Hunter Valley Zoo
Australia is home to a large number of unique wildlife, both native and international. Hunter Valley Zoo is the best place to encounter a wide variety of wildlife in Australia. It is about an hour drive from Newcastle and one of the best things to do with children in Hunter Valley. The Hunter Valley Zoo houses Primates, Australian Native Mammals, African Animals, Reptiles, Australian Birds, South American Animals and other animals. Hunter Valley Zoo is nothing like any other zoo where you can only see animals from afar.
The zoo is closed on Wednesdays, and the rest of the days it is open from 9 am to 4 pm. The parking is free, and there are also free barbeque facilities at the picnic grounds. They provide with tables and seats. You can bring your lunch and make a day of it. Snacks and refreshments are also available on-site along with a gift shop. It is a popular place to hold kids birthday parties and educational group events.
Daily shows
Daily shows at Hunter Valley lets you interact with and watch all the animals. During these daily shows, visitors can see monkeys been fed, have an interactive walk or touch a reptile. Daily shows might change depending on weather and animal, so check before visiting. Every half hour starting from 10 am, various keepers talks take place. Daily shows might differ during weekends, weekdays and holidays. Take note that all the keeper talk and daily show are currently not happening under COVID precautionary measure.
Encounters
Hunter Valley Zoo offers fascinating animal encounters. It is the best place to meet an animal and get up close and personal with your favourite animal. Different animal encounters give you a closer look at the wildlife. It includes Meerkat, Marmoset, Black and White Ruffed Lemur, Emperor Tamarin, and Binturong. These encounters are of 20 minutes, and you can take pictures with your camera, and ask questions to zookeeper. All the animal encounter only allows a few numbers of guests at a time, so check before making a group booking. You can book your favourite animal encounter in advance online.
Feed the animals
Feeding the animals is a great way to meet the residents of Hunter Valley Zoo. You can buy animal food at the reception. There is a walk-through interactive yard where you can feed the animals. You can give food to all the birds, farmyard animals and kangaroos.
Picnic
The Hunter Valley Zoo has beautiful picnic grounds. It is a great place to relax after doing all the activities in the zoo. There are free barbeque facilities on the grounds. You can bring your lunch and spend a wonderful afternoon in the picnic area free of charge. Though it is free of charge, it is necessary to reserve a barbeque are, especially for larger groups.