Meerkats greet you at the entrance to the 225-hectare Werribee Open Range Zoo (zoo.org.au; adult/child from $55/29) on the westernmost fringe of Melbourne. This is where Melbourne Zoo keeps the animals that really need space to spread out, such as the herd of nine Asian elephants that now have a 21-hectare enclosure to roam. Admission includes a guided tour in a wheelchair-accessible safari bus through the habitats of Asia, North America and Africa, spotting bison, rhinos, zebras and giraffes grazing on the savannah.
Tickets are cheaper online, and children under 16 years enter for free on weekends and public holidays. Allocate half a day to make the most of it, but two hours as a minimum. It's easily to combine with a visit to the nearby Werribee Park Mansion and the RAAF Museum.
