Werribee Open Range Zoo, Safari zoo in Wyndham, Australia.

Werribee Open Range Zoo is an African-themed zoo on about 225 hectares beside the Werribee River in Werribee Park, roughly 32 kilometres south-west of Melbourne. A bus tour of 35 to 40 minutes carries up to 140 people through the open-range sections. Two walking trails, the Pula Reserve Walking Trail for African animals and the Australian Journey Walk, cross the grounds, and a 10,000 m2 gorilla sanctuary houses a silverback and his two sons.

The site opened in 1983 as an expansion of Melbourne's animal housing capacity and aimed to offer an alternative to traditional zoos. Over the following decades, the enclosures were redesigned several times to provide animals with more space and closer approximations of natural conditions.

The zoo's African theme runs through a simulated village where a mock ranger scenario tracks lions and a soundscape walk plays recorded lion sounds. Two self-guided trails, the Pula Reserve Walking Trail for African animals and the Australian Journey Walk, let visitors set their own pace. The Learning Centre covers animal geography and history.

Visitors traveling by public transport take the train from Melbourne to Werribee station and then board Bus 439, which stops at the entrance. Paths throughout the park are mostly flat and easy to walk, and on warm days bringing sun protection and water is advisable.

During the bus tour, visitors drive through sections where animals move freely and often graze right beside the vehicle. On some days giraffes come so close that you can hear their breathing through the open windows.