Taronga’s $77 million Sky Safari Returns. New Look, Bigger Gondolas, Same Scenic Route

By ANNA USHER

Revised plans for Taronga Zoo’s long-awaited Sky Safari cable car upgrade have been unveiled, following extensive public consultation and more than a year of planning.

The $77 million project, now on public exhibition until June 10, aims to replace the original cable car system, which closed in 2023 after 38 years of service and over 20 million passenger trips.

Plans show the new 1.5km-long cable car system would transport passengers up to 36m above the zoo. It would have six pylons, instead of the existing nine, as well as new purpose-built stations at Taronga’s upper and lower entrances. Visitors will be able to enter and exit at both the top and bottom of the zoo site.

“The Sky Safari will provide unique, affordable, family-focused sightseeing tourism infrastructure that provides comfortable all-season experiences to support year-round growth in visitation to the zoo,” plans for the project stated.

“This will assist in securing the financial future of the zoo to ensure that it can continue to undertake a range of conservation and education projects”.

Key Features of the new Sky Safari

• Same Route, Fewer Pylons:

  The new 1.5km system follows the original path from Taronga Zoo Wharf to Bradleys Head Rd but will use 6 pylons instead of 9 to reduce visual impact.
• Modernised Stations:

  Upper and lower terminals will be purpose-built with extended covered queuing areas (50–100m) to manage peak-time crowds.
• Larger, Accessible Gondolas:

  25 larger cable cars will hold up to 10 passengers each (up from 6 previously), with room for prams and wheelchairs wider than 61cm.
• Better Visitor Experience:

  The attraction is pitched as a year-round, family-friendly tourism experience with panoramic views up to 36 metres above the zoo enclosures.
• Extra Facilities:

  Plans include new landscaping, public seating, walking paths, and upgraded amenities.

We’d love to know what you think of the proposed Sky Safari. Is it an eye sore or a visual improvement?

You can view the updated plans and provide your feedback HERE.

Sky Safari History:

The first Sky Safari was opened at Taronga Zoo in 1987.

The route, stretching from the Lower Entrance close to the ferry stop to the Main Entrance on the upper slopes, allowed visitors a different kind of experience that combined the excitement of a day at the zoo and the spectacular views available across Sydney Harbour.

Visitors could look down and see exhibits from a new angle as the cable cars moved slowly across their tracks, look east to Bradleys Head or look south to take in Sydney city and views of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge.

An instant hit, the Sky Safari experience quickly became a must-do for visitors at Taronga Zoo. Its importance was immortalised in 2000, when the runner of the Olympic Torch jumped in a gondola as part of the relay for the Sydney Olympics.

The Sky Safari was substantially upgraded for its appearance on international television, with new gondolas designed to improve access and safety standards. The upgraded Sky Safari travelled a lineal route of 450 metres, with each one-way journey taking approximately 4-5 minutes. The Sky Safari cable cars had a maximum capacity of six guests. Each cable car could accommodate wheelchairs, but wheelchairs and prams had to be lifted into the swinging gondola.

By 2023, the Sky Safari had carried more than 20 million passengers, including several members of the Royal Family, and featured in several Australian television shows. Assessed as an ageing asset within the zoo, the Sky Safari was officially retired on 31 January 2023.