Just 4 things you didn't know you could do at Taronga Zoo. 

“Do you think we could spend a bit more time together, Mum? It’s just... you’ve been so busy lately.”

Hear that? That’s the sound of my mum-guilt swallowing me whole.

When my son said this to me a few weeks ago my heart broke a little. Because it’s true. I have been busy lately because well, life is busy. Especially if you're a parent. 

And although I know this, it is near impossible to rationalise mum-guilt away so, after taking a brief moment to wallow in it, I focused my attention to the first part of his request.

“I’d love that! What kind of things would you like to do?”

He rattled off a few ideas: “Go for a family bike ride, do some painting together, climb the rocks near our house.”

Easy, I thought. Then he carried on and the next few things were not as straightforward: “camping” and… “helping animals”.

While I reassured him that they were both great suggestions, I had absolutely ZERO idea of where I could start for a request as (justifiably) grand as this.

As the busy days continued to consume me, I'm ashamed to admit that the practicalities of saving the world and the animals within was not something I thought a lot about.

But a few weeks later the answer came to me. Or rather, it was sent to me. It was an email about Taronga Zoo.

I’ve been going to the zoo since I was a child myself and it’s always been one of my favourite attractions but what I’ve realised only now is that Taronga is so much more than that.

Taronga is not for profit, which means every dollar you spend there contributes to helping them save wildlife. 

Every. Single. Dollar. 

Bingo! I thought. What a fun way for us to spend time together AND we’d be helping animals. Our visit ended up being better than I ever could have hoped for.

Here’s what we did (and would absolutely recommend to other families if they’re looking for a good day out too).

1. Become a Wild Squad agent

Before heading to the zoo, we registered to become Wild Squad agents. Wild Squad is Taronga’s club for kids and signing up meant that we were officially on board with saving the animals. Yes!

When you get to the zoo, keep an eye out for footprints, claw marks and even droppings (don’t worry, not the real ones!) scattered along the paths. On the Taronga App, kids can complete different missions as you follow the interactive map around the exhibits. My kids loved it.

Wild Squad agents reporting for duty! Image: Supplied.

Even as an adult who has been to the zoo many times, there are still things I haven’t experienced (there is always something new) and this visit involved a special first with my kids — a one-on-one animal encounter. My boys squealed with delight as they fed Jimiyu the Giraffe. Coming face-to-face with these majestic creatures was the highlight of our day and something we will never forget.

You can also book ahead to meet the Capybara brothers, mingle with the cheeky Meerkats, marvel up close to a Koala and more.

Coming face to face with Jimiyu the Giraffe and Rodney the Capybara. Image: Supplied.

For an extra special treat we booked to stay overnight at the Wildlife Retreat at Taronga. Sleeping at the zoo was a magical experience, knowing we were surrounded by all the animals. 

As you make your way to your eco-room, you pass through the sanctuary which is home to echidnas, Potoroos, Koalas and other remarkable native wildlife — an exclusive experience for Wildlife Retreat guests. 

We also booked an early dinner at the restaurant, Me-Gal, and watched the sunset across the city skyline while eating delicious, fresh, native produce. The kids were taken care of with a tasty kids' menu too. Win-win!

4. Save the animals

Remember how I said that every dollar goes towards saving the animals? This means that your ticket literally has the power to protect. Every single thing that you do during your visit — from your hot chips at lunch, to an overnight stay, to the soft toy that your kids couldn’t (actually, wouldn’t!) put down in the gift shop — all helps animals around Australia and the rest of the world. 

With King Nyani - the biggest Gorilla statue in the world and an international icon for Gorilla conservation. Image: Supplied.