Australia Bush Track reopens

Following some significant upgrades, our Australia Bush Track fully opens today (Christmas Eve) for you and your whānau to explore this summer!

A fabulous addition to this experience is an expansive new 4m high habitat for rock-dwelling skinks and arboreal dragons. Already moved in and making themselves at home are 18 Cunningham’s skinks – animals that were previously housed in ‘Lizard Lane’ but were moved to safety just ahead of the infamous January 2023 Auckland flood that swept through this area.

Joining them in 2025 will be some spectacular frilled-necked dragons – an extraordinary and unique arboreal lizard native to northern Australia - which will be new to the Zoo and a first for New Zealand.

For now, emus (male Elvis and female Ellie-May) and brolga have the run of rest of this revamped Bush Track habitat. The arrival of a mob of Eastern grey kangaroo from Australia has unfortunately been delayed, but these Aussie wildlife icons are still coming – they’ll just be arriving a little later into 2025. We’ll keep you posted.

Regular visitors to the Zoo will likely notice another great upgrade to this track - the wonderfully spacious and attractive new entry / exit vestibule into and out of the walkthrough Australian aviary – designed to ease visitor flow on busy days while still ensuring the safety and security of the aviary birds.

When you’re visiting our Australia Bush Track habitat – be sure to check out the rest of the Track – where you’ll encounter other bird and reptile species, as well as fish and Tasmanian devils.