Worth a Journey

The World’s 100 Best Zoos & Aquariums · 2026

The Best Zoos & Aquariums in Oceania

5 of the 100 zoos and aquariums in The World’s 100 Best Zoos & Aquariums 2026 are in Oceania. The highest placed is Australia Zoo in Beerwah, at number 3 in the world. Cairns Aquarium in Cairns (number 49) and Taronga Zoo in Sydney (number 51) follow.

Australia Zoo
N° 3 · Australia Zoo, Beerwah

Queensland

Australia Zoo in Beerwah, Queensland, is run by the Irwin family and has large enclosures and a working wildlife hospital. The Crocoseum crocodile show and the kangaroo feeding are its main draws. Cairns Aquarium in Cairns moves through the ecosystems of Tropical North Queensland, from rainforest rivers to the Great Barrier Reef.

Sydney and Canberra

Taronga Zoo in Mosman, Sydney, sits on a hill and is reached by ferry from Circular Quay, with views over Sydney Harbour. Giraffes stand in front of the Opera House and Harbour Bridge. The National Zoo & Aquarium in Canberra sits on a site beside Lake Burley Griffin, where the walk-through lemur enclosure and the shark and reef tanks are the main draws.

Dubbo

Taronga Western Plains Zoo near Dubbo, New South Wales, keeps African and Asian animals on a large open site. A one-way loop of about 5 km links the enclosures and can be walked, cycled, driven or covered by golf cart.

Zoos and aquariums

59. Taronga Western Plains Zoo 58. National Zoo & Aquarium 51. Taronga Zoo 49. Cairns Aquarium 3. Australia Zoo 3
59. Taronga Western Plains Zoo 58. National Zoo & Aquarium 51. Taronga Zoo 49. Cairns Aquarium 3. Australia Zoo 3
  1. Australia Zoo N° 3 Australia Zoo Beerwah, Australia Zoo
  2. Cairns Aquarium N° 49 Cairns Aquarium Cairns, Australia Aquarium
  3. Taronga Zoo N° 51 Taronga Zoo Sydney, Australia Zoo
  4. National Zoo & Aquarium N° 58 National Zoo & Aquarium Canberra, Australia Zoo
  5. Taronga Western Plains Zoo N° 59 Taronga Western Plains Zoo Dubbo, Australia Zoo

Best by region

  1. The NordicsCopenhagen ZooCopenhagen, DenmarkN° 61
  2. EuropeZoo LeipzigLeipzig, GermanyN° 2
  3. AsiaShanghai Wild Animal ParkShanghai, ChinaN° 38
  4. North AmericaHenry Doorly Zoo and AquariumOmaha, United StatesN° 1
  5. The CaribbeanZoo de Guadeloupe au Parc des MamellesBouillante, GuadeloupeN° 41
  6. Latin AmericaZoológico La AuroraGuatemala City, GuatemalaN° 44
  7. OceaniaAustralia ZooBeerwah, AustraliaN° 3

Best by kind

  1. AquariumsPoema del Mar AquariumLas Palmas de Gran Canaria, SpainN° 15

Best by country

  1. United StatesHenry Doorly Zoo and AquariumOmahaN° 1
  2. GermanyZoo LeipzigLeipzigN° 2
  3. SpainLoro ParquePuerto de la CruzN° 13
  4. FranceBioparc de Doué-la-FontaineDoué-la-FontaineN° 8
  5. PolandZoo WrocławWrocławN° 16
  6. United KingdomChester ZooChesterN° 21
  7. AustraliaAustralia ZooBeerwahN° 3