On Thursday 30th of October twenty-nine enthusiastic members boarded the bus with driver Adrian for the hour and half trip across the Westgate Bridge to the open range Werribee Zoo. After the difficult navigation of the traffic and road works, Adrian safely pulled up at the Zoo. There was a rush for coffee, etc., and then aboard the safari bus. To the surprise of all, a couple boarded the bus by hydraulic lift, much to the applause of everyone.
The total area of the zoo is approximately 540 acres with some very bumpy tracks, and I think we went on the worst of them. The highlight being the giraffes and the wild horses and zebras. On returning to the Safari station, it was either lunch or off to the elephant enclosure which is the size of the Melbourne Zoo. Those that were fit enough, walked but others were taxied by a small electric bus.
The sight of the elephants and how the enclosure has been developed is amazing. From there to the leopards, gorillas and lions, but unfortunately, they were having their afternoon nap. The sign by the lion viewing area said it all: “Trespassers will be lunch.”
At 2.00 pm, after some successful navigation along the many winding tracks, we all arrived at the Meerkat Cafe for ice cream, coffee and cake before heading home. It was staggering to see so many school buses, at least eight crammed full of very excited kids who’d shared our enjoyment of the day.
A special thank you to Pauline who did a great job ensuring no one was lost and that the day was such a success.
Gary Strahan October 2025
