Werribee Open Range Zoo

On the plains south-west of Melbourne, Werribee is a slice of the African savannah transplanted to Victoria. A safari bus loops through open grassland where rhinos, giraffes, zebras and hippos range as they would on the veldt, and walking trails take in lions, gorillas, meerkats and cheetahs. The wide, dry landscape genuinely evokes Africa, and the adjoining Werribee Park mansion and gardens make a full day of it. It is the country cousin to the city zoo - bigger, wilder, and built for animals that need room to roam.