An unforgettable experience awaits families at the Werribee Open Range Zoo – with construction reaching the halfway mark on Victoria’s new home for the majestic Asian Elephant herd.
On Tuesday, Environment Minister Steve Dimopoulos toured the construction site of two new elephant barns and 21-hectare habitat that is set to welcome a family of Asian elephants from Melbourne Zoo later this year.
The new barns are being delivered as part of the state government’s $88 million Werribee Open Range Zoo expansion project, which will result in Werribee becoming the new home for Asian elephants in Victoria.
Built within Werribee zoo’s elephant habitat, the herd will benefit from seven different yards, elephant overpasses connecting the yards, two mega pools and a visitor walking trail.
The weather-proof barns will have ceilings towering over nine metres and luxurious two-metre deep sandpit providing elephants with comfortable sleeping mounds.
The barns have also been designed to support ongoing elephant healthcare and wellbeing, with a training facility at the back to allow keepers to deliver regular elephant health checks – including blood tests, weigh-ins, and oral health procedures.
Visitors will be able to view all areas of the barn while two dedicated overpass bridges will allow Asian elephants to pass over visitor walking trails.
According to the state government, the Werribee Open Range Zoo expansion covers an area of elephantine proportions, equivalent to the size of five MCG stadiums and the entire Melbourne Zoo – creating more than 100 local construction jobs in the process.
“We are thrilled to deliver a home for Asian elephants in Melbourne’s west that will support the world-leading care requirements of Zoos Victoria’s growing multi-generational herd,” Mr Dimopoulos said.
Zoos Victoria chief executive Dr Jenny Gray said, ““Seeing the towering barns take shape in the landscape is a milestone moment that signals just how close we are to migrating our nine-strong elephant herd from Melbourne Zoo to their new home at Werribee Open Range Zoo”.
It is expected that elephants will make their move to Melbourne’s west later this year, with zoo visitors able to view the herd in early 2025.
