The Australian Reptile Park is one of Australia’s most famous zoos! It’s home to over 2000 animals which is just as well…
Because visiting Australia with kids meant seeing some of the iconic Australian animals was high on our bucket list!
The Reptile Park was perfect! It’s located in a beautiful natural bush setting not too far from Sydney, so made for an ideal day trip from the city.
We got to see all kinds of interesting animals up close – it definitely isn’t just about reptiles…
The highlight for me was feeding the kangaroos; but I will let you find out what our kids enjoyed the most…
What animals will you see at the Australian Reptile Park?
There are loads of different animals that reside at the Australian Reptile Park!
It might take a while to go right around and see all of them, but some of our favourites included:
- Wallabies
- Koalas
- Dingos
- Wombats
- Tasmanian Devil
- Spiders (*lots of!)
*The spiders section of the park turned out to be one of the kids favourite parts!
Learning about the Venom Programme
There is a big area showcasing different spiders and snakes but also a great platform about anti-venom.
Since the 1960’s, the Australian Reptile Park has been the sole supplier of terrestrial snake venom for the purpose of making anti-venom!
You can watch through a window to see how anti-venom is collected by ‘milking’ a spider or snake!
Getting to the Australian Reptile Park
Address: Australian Reptile Park, Pacific Highway, Somersby NSW 2250
- By Car: Getting to the Australian Reptile Park by car is the easiest way.
The Park is around 60 minutes north of Sydney and south of Newcastle.
Put ‘Australian Reptile Park’ into Google Maps app and take the Gosford exit off the M1 Freeway.
You will see the signs for the park at the Freeway exit; follow the signs to Somersby on the Pacific Highway.
There is free all-day parking available at the park.
- By Train: The closest rail link to the Australian Reptile Park is the Gosford Train Station.
There are no bus services between Gosford Station and the park, but it is easy to use Uber or a local taxi company to transfer between the two.
If you present your Uber or taxi receipt, the park offers discounted entry tickets (25% off).
Show times
Grab a brochure at the information and ticket desk on entry.
- Tip: Make sure to check out the FREE animals shows that are scheduled during the day.
We especially liked the Reptile Show at 11:30am in the main show pit. This is where we saw a baby Tasmanian devil, koala, young alligator and a tortoise.
You can also opt for a photo experience with a koala ($25 each) and take home a special Australian memory!
Lunch and snacks
There is an on-site kiosk, the Hard Croc Café, that is open daily from 9am to 4pm. The café serves hot food, sandwiches, ice creams and cold drinks.
Or you can bring a picnic and use the huge picnic area with plenty of shady tables. There is an awesome animal-themed playground right next to the picnic area.
Ticket prices
- 1x Adult Ticket = $43.00
- 1x Child Ticket (3-15 years) = $25.00
- 1x Family Pass (2AD, 2CH) = $115.00
- 1x Extra Child with Family Pass = $19.00
Read more about the ticket prices here.
- Note: Prices are in Australian Dollars AUD.
Opening Hours
The Australian Reptile Park is open 9am – 5pm every day except Christmas Day.
What to bring
The Australian Reptile Park is one of Australia’s most popular zoos!
But because of its location from Sydney (around one hour), you do need to plan a bit more in advance to make sure you have the best day trip from the city.
- Water: Bring drinking water and a water bottle to refill at the drinking water stations inside the park. This saves buying extra plastic and is also free!
- Sunscreen and a hat: It’s hot in Sydney! The park has some shady areas but moving between the different zones you will be in the sun for part of the time.
- Snacks: There is a café on site but it is also advisable to bring snacks or a picnic and make the most of the picnic area.
So is the Australian Reptile Park worth the price?
Yes! This is one of Australia’s most well-known parks, and it is easy to see why.
The park is well set up for exploring as a family, and makes a great choice for a day trip from Sydney.
We only had a short time in Australia on this visit, but seeing all the iconic Australian animals up close was definitely a highlight of our trip!