western plain zoo

Submitted: Friday, May 18, 2007 at 15:43
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Hi everyone, I planing a trip north,which will take me through Dubbo, is it worth stopping and spending a day at western plain zoo. Has it got something to see or is it just another zoo????
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Reply By: Kev M (NSW) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 15:45

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 15:45
It is well worth the visit. It is that big that you drive your vehicle around it.

It is affiliated with Sydney's Taronga Zoo.

Kev
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Reply By: Outa Bounds - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 15:54

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 15:54
I would say it's worth visiting, you drive your car around & get out regularly to look at the animals, very similar to a big wildlife park up near Darwin.

With a couple of little kids it's even worth going back for the 2nd day to see anything you may have missed. We have a couple of young kids, we first went to see it when moving to Cobar a year ago and have been there once since then, I would go back again soon.
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Reply By: Member - Stephen M (NSW) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 15:56

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 15:56
Wouldnt plan on staying the night, if you are make sure your vehicle is alarmed and dont leave anything in sight it will be guaranteed to get broken into. We stayed in a reputable motel for the night lit up parking areas etc and still got broken into. I will not stay there again, and is getting worse. We know some people from up there (family) and they said themselves the crime rate is huge. The zoo its self is brilliant, go and see the early moring feeding starts at either 5 or 6 for memory. We didnt go in last time due to the car getting broken into was so pi##ed off we come home so not sure if anything has changed in the last 3 years or so. Regards Steve M
AnswerID: 240797

Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 21:09

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 21:09
No, nothing has changed. I think it is getting worse by the day. I am there about every 2 or 3 months for work and it is one of the worst places I go to.

The Zoo is a must see if you are a visitor and have'nt been before. Some camp spots within coo-ee of town but still safer than in town IMO. Just to the north near Brocklehurst. Have a look on this website as I have uploaded one of these in this section myself.

Trevor.
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Reply By: GoneTroppo Member (FNQ) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 15:58

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 15:58
May be different now, three years ago we went there and found it to be the most godawfull dump ever visisted. Dirty, neglected all the staff had the "couldn't give F" attitude.
AnswerID: 240799

Follow Up By: Member - Stephen M (NSW) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:06

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:06
Hi GoneTroppo, we didnt have that problem and found the staff to be quit friendly and helpful maybe they were having a bad day, but I wasnt in the mood for "talking to the animals" after the car episode so had the shi#s and come home, expensive weekend $450 excess to get door fixed as they buckled the metal around the door handle after digging it out with I presume a screw driver had to get new door skin,handle,lock, and interior trim after they dug through it. Still pis#es me off when I think how a good week away was screwed by some low life scum who need a good kick in the ar#e they would have got more then that if I had cought them. Regards Steve M
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Follow Up By: GoneTroppo Member (FNQ) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:32

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:32
Hi Steve
Sorry to hear about your break and enter. Sadly have heard this lots of times, guess they put all that cyclone wire fencing around stuff for a reason.

Fortunately we had been warned about this, ended up staying at a B & B just out of town in a vineyard. Had a great time there really nice people.

Regards Chris
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Reply By: PeteS - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:10

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:10
Ditto to that Stephen M's post. A real problem.

Pete S
AnswerID: 240803

Reply By: slave - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:15

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:15
We were there in April and loved it, even at 13 and 17 the kids loved it and would go again.

We felt the first half was much better that the 'Australian' animals but we are able to see native animals daily anyway.

Get there early and then there is plenty of time to do a second lap if necessary.

There are plenty of barbeques around the halfway mark if you choose to do that for lunch. Food can be a bit expensive if taking a family.

We stayed a free campsite north of Dubbo that was really popular.

Mrs S
AnswerID: 240805

Reply By: Outa Bounds - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:28

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:28
We visit Dubbo quite regularly & stay a night or two usually at different motels and have never had any problems with being broken into or anything. However Hubby had to drive thorough late at night on a rushed trip to Orange once and was surprised at how many kids were roaming the streets that should have been in bed.
AnswerID: 240809

Reply By: Member - Karl - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:44

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 16:44
Took the family there a couple of years ago and we loved it. Took 1 1/2 days to do it. Spent the first day driving around it looking at all of the animals and if I remember correctly the ticket was for a weekend (2 days) so we went back the next day and did the early morning feeding tour and had breakfast there.

It's sad about the problem that it has, but then a lot of places are like that now.

Karl
AnswerID: 240811

Reply By: Member - Ian W (NSW) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 17:05

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 17:05
What a variation in replies!

Well! Here goes, it's just another zoo and not a good one at that. She and I or her and me, were very disappointed in the Western Plains Zoo after all the hype.

To add insult to injury I was then harassed very aggressively for "a dollar mate" whilst walking down the street in the main business/shopping precinct. The caravan park at which we stayed locked the gates at night and it was only on leaving that I noticed the fencing was a hell of a lot more than the standard 2mtr. netting.

I suppose everyone should experience Dubbo at one stage or another, having done so once I shall drive straight through next time around.

Ian
AnswerID: 240816

Follow Up By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 18:33

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 18:33
"To add insult to injury I was then harassed very aggressively for "a dollar mate" whilst walking down the street in the main business/shopping precinct. The caravan park at which we stayed locked the gates at night and it was only on leaving that I noticed the fencing was a hell of a lot more than the standard 2mtr. netting."

With all due respect Ian, that's not the Zoo's fault.

Cheers

Brian
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Follow Up By: Gerhardp1 - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:59

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:59
I'm led to believe it's now $2........
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Follow Up By: Member - Ian W (NSW) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 20:37

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 20:37
Your quite correct!
It's not the zoo's fault. However for us it was part of the total zoo experience. Perhaps I should have gone in and out of the zoo without stopping in the town. Once again I state that we found the zoo to be very, very ordinary. My wife was keen to see the Koalas, what a joke! Into the enclosure, walked all round, got cricks in our necks from gazing upwards and not a single Koala to be seen.

Same with the little compound that was labelled Echidnas, I quite like the little buggers, I find them cute and lovable....Yes! You saw it coming. Not a bloody Echidna to be seen. My fault I suppose, they are mainly active at night, I should not have been looking for them during normal admission hours, I should have jumped the fence at 2:00am.

Once again, Western PLains Zoo, very, very ordinary. We were both very disappointed after taking off valuable RDO's and driving from Sydney to Dubbo specifically to visit the zoo.

Perhaps we may not have found it quite so disappointing if there had been a way of separating the Zoo from the town. In my opinion neither compliments the other.

Now ducking for cover.

Ian
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Follow Up By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 08:28

Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 08:28
Hi Ian,

No need to duck for cover from me mate. LOL.... Everyone is entitled to their opinion in my book.

After reading your follow up, I can understand how the whole trip for you must have been a disaster!
And it makes me realize how lucky we were to have seen the Zoo the way we did.

The only animals that were hard to see when we went were the lions, sulking at the back of their compound the way they do in all zoo's I guess, (Generalizing here because I haven't been to all zoo's... LOL....)

Cheers

Brian
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Reply By: Member -Dodger - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 17:15

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 17:15
Yes there is some crime here in Dubbo but this has been reduced significantly over the past 12 months and one should have little trouble now. Just do the usual when leaving your vehicle or van etc lock it up. Remember this is a city with city problems.
Also whilst your here take a ganda at the OLD DUBBO GOAL it is worth the look and is right in the main street not far from the tourist information building where there is parking for long rigs etc.
The only criticism is the Zoo is overpriced.
I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Cheers Dodg.

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Follow Up By: Trevor R (QLD) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 21:25

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 21:25
Definatly agree with your sentiments on visiting the old Dubbo goal but sorry I can't agree on cig city comments. To me, there is plenty of towns with similar population size to Dubbo but much less violent criminals walking their streets (likewise plenty of smaller towns with worse probs also). Dubbo, really is a large provincial centre with all conveniences, but I still do not call it a city by any stretch. We get more stock losses and vandalism in Dubbo than in any other town stretching from Vic border to Cairns. We have pulled many services from Dubbo due to vandalism, sad, because it is a minority doing all the damage but the whole community pays with less services from my company. (Some may say "good... go" and that is their right).

Camp outside of town and go into town each day is my suggestion. Dubbo has plenty to see and do, so don't drive straight through.

Dodger, I will drop you a line when in town one of these times....if you want me to of course. After my comments, I understand if I am not welcome LOL!!.

Regards, Trevor.
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Follow Up By: Member -Dodger - Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 10:31

Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 10:31
Trevor next time your passing through please give me a call. 02 68843825.
We can have a mag and maybe I can show you the visible changes.
IMHO Our real problems are from the weak court system that returns these crims to the streets with only a slap on the wrist.

For that matter any member of this forum can give me a call when passing thru.
I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Cheers Dodg.

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Reply By: Axel [ the real one ] - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 17:18

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 17:18
The best way to see the zoo is in one of their self drive hired golf buggies during the day and to book in to stay in the zoo itself at night and do the nocturnal tour , that way no problems re: motels ,c/van parks ,cars being broken into ect ect. ,tis not just another zoo,
AnswerID: 240822

Reply By: Member - Brian (Gold Coast) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 18:40

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 18:40
Julio,
We did the Roar and Snore program last September at Western Plains Zoo. An experience that my wife and two teenagers and I will never forget and are still talking about it even now!
Well worth the visit! And as someone above said, go the extra and hire one of the electric carts, they make the day much more enjoyable!
Like everything else, you get out of it what you put in!!

Click here for some information on the Roar and Snore

Cheers

Brian
AnswerID: 240844

Reply By: Member - jeff M (SA) - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:15

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 19:15
Hi we went to the zoo two years ago and stayed at a Motel in Dubbo.
I did read on this site, that car's had been broken into and I mentioned it to the Lady at reception and she said yes that they were having problem with thieves and told us not to leave any valuables in the car.But we had no trouble at all.

The zoo was fantastic the family loved it.

Cheers Scoof ....:-)
AnswerID: 240854

Reply By: montana - Friday, May 18, 2007 at 21:17

Friday, May 18, 2007 at 21:17
dont stay on the west side of the river,dont leave anything in your car and enjoy the zoo .its what you make of a place and every place has problems,dubbo is the west side.but no van park east side.
AnswerID: 240887

Follow Up By: Member -Dodger - Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 10:33

Saturday, May 19, 2007 at 10:33
2 Van parks on the east side.
I used to have a handle on life, but it broke.

Cheers Dodg.

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Reply By: Member - Bucky (VIC) - Sunday, May 20, 2007 at 08:12

Sunday, May 20, 2007 at 08:12
Did it 8 years ago,, loved it
Recomend it to anyone !

Not just another Zoo, take your time and just walk, and a big memory card in your camera

Cheers Bucky
AnswerID: 241130

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