Taronga Western Plains Zoo - wikipedia Taronga Western Plains Zoo `` WPZ '' redirects here. For other uses, see WPZ ( disambiguation ). Taronga Western Plains Zoo Taronga Western Plains Zoo Logo Date opened 28 February 1977 Location Near Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia Coordinates 32 ° 16 ′ 18.8 '' S 148 ° 35 ′ 14 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 32.271889 ° S 148.58722 ° E ﻿ / - 32.271889 ; 148.58722 Coordinates : 32 ° 16 ′ 18.8 '' S 148 ° 35 ′ 14 '' E ﻿ / ﻿ 32.271889 ° S 148.58722 ° E ﻿ / - 32.271889 ; 148.58722 Land area 300 ha ( 741 acres ) No. of animals over 1,000 No. of species 97 Major exhibits 45 Website taronga.org.au/taronga-western-plains-zoo Taronga Western Plains Zoo, formerly known as ( and still commonly referred to as ) Western Plains Zoo and commonly known as Dubbo Zoo, is a large zoo near Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia. It opened to the public on 28 February 1977, to provide more living and breeding space for large animals such as elephants and antelopes which needed more space than was available at the restricted Sydney site. The zoo is run by the Taronga Conservation Society ( formerly Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales ), along with Taronga Zoo Sydney. Western Plains Zoo is located on the Newell Highway in west Dubbo about 4 km from the city. Contents 1 History 1.1 Name change 1.2 Zoo friends 2 Animal listing 2.1 Free - ranging animals 2.2 Primate islands 2.3 Africa 2.4 Asia 2.5 North America 2.6 Australia 2.7 South America 2.8 Children 's zoo 3 See also 4 Notes and references 5 External links History In the late 1960s, plans to develop a large plains zoo to complement Sydney 's Taronga Zoo were established. The new zoo would provide breeding facilities particularly suited to the large plains dwelling animals and to fulfil a need for an open range facility for the display of mainly grazing animals. After considerable planning and preparation, a site on the outskirts of Dubbo in central West New South Wales was chosen. Formerly an army camp during World War Two, the site was transformed into a 300 hectare zoo of woodland and irrigated grasslands. Western Plains Zoo opened to the public on 28 February 1977. When the zoo opened, it contained 35 different animals from six countries. The zoo is an open - range design, with walls and fences replaced by concealed moats which divide the animals from the visitors. This creates the impression of actually being with the animals in the wild. It was also the first zoo to be built in Australia in 60 years. Queen Elizabeth II visited the Western Plains Zoo in 1992. In 1994 Western Plains Zoo was awarded as the Best Major Tourist Attraction, the highest honour in Australian Tourism. On 26 September 2006, The Daily Liberal published an article announcing British comedian John Cleese was visiting the zoo `` in order to raise money for a new Greater One - Horned rhino exhibit ''. Name change The zoo changed its name to Taronga Western Plains Zoo on 21 January 2008, citing the need to draw attention to the work of the Taronga Conservation Society Australia. Zoo Friends Zoo Friends was an organisation which offered support in form of volunteers and fund raising for both Taronga Zoo Sydney and Western Plains Zoo. Members were eligible to volunteer to help at the Zoo. In 2009 the organisation was disbanded and all assets donated to the Taronga Conservation Foundation. Taronga Zoo Sydney now runs its own volunteer program. Animal listing Free - ranging animals Indian peafowl Australian pelican Black swan Primate islands Ring - tailed lemur Ruffed lemur Siamang White - handed gibbon Spider monkey Africa Cape hunting dog Black rhinoceros Scimitar oryx African lion Dromedary camel Ostrich Barbary sheep Rothschild 's giraffe Common hippopotamus Southern white rhinoceros Grant 's zebra South African cheetah Forest buffalo African elephant Bongo Sitatunga Asia Persian onager Asian elephant Sumatran tiger Indian rhinoceros Asiatic water buffalo Asian small - clawed otter Sambar deer Banteng Nilgai Indian antelope Chital deer Fallow deer Elk Przewalski 's horse North America American bison Australia Emu Red - necked wallaby Koala Wedge - tailed eagle Red kangaroo Dingo Western grey kangaroo Swamp wallaby Whiptail wallaby Eastern wallaroo Yellow - footed rock wallaby Tasmanian devil South America Galapagos tortoise Children 's zoo Slender - tailed meerkat Malleefowl Short - beaked echidna Peaceful dove Common wombat Common blue - tongue lizard See also Jim Lacey - General manager of the Western Plains Zoo from 1988 until 1992. Taronga Zoo Sydney Notes and references Jump up ^ Zoological Parks Board of New South Wales ( 12 May 2008 ). `` Our History ''. Taronga Conservation Society Australia. Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Archived from the original on 7 October 2009. Retrieved 22 March 2010. ^ Jump up to : North, Bill ( 18 February 2008 ). `` Death of zoo pioneer ''. Daily Liberal. Retrieved 21 February 2008. Jump up ^ `` Guess Who 's Coming to Dubbo ? ''. Daily Liberal. Archived from the original on 12 March 2008. Retrieved 26 September 2006. Jump up ^ Hunstdale, Justin ( 21 January 2008 ). `` Western Plains Zoo name change ''. Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Retrieved 25 January 2008. External links Wikimedia Commons has media related to Taronga Western Plains Zoo. Official website Zoo Friends, a supporter of the Zoo, offers membership and volunteer opportunities Zoos of New South Wales Zoos African Lion Safari ( Warragamba ) Australia Walkabout Wildlife Park Australian Reptile Park Billabong Zoo Birdland Animal Park Blue Gum Farm Zoo Blackbutt reserve Bullen 's Animal World Ettamogah Wildlife Sanctuary Fairfield City Farm Featherdale Wildlife Park Hunter Valley Zoo Koala Park Sanctuary Mogo Zoo Potoroo Palace Native Animal Educational Sanctuary Shoalhaven Zoo Symbio Wildlife Park Taronga Western Plains Zoo Taronga Zoo Wagga Wagga Zoo Waratah Park Earth Sanctuary Waterways Wildlife Park Wild Life Sydney Aquariums The Australian Shark and Ray Centre Manly Sea Life Sanctuary Merimbula Aquarium Sea Life Sydney Aquarium Retrieved from `` https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Taronga_Western_Plains_Zoo&oldid=839414756 '' Categories : Tourist attractions in New South Wales Dubbo 1977 establishments in Australia Zoos in New South Wales Hidden categories : Use dmy dates from March 2011 Coordinates on Wikidata Talk Contents About Wikipedia Українська Edit links This page was last edited on 3 May 2018, at 08 : 13. 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Question: where is taronga's western plains zoo located
Answer: near Dubbo, New South Wales, Australia