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Brooklands Zoo

GOING TO THE ZOO - YOU CAN COME TOO!

Family focused

Brooklands Zoo is a family focused zoo which is home to farmyard animals, an endangered red panda, oriental small-clawed otters, ring-tailed lemurs and both capuchin and cotton-top tamarin monkeys, as well as a selection of colourful birds inside a free-flight aviary.

Situated next to the TSB Bowl of Brooklands within Pukekura Park, the zoo is designed to help children of all ages get close to a variety of animals within their unique environments.

See the farmyard with its collection of farm animals and walk through the free-flight aviary. Then watch the capuchin monkeys in their large and airy home from the elevated viewing deck or the wide ground-level window.

Brooklands Zoo is a MAF (Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry) approved facility as well as a full institutional member of ARAZPA (Australasian Regional Association of Zoological Parks and Aquaria).

ARAZPA links over 70 zoos and aquariums across New Zealand, Australia and the South Pacific.  Zoos and aquariums in Australasia cannot work alone, so operate as part of a cooperative network  particularly in the selection and management of specific species to promote sustainability and contribute to species conservation.

Location

The entrance to Brooklands Zoo is off Brooklands Drive, New Plymouth. It is within easy walking distance from the city centre through Pukekura Park.

• Zoo location map

• Pukekura Park map (One page 223 KB PDF)

Opening hours

Open seven days a week 9am to 5pm.

Facilities

Wheelchair and pushchair access, playground, sun shade, toilets and picnic tables.

Cost

Free.

History

Brooklands Zoo was officially opened to the public in 1965. Jack Goodwin, a former Director of Parks, envisaged a collection of aviary birds and small animals for the community to enjoy.

The New Plymouth Jaycee Chapter and the New Plymouth Cage Bird Club were key partners who contributed to the construction of the original enclosures and the acquisition of bird and animal stock.

The zoo has undergone many changes since 1965. Recent building developments have created more open natural habitats for the animals while allowing closer, unrestricted viewing for visitors.
 
 The Council endorses smokefree parks, playgrounds, sport grounds and walkways.

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