Ever wanted a chance to explore the animal kingdom within the comfort of a luxurious wildlife sanctuary with the fam? Here's my experience staying at Sydney’s Taronga’s Wildlife Retreat with two teenagers and husband in tow
Glamping in wildlife parks may not be new to us, but when it’s in an animal sanctuary as impressive as Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, you can bet it would be an epic experience. Mum of two Rebecca Foreman shares what it was like staying at this unique wildlife retreat, giving us major travel envy!
Wildlife Retreat at Taronga: Getting up close to wildlife at Sanctuary Tours and night tours
We checked in to Taronga’s Wildlife Retreat at the dot of 2pm because we wanted to make the most of our stay and the included Sanctuary Tours on offer. After dropping off our bags and a quick cup of tea in our modern and thoughtfully designed bedrooms, we were off on our first of three scheduled Sanctuary Tours.
The tour departed from the Reception area aka The Nest, and was led by an experienced guide who expertly walked us through the environmentally designed outdoor Sanctuary habitat, which is nestled amongst the accommodation lodges. Walking along pathways, were lucky to see and learn about many unique animals that call the Sanctuary their home like Wallabies, Bettongs, Short Beaked Echidnas, Potoroos, Red-necked Pademelons, Eels and even a huge Koala aka Thunder that lives outside of lodge one (more on him later).
After our half hour tour, we were all feeling hungry so we grabbed a drink and snack back in The Nest area, overlooking the setting sun across Sydney’s stunning Harbour, while relaxing and chatting to fellow guests while we waited until our next tour.
This special Night Tour was again guided by expert tour guides through the Taronga Zoo, and let me tell you, this is an amazing experience. Not only because we had the zoo entirely to ourselves, but as part of this tour, we learned fascinating facts about the 4,500 animals that call Taronga Zoo Sydney home. Getting up close and personal to lions, giraffes, elephants and those giant capybaras (my kids’ favourite animal) with a personal guide was definitely a highlight for us all.
Wildlife Retreat at Taronga accommodation
The Wildlife Retreat at Taronga was built in 2019 and consists of 62 rooms and suites in five environmentally sensitive and sustainably designed lodges. My two kids (aged 13 and 15 years old) were more than happy in their modern twin-bed room, while me and my husband had an adjoining double-bed room. A few of the stand-out features included super comfy-beds, freeview TV and movie channels, complimentary wifi, drenching shower, fluffy robes, tea and coffee-making facilities and a mini-bar with snacks. But by far, the ultimate standout was the view from both rooms, which were nothing short of spectacular as we were able to see Sydney’s Harbour and CBD while just under our bedroom windows, we had a bird’s eye view of a huge red bush kangaroo that lived below.
F&B at Taronga Wildlife Retreat
After our Night Tour we dined at the Me-Gal restaurant located within the Taronga Wildlife Retreat. Me-Gal beautifully caters to guests staying at the Retreat while also welcoming outside guests. There’s no denying the sweeping views of Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Opera House, and the city skyline are captivating. The food focus is on serving modern Australian cuisine that is fresh and sustainably sourced produce as well as having a seasonally changing menu of dishes. We shared a signature melt-in-the-mouth leg of lamb that had been slow cooked for 12-hours, accompanied by roasted veggies, and a beetroot risotto alongside a roasted broccoli and cauliflower dish. Delish. We then somehow managed to find room to fit in a shared black forest inspired dessert, creme brulee and honey mousse, which were all incredible. Me-Gal really is the epitome of communal dining, catering to every palette with dishes that are designed for sharing. Additionally there’s a well-thought out healthy Kids Menu on offer and high chairs available.
On our walk back to our room, we were struck by the unmissable guttural sounds of Thunder the Koala. Perhaps he was marking his territory late at night or maybe it was a mating call but if you haven’t heard a koala’s distinctive call then you’re in for a treat, because it sounds like a cross between a sow and a bear, giving birth! Loud, deep, groaning echoes and truly AMAZING! My kids loved it, and so did my husband. We all laughed at the wonder of Australia’s incredible wildlife, feeling blessed to have what felt like a private conversation with Thunder the Koala on our way back to our room.
The following morning I woke to the distinctive call of a lyrebird, my idea of bliss, and then quickly realised we had all slept in and missed our scheduled Wollemi Aviary Guided walk. Not to worry, no stress, a long leisurely breakfast at Me-Gal restaurant beckoned instead which comprised a hearty buffet style & a-la-carte selection of modern Australian fare with something for everyone. After filling up on pancakes, scrambled eggs, veggie fritters, toast, cereals and hot chocolates, my kids were chomping at the bit to get back into the zoo to make the most of the day exploring, again!
The sustainable angle
When I learn that an accommodation is sustainable, I want to know the exact details, so that it’s not just a green-washing exercise. Sustainability sits at the core of Wildlife Retreat at Taronga. The Retreat features five, environmentally-sensitive, sustainably-designed lodges built into the native bushland setting of Taronga Zoo with external corridors, timber cladding and native planted green screens reducing the buildings’ carbon footprint. In fact we were told on our first Sanctuary tour that Taronga Retreat has already reached Carbon Neutral way ahead of time. Taronga strives to lead in the areas of resource efficiency, waste management, supply chain, care of the land and social responsibility, and has worked with consultants to ensure sustainability was considered in every component of the design, construction and operation phases of the Wildlife Retreat. In fitting with Taronga’s commitment to sustainability, the environmentally focused design is targeting a 5 star Green Star rating.
Not only that, Taronga’s two Zoos are now the only Zoos in New South Wales to be powered by renewable electricity, making the switch at the beginning of this year.
Taronga has also made a commitment to be Net Zero by 2030 with a 70% reduction in absolute emissions and is also on track to divert 90% operational waste from landfill by 2025, with a focus on Circular Economy initiatives.
What I also loved learning through the guided tours of the Sanctuary is that Taronga is a not-for-profit organisation, meaning a stay at the Wildlife Retreat has the power to protect. Every dollar spent at Taronga saves wildlife, including helping the return of more than 55,000 animals to the wild, caring for thousands of injured wildlife at the Taronga Wildlife Hospitals and breeding threatened species to ensure against extinction.
Funds even spread to vital research being developed in Queensland that enables temperature resistant coral to be grown.
Why it’s perfect for families
I have noticed that with two young teenagers, doing family-friendly activities is becoming harder to facilitate as they grow up and naturally want to do things that interest them while also splintering-off with friends. I hoped they would be as excited about spending a night in the Taronga Sanctuary as I was – and they were! This was the perfect way to regroup as a family mainly because everything you do is experienced together, which makes for interesting chat around the Me-Gal dinner table.
I noted there were all types of families staying at the Retreat, couples with young babies, toddlers and teens, single parents with kids, newly-weds, older couples, friends and groups. It became clear this is a nature adventure that’s perfect for everyone that shares a love of wildlife, nature and animals. If you are visiting straight from Singapore, I would recommend staying two nights at The Retreat, because there’s so much to see at the Taronga Zoo and a number of live animal shows throughout the day to experience, which you would be hard pressed to see all in one day.
I also met a few guests who were visiting from Asia using Taronga Wildlife Retreat as their base to explore and roam Sydney at leisure. With the Ferry strategically positioned at the bottom of the hill, what a perfect place to retreat to after a day or night exploring Sydney’s harbour.
Location & getting to Wildlife Retreat at Taronga
If you are arriving by car, there’s complimentary parking available in the main Taronga Zoo car park.
If you are arriving via Ferry, the 238 bus meets the ferry and will transfer you up the hill to the Wildlife Retreat entrance, which is a short walk down Bradley’s Head Road from the main Taronga Zoo entrance.
Flights route from Singapore to Sydney
There are a number of daily direct flights a day from Singapore to Sydney. You can fly direct with Singapore Airlines, or Qantas from Changi Airport direct to Sydney’s Kingsford Smith Airport in 8 hours.
If you’re looking for other family-friendly Sydney inspo on your next trip Down Under, make sure to read our guide to Sydney with kids!
Taronga Wildlife Retreat, Bradleys Head Rd, Mosman NSW 2088
