Park, Calmsley Hill City Farm, Tree Tops and Wylde Mountain Bike Trail. 

Ms Fitzgerald said the Parklands are committed to continuing to offer exciting new tourist destinations and creating jobs and boosting the local economy.”

“As Australia’s largest urban parkland, we play a vital role in meeting the needs of the current and future populations in Sydney’s growing West.”

Western Sydney Parklands Plan of Management, adopted last year, includes a range of measures around tourism, including a target to increase tourism infrastructure by five per cent by 2030. 

 

Media contact: Claire Thompson, Communications & Media – 0499 933 589