Vivid at Taronga Zoo : Lights For The Wild in Sydney

Taronga Zoo celebrated the Vivid festival for the very first time in 2016 and quickly grew the reputation of being Sydney’s best family-friendly Vivid attraction. A capped ticket allocation and a well-planned trail has made it the perfect Vivid destination for parents wanting to experience the festival with their kids whilst also avoiding the crowds. And this year Vivid at Taronga Zoo continues to woo with a wilder, bolder and bigger exhibit of lights. This year you can meet the Sumatran tiger and her cubs as well as a swarm of buzzing bees. 

Of course, knowing what you’re getting yourself into is important, so I’ve pulled together some essential reading to help you plan your trip to Vivid at Taronga Zoo. Believe me, it is worth it!

Getting To Vivid at Taronga Zoo

You can get to Vivid at Taronga Zoo by either car or ferry (or even bus!). We have attempted a few different routes over the year, which included pre-booking parking at Sydney Opera House, anticipating an amazing trip over the harbour on a ferry only to find it difficult to navigate the traffic and bypassing the city and heading straight to Vivid at Taronga Zoo via the zoo carpark. We recommend either public transport or using the Taronga Zoo carpark.

CLICK to access the ULTIMATE Guide to Vivid Sydney for families

Taking the car

You can book a bay through Wilson Parking and catch the ferry across the harbour from Circular Quay which will probably cost you around $50.00 after parking fees and ferry tickets (you’ll need your Opal card). Alternatively, driving straight to Taronga Zoo is an option with pricing starting at $9.00 for guests arriving after 4.00 pm. We found parking plentiful on site.

Make sure you check out our cheap places to park in Sydney resource. 

Taking the ferry

During Vivid Sydney, ferries will be departing for Taronga Zoo from Circular Quay fairly frequently. A one-way ticket is around $6.01 per adult and $3.00 for kids. For timetables and pricing head to the Sydney Trip Planner site. What this transport option does provide is unparalleled views of the city and the iconic Sydney Harbour Bridge and Sydney Opera House.

Tickets and Entry

Vivid at Taronga Zoo is one event that you need to plan. Tickets are only available in advance via pre-purchase so you won’t be able to just rock up on a whim. Numbers are also capped, so if you are yet to purchase your tickets you may need to have a few dates in mind so not to miss out.

Sessions

This year, Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo is running for 5 days each week: Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, Saturday and Sunday, as well as the evening of the Queens Birthday holiday on 10 June. Sessions have also been reduced to two each night. 

There are two sessions each day:

Session 1: 05:30pm

Session 2: 07:30pm

These session times relate to your entry time only with an hour designated to your arrival, however, you can stay in the zoo for as long as you wish until closure. You won’t be able to slip inside a little earlier, so think carefully about which time would suit you and your family to attend Vivid at Taronga Zoo. In our case, this was the later session as we were departing after work, and our kids are little older so can easily cope with a later night.

Pricing

Ticket pricing has changed a little this year for Vivid at Taronga Zoo.

Adult –$26.95 
Child –$19.95 
(4-15 years) Under 4 free
Ticket price inclusive of booking fee, transaction fee and GST.

Tickets can be booked via Moshtix. They can also be purchased at Taronga Zoo on the night unless sold out. We highly recommend you pre-book online to guarantee entry and avoid disappointment.

As part of Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo, there are a limited number of American Express Sky Pass tickets each night. Available to everyone to purchase, American Express Sky Pass tickets provide access to the Taronga Zoo Sky Safari at night to view the zoo from above and get a unique perspective of Vivid Sydney.

Admission

On your nominated day, entry is via the top entrance. I recommend arriving a little early to take some photos of the incredible projection on Taronga’s heritage entrance.

When you enter the gates, you will find a general area with great toilet facilities, a small cafe and a number of installations. It’s a great space to organise yourself and the kids, to meet friends or to just wait for your time allocation to tick over. You’ll also be able to pick up a FREE paper here to take home with you if you so desire.

The Vivid at Taronga Zoo Trail

Whilst the Vivid at Sydney trail is quite different to previous years, it is also familiar enough for those that have been to the zoo and know their way around. Of course, there are plenty of Zoo staff on site to provide assistance and keep you on track.

The Animals

The 10 legacy species are on display like previous years along with a number of new and revamped installations. This year the focus is on the magnificent Sumatran Tiger and her new gorgeous tiger cubs,  the vividly coloured Marine Turtle, a swarm of tiny buzzing bees, the larger-than-life gorilla family, and a pride of lions – plus a whole cast of other captivating creatures that will sparkle in the night.

For your iconic Taronga photo this year, watch out for the Koala that sits outside the Taronga Centenary Theatre. And while you’re hanging outside, make sure you head into the Taronga Centenary Theatre to see a multi-award winning animated short film favourite, reimagined as an amazing 270-degree cinema experience.

How much time will I need?

We really didn’t have enough time! Last year we arrived at 7.30 pm and didn’t leave until 9.45 pm.  This year, we attended the media preview so had the whole site to ourselves almost and took a good 90 minutes as Sunshine interacted with almost every installation.

If you are going to stop at View restaurant for dinner, you’ll need to add some more time too. If you take your time and really immerse yourself in the experience, I think you will need all two hours. I would encourage you to ride Taronga’s Sky Safari cable car on arrival if you are attending the later session as we missed this – it closed just as we finally reached the top.

Food and Amenities

Depending on what time you are heading to Vivid at Taronga Zoo, you may need to organise a spot to eat along the way or think about where to eat.  There are food outlets opened within the precinct but the queues can be long so I have always suggested taking your own food!

Entrance

At the commencement of the walk, just near the entrance, you will find a cafe which sells food and coffee. There are a variety of pastries (sausage rolls, croissants and pies) and then a plethora of dessert type foods such as chocolate chip cookies, chocolate covered strawberries, muffins and the like. I hear the coffee is pretty decent too. There are plenty of seats and tables here making it a good place to meet up with friends and other families before your entry time.

Taronga Food Market 

The Taronga Food Market is near the Indian elephant enclosure. During the day this is the place to stop for hot chips, chicken schnitzel and the like. We haven’t found this a reliable place to eat on any of our Vivid visits – it often is closed. 

Vivid-only food and beverage pop-ups

Just for Vivid at Taronga Zoo, a number of food and beverage pop-ups will be running.

The View

The View restaurant is just near the old elephant building. This year Vivid at Sydney is offering dinner sessions at The View restaurant as an add-on to your Vivid experience. 

There are two dinner sessions at The View restaurant: 6.00pm – 7.30pm (session 1) | 8.00pm – 9.15pm (session 2). These are available to book online via Moshtix on the bottom of the per-date ticket site.

Monday – Saturday Adult $48.00 inc. GST (Main and Dessert) | Monday – Saturday Child $19.00 inc. GST (Main and Dessert)

Sunday Adult $55.00 inc. GST (Main and Dessert) | Sunday Child $21.00 inc. GST (Main and Dessert)

Public Holiday Adult $60.00 inc. GST (Main and Dessert) | Public Holiday Child $25.00 inc. GST (Main and Dessert)

Vegetarian, vegan and gluten-free options are available only upon request, please email our team here.

Same Day Zoo Admission

You can make a day out of the Vivid Sydney at Taronga experience by enjoying a day at the zoo beforehand. If you choose to do this, make sure you show the ticketing booth your session tickets for the evening so you can take 30% off the price of general admission tickets (Please note that the discount is not valid with any other discounts and only available on presentation of your pre-purchased Vivid tickets at the ticket desk. )

If you choose to do this, please be aware that Taronga Zoo closes at 4.30 pm and the first Vivid sessions commences at 5.30 pm. You will need to exit to the main entry plaza until 5.30 pm. This is perfect as you will be able to see the start of the light projection on the main building!

What If It Rains?

As an outdoor event, Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo is subject to weather and the event will proceed rain or shine. Make sure you are prepared with wet weather gear, raincoats and ponchos and something waterproof to sit on in case of rain. Ponchos and umbrellas are available to purchase at the Zoo’s retail outlets.

The Vivid Taronga Zoo Installations: Supporting conservation work

My kids were keen to see some of Taronga Zoo’s animal creatures during our Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo light trail. We spotted the giraffes and some ducks, but nothing more. We did hear the seals which was a little eerie when it is dark. The team at Taronga Zoo have carefully selected the trail so it won’t annoy or cause any anxiety in the animal residents. The Keepers also constantly monitor the animals to ensure that they’re okay. For this reason, I’m happy we only saw lanterns!

In 2015, Taronga Zoo announced their 10 legacy species. For the next ten years, the zoo is committed to the conservation of 10 critical species: five Australian and five from Sumatra. The Taronga Zoo Lights for the Wild seeks to educate the public about the plight of these animals and encourages us all to do what we can to help. It can be as simple as recycling items in your daily garbage or using cloth shopping bags instead of plastic.

So What Did the Kids Think?

My kids loved going out in the evening and exploring the zoo and night fell. I was surprised that they could identify so many animals and quite proud that they wanted to stop and look at each one. I think that Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo is a great family evening affair. Book your tickets!

We were invited to the Vivid Sydney at Taronga Zoo media preview as guests of Destination New South Wales. We have self-funded our visits in previous years. 

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