A Tale of Two Zoos

A Tale of Two Zoos explores the story of Sydney’s first public zoo, at Moore Park (1884–1916), and the creation of Taronga Zoological Park, which opened on the northern shore of Sydney Harbour in 1916.

Drawn mainly from a collection of glass-plate negatives held by NSW State Archives and recently digitised, the stunning and compelling photographs displayed show the contrast between the conditions of the old zoo and the modern enclosures of Taronga, and allow us to meet the animals that enchanted generations of Sydneysiders.

  • 8 February - 3 March 2022

Location
Child exploring the How to Move a Zoo exhibition.

About How to Move a Zoo

During the summer of 2021–22 this exhibition showed how hundreds of animals journeyed across the city to their new home at Taronga Zoological Park in 1916

Taronga Zoo

History of Taronga Zoo

Can you imagine Sydney Harbour without Taronga Zoo perched on Bradley’s Head at Mosman? For one hundred years families have been making the trip by ferry, tram and car to see the exotic and native animals at Taronga and get a picturesque view of the harbour

Jessie the elephant

More than any other zoo animal, Jessie the elephant captured the hearts of Sydneysiders, delighting visitors at Moore Park Zoo and then Taronga for more than 50 years

Illustration of man on horse.

Lennie Gwyther

Lennie ‘the Legend’ Gwyther spent his childhood running around the foothills of Leongatha in country Victoria with his four younger siblings and his prize-winning pony, Ginger Mick