This newly opened precinct called Growing Wild invites young children, their families and carers into Melbourne Zoo to literally enter the world of the animals – to eyeball meerkats and giant tortoises, climb and explore, dig in sand, look for worms and beetles and play ‘lookout’ like the meerkats on guard. They can try on a tortoise shell for size, watch ants, and scratch around on a brush turkey mound. Children and quokkas can explore the living tunnels together and in the discovery centre building, keepers can set up animal encounters with a variety of creatures that live on or
in the ground.
Jeavons Landscape Architects lead a team of consultants including Architects ClarkeHopkinsClarke and interpretive designers Arterial .
The team collaborated closely with Zoo staff for over three years to create this immersive landscape aimed to connect children to the natural world- a long term goal for Melbourne Zoo, as one of the world’s leading conservation
agencies.
The project opened on 21 September 2012 and is a complex, accessible and inclusive play space designed so that children of all abilities can experience the animals, sand and nature alongside their friends and siblings.
You can read more about it on the Melbourne Zoo’s website.
