A day at Darling Downs Zoo that’s worth the drive
Two hours west of Brisbane, there’s a stretch of the Darling Downs that feels a world away from city life. Darling Downs Zoo covers more than 100 acres of rural paradise, where the air smells like gum trees instead of exhaust fumes and the only traffic jam you’ll hit is a group of giraffes ambling across their paddock.
It’s not your usual line-up of kangaroos and emus either. Here you can see lions basking in the sun, leopards stretched out in the shade and hyenas making their presence known. There are pygmy hippos, caracals with those sharp ear tufts and even bear cats you won’t spot anywhere else in Queensland. The zoo’s big enough to spend hours wandering but relaxed enough that you can take your time.
For anyone wanting more than a wander, there are animal encounters available where you can get closer to some of the zoo’s most popular species, from lemurs to giraffes to meerkats, with sessions running at set times through the day. Families often stay for the feeding sessions too, which give a behind-the-scenes look at how the animals are looked after. And for something entirely different, the Zoofari Night Tour runs on Saturday nights at 6pm from 1 October to 30 April, opening the gates after dark so you can see the zoo in a new light as nocturnal animals become active under the stars.
Throughout it all, every ticket sold helps fund conservation work through the Darling Downs Species Preservation Foundation. The zoo is involved in breeding programs for endangered species both in Australia and overseas, so a day out here also supports work happening well beyond its fencelines.
The zoo is open every day from 9am to 4pm, except Christmas, with a kiosk for coffee breaks and a gift shop for anyone who can’t leave without a cuddly version of whatever animal stole their heart. Last entries are at 3pm, so it’s worth getting in early and making a day of it. Full details, including animal encounter bookings, are at www.darlingdownszoo.com.au.
Darling Downs Zoo
21 Baines Rd, Pilton QLD 4361
(07) 4696 4107
Darlingdownszoo.com.au
