This Sydney Wildlife Retreat is One of the Most Unique Family Stays in Australia

A lingering mist blurs the knock-out views of Sydney Harbour this morning. But that doesn’t seem to bother the koala perched in a tree directly outside our suite. “Come look at this, girls!” I call out to my nieces. The glass sliding doors in our connected second-floor Animal View rooms slide fully open onto The Sanctuary, within Taronga Zoo’s luxe Wildlife Retreat, giving us a front-row seat to nature.  

Koalas are not known for their enthusiasm. Feasting solely on eucalyptus leaves, they have very little energy and sleep 20 hours a day. But Mateo is full of beans this morning. He’s clambered down the tree where he’s spent the last 12 hours as a blob and is now moving his way up to the one directly opposite our room. He jumps from one branch to the next. Safely wedged in a tree fork, his face is soft and gentle as he slowly looks around, chomping on breakfast. What a way to wake up.  

Hidden among bushland in Cammeraigal country, Taronga Zoo has the city’s best views of Sydney Harbour, including Sydney Harbour Bridge and the Opera House and is one of Sydney’s top attractions. Yes, it’s pretty, but it’s got smarts, too. The facility has a strong conservation and research focus, and its scientists lead vital research on wildlife, habitats and communities around the world.  

Tucked away near the Australian native animals exhibits, the zoo’s eco-forward Wildlife Retreat opened in 2019 and features 62 designer rooms. The lobby doubles as a circular lounge bar overlooking the harbour, while on-site MeGal restaurant also has pinch-me views of Sydney, especially at sunset. The Wildlife Retreat is not-for-profit, with all proceeds going towards caring for the animals and conservation. Overnight stays include access to the zoo for two days, a la carte brekky, a Sanctuary Tour, a morning tour, and free parking.  

I’m checking in with my sister and nieces (nine and seven) who are visiting from Dubai. Despite being Aussie, my nieces have lived their entire lives in the UAE, and some Australiana was in order. After dropping our bags off at the wildlife retreat, we make our way into the zoo. The bird show is an absolute highlight, with flight displays from Aussie native birds including rare red-tailed cockatoos. A black-breasted buzzard even demonstrates how it breaks open an emu egg using a rock. My sister and I are both tearing up by the end of the show as we watch our native birds soar to Australian indigenous singer Christine Anu’s ‘My Island Home’. 
 
After a morning of animal viewings in the zoo, we check into our rooms at Wildlife Retreat. My nine-year-old niece is particularly inquisitive on our Sanctuary Tour with Waz that afternoon. This area is exclusive to Wildlife Retreat guests and inhabited by native Australian wildlife that we can see from our room, including red kangaroos, koalas, echidnas, pademelons and potoroos (small, mousey versions of kangaroos). 

We’re booked on a night safari at 7pm (an extra $25 a person), so we make our way to on-site restaurant Me-Gal for an early dinner as the sun sets on a clear day over the harbor. Kids’ menus are available, though our girls tuck into the grilled eye fillet, while my sister and I share natural Sydney Rock oysters, Berkshire pork belly with brussels sprout kimchi and grilled duck breast with fermented sweetcorn. The concept is to showcase local and native ingredients, and it’s one of the best meals this side of the city. It’s an absolute privilege to be allowed access to the zoo at night and see what the lions, giraffes, elephants and capybaras are up to. Two guest experience officers lead the way, using an infrared light to point out the animals.  
 
The next morning, we’re treated to a final tour before the zoo is even open to the public. Guest experience officers Helen and Jane lead us first to the exhibit housing nocturnal animals, where a platypus is already awake and fossicking in the water. We’re regrouping outside when we become aware that something out of the ordinary is happening.  

“Stay still and keep your hands to your sides,” says Helen. As luck would have it, the dingo carers are out walking the dingos this morning, something they do daily for enrichment. We wander over and are now just meters away from these wolf-like creatures, their demeanours calm and curious. We’re totally blown away. 
 
It’s almost time to check out, but Helen and Jane are keen to show us the nearby emus and koala sanctuary. There’s a digital touchpoint here to make a donation to koala conservation and protection, and I take the opportunity to contribute. In February 2022, following the catastrophic bushfires of 2019 and ongoing environmental impacts, koalas were listed as endangered.  

“Koalas have been protected since the 1930s, but their habitat is not protected,” says Jane, referring to Australia’s controversial logging operations. “They will be extinct in 2050 in NSW unless we do something about it. They cut down the forests knowing they are in there, it’s terrible,” she says. It’s a sad, sombre reality, but important for my nieces to know about. My hope is that they, the next generation and the country’s future custodians, will have the empathy to make change.   
 
taronga.org.au/sydney-zoo/wildlife-retreat; doubles for A$595.   
 
 

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