Where is Australia Zoo?

Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland, was famously Steve Irwin’s home. But there’s a genuinely impressive range of animal encounters and shows available at this Sunshine Coast zoo.

Beerwah, Queensland, is right next to the Glass House Mountains National Park on the Sunshine Coast. But no-one’s really coming to Beerwah to explore the Glass House Mountains or Mount Beerwah. In Australia, this Queensland town is pretty much known for one thing only – Australia Zoo.

Australia Zoo competes with Taronga Zoo in Sydney for the title of most famous zoo in Australia. Taronga may have the Sydney Harbour location and safari-style sister zoo in Dubbo. But Australia Zoo in Beerwah has the Steve Irwin factor.

Steve Irwin’s zoo in Beerwah, Queensland

That’s because Australia Zoo is the one that Steve Irwin owned. It featured prodigiously in the Crocodile Hunter series, and is still run by the Irwin family. Steve’s children Bindi and Robert feature very heavily in the promotional materials.

But say you don’t really care all that much about Steve Irwin. Is it still worth visiting Beerwah, Queensland, in order to go to Australia Zoo? Well, it depends on how much you like zoos. If you do like zoos, then this is undeniably a good one.

12 fantastic Sunshine Coast experiences to book now

Taste coffee and ginger, do rainforest walks, and visit the best lookouts on a highlight-packed hinterland tour.
Take a serene Noosa Everglades cruise along the mirror-like waterways – or canoe through the Everglades.
Learn to surf at a Sunshine Coast surf school – or try paddleboarding instead.
Combine sight-seeing and thrills on a fast boat tour.
Go e-mountain biking on the downhill trails of Tewantin National Park.
Kayak with dolphins as part of a beach 4WD tour.
Explore the Sunshine Coast from above on a seaplane flight.
Take an indigenous cultural tour – with bush tucker tasting.
Visit the region’s best craft breweries and distilleries on a drinks tasting tour.
Go jetskiing through the gorgeous Pumicestone Passage.
Taste wines, cheeses and chocolates on a hinterland food tour.
Watch migrating humpbacks on a whale-watching cruise.

Australia Zoo attractions

Highlights include the Crocoseum, a mini-stadium built around a water enclosure. This is where the Wildlife Warriors show takes place, featuring birds or prey, reptiles and – most importantly – big crocodiles preparing to attack from the water’s edge.

Other activities at Australia Zoo in Beerwah are more interactive. You can hand-feed kangaroos as you walk through their enclosure, learn what wombats eat or pat a koala.

Hand-feeding a kangaroo at Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland. Photo courtesy of Tourism and Events Queensland.

There are also several tours available, including a guided golf buggy trip around the 110 acre property and a Segway tour to the back of house areas you can’t normally reach. There’s also a tour of the on-site animal hospital, and a keeper-for-the-day programme

Animal encounters at Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland

If it’s close up animal encounters you’re after, then you can pay considerably more for them. The animal encounters with Sumatran tigers and red pandas don’t come cheap. There also similarly expensive chances to get close to meerkats, otters, cheetahs and Aldabra tortoises.

Book online, and entrance to Australia Zoo costs $59. The 74km drive from Brisbane to Australia Zoo should take just over an hour. Alternatively, it’s 69km from Noosa.

It’s also possible to get a bus from the Gold Coast to Australia Zoo.

Other highlights in the southern stretch of the Sunshine Coast include walking around Mount Tibrogargan or up Mount Ngungun. You can also visit the Aussie World theme park, plus Dicky Beach and Kings Beach in Caloundra.