Domestic safari
Travel to Australia’s most renowned open-plains zoo for some near-natural, close encounters wildlife photography
Back when I was a young boy, a visit to the zoo was an incredibly memorable event. Sixty years later, a visit to the zoo is still memorable – especially when you have the opportunity to visit Australia’s premier open-plains zoo.
Recently, my wife (who is also my photographic assistant) and I visited the Taronga Western Plains Zoo at Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. The 300 hectare site, originally the home to a World War Two army camp, opened in 1977 as the sister facility to the Taronga Zoo in Sydney. It’s an open range sanctuary that provides a vital role in programmes for rare and endangered species.
Our goal was to get in a day of animal photography, which involved trekking the six-kilometre circuit that
It may not be quite as exciting as being on safari in Africa, but it’s the next best thing
meanders through both natural bushland and open style exhibits. The open range design, with concealed moats dividing the animals from the visitors, makes it ideal for uninterrupted line-of-sight photography of the animals.
Carrying a heavy duty Manfrotto tripod with a Canon 5D Mark III and 150-600mm Tamron lens strapped to it makes for an exhausting, but satisfying day.
Luckily the weather was kind to us and, being winter time down under, the animals were quite active. If you fancy getting up close and personal with the big cats, enjoying the antics of meerkats, checking out a playful four-week-old elephant calf or examining the dental health of a hippo, then this is the place to be.
The keeper talk schedule plus behind the scenes animal encounters and tours offered unique experiences that we will never forget. Entering the lion’s kingdom to witness the majestic lioness enjoy her kangaroo lunch, then following the baby elephant as he played with his mother and aunties, were great photo ops.
We do plan to visit the zoo again and stay in the facility’s on-site tents overnight, giving us the chance to photograph in the beautiful dawn and evening light. It may not be as exciting as a safari in Africa, but it’s the next best thing.