national zoo & aquarium

Name

national zoo & aquarium

Legal name

Sridate Pty Ltd

Website

https://nationalzoo.com.au

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Zoo & Aquarium Visitor Attraction

NAICS

Zoos and Botanical Gardens (712130), Zoos and Botanical Gardens (71213), Nature Parks and Other Similar Institutions (712190)

SIC

Services-Amusement & Recreation Services (7900), Services-Miscellaneous Amusement & Recreation (7990)

akta.pro primary industry

Zoo & Aquarium Parks (Ticketed Wildlife Attractions) (THAJAEAE)

akta.pro secondary industries

Zoos, Aquariums & Botanical Gardens (Educational Collections) (THAJADAL), Wildlife Watching & Encounters (Birding, Whale Watching, Primates) (THAJAIAC), Museum, Zoo & Attraction Gift Shops (CRALAJAG), Wildlife Sanctuaries & Rescue Centers (Visitor Operations) (THAAAFAA)

Keywords

• Zoo attractions
• Aquarium exhibits
• Wildlife encounters
• Conservation education
• Animal experiences

Headquarters

HQ city

Canberra

HQ country

Australia

HQ region

Oceania

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Supply Chain, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. Admission Tickets: One-time admission fees charged to individual visitors, families, and groups entering the zoo and aquarium. This is the primary revenue driver.
2. Membership Subscriptions (FONZ): Friends of the National Zoo (FONZ) annual memberships sold in tiers (Standard, Silver, Gold, Diamond, Buddy, Joey, 6-month). Provides unlimited entry for 12 months plus discounts across food, retail, tours, and encounters.
3. Tours & Encounters: Paid animal encounters (lion, tiger, sun bear, meerkat, giraffe, rhino, tree kangaroo, barking owl, lemur, shark & ray) and guided safari tours. Additional revenue from last-minute booking surcharges.
4. Event Hire & Functions: Capybara Event Centre generates revenue from corporate conferences, meetings, and events via Full Day and Half Day Delegate Packages. Birthday party packages (Adventureland, Rhino Ranger, Safari Extravaganza) also generate revenue.
5. Children's Programs: Zoocation school holiday program, Junior Zoo Keeper annual program ($650), and Kids Keeper For A Day sessions ($95 per 3-hour session) for children aged primary and secondary school.
6. Retail & Food & Beverage: On-site gift shop and food & beverage outlets (Rhino Bistro, Viewing Park Cabanas) generate ancillary revenue, with members receiving discounts.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

National Zoo & Aquarium operates a combined zoo and aquarium visitor attraction in Canberra, Australia, offering day admission to view wildlife exhibits (mammals, reptiles, birds, marine life) along with Australia's largest inland saltwater aquarium. The attraction sells guided tours, paid animal encounters (lion, tiger, giraffe, meerkat, shark & ray, and others), annual memberships (FONZ tiers), children's education programs (Zoocation, Junior Zoo Keeper, Kids Keeper For A Day), birthday party packages, corporate event hire at the Capybara Event Centre, overnight accommodation at the affiliated Jamala Wildlife Lodge, and on-site food, beverage and retail offerings.

Product overview

The National Zoo & Aquarium operates as a single unified visitor attraction in Canberra, Australia, combining a traditional zoo with Australia's largest inland saltwater aquarium. The core offering centers on day admission to view wildlife exhibits and animal encounters. Additional revenue streams include education programs (Zoocation school holiday program, Junior Zoo Keeper year-long program, Kids Keeper For A Day sessions), event hosting (Capybara Event Centre for conferences/meetings), birthday party packages (Adventureland Celebration, Rhino Ranger, Safari Extravaganza), and membership subscriptions (Friends Of the National Zoo with Standard, Silver, Gold, and Diamond tiers). The company also offers affiliated overnight accommodation through Jamala Wildlife Lodge and operates an on-site gift shop.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Zoo Entry & Animal Exhibits Day admission for individuals, families and groups to view wildlife exhibits including mammals, reptiles, birds and marine life across the zoo's animal enclosures. Priced per visitor (Adult $45, Child $28, Concession $38, Family $122).
• Aquarium Australia's largest inland saltwater aquarium featuring fish, sharks, eels, stingrays, frogs, snakes and lizards, included as part of the zoo visit.
• Tours & Encounters Paid guided tours and animal encounters including Lion, Tiger, Sun Bear, Meerkat, Giraffe, Rhino, Tree Kangaroo, Barking Owl, Black & White Ruffed Lemur, and Shark & Ray experiences for visitors seeking close wildlife interactions.
• Zoo Memberships (FONZ) Friends of the National Zoo annual membership program with Standard, Silver, Gold, Diamond tiers and specialty Buddy, Joey and 6-month memberships. Includes unlimited entry for 12 months plus 15% gift shop discount and 10% discounts on F&B, tours and encounters.
• Zoocation School Holiday Program School holiday program for primary and secondary school children featuring animal interactions, games, animal toy making and educational activities staffed by education guides.
• Junior Zoo Keeper Program Year-long annual subscription program ($650 - 7 x 3-hour sessions) for students teaching enclosure design, animal enrichment, wellbeing, breeding, conservation, diet preparation and animal care activities.
• Kids Keeper For A Day Three-hour session ($95 per session) allowing children to experience zoo keeper life through cleaning, feeding, making toys for animals, plus conservation education.
• Kids Birthday Parties Themed birthday party packages including Adventureland Celebration ($400), Rhino Ranger ($510) and Safari Extravaganza ($615) with animal encounters, cabana hire, birthday cake and catering.
• Capybara Event Centre Conference and meeting facility with Full Day ($120-$145 per person, minimum spend $3,900/day) and Half Day ($100-$125 per person, minimum spend $3,300/half day) Delegate Packages overlooking South American animals including capybaras, llamas and cotton-top tamarins.
• Jamala Wildlife Lodge Overnight accommodation lodge offering luxury stays and animal encounters adjacent to the zoo, operated as a sub-brand of the attraction.
• Gift Shop On-site retail store offering souvenirs, animal-themed merchandise and collectables for zoo visitors, with 15% discount available to FONZ members.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over $1,000,000 donated to worthy causes
• +2 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

One partnership is on record.

• Free the BearscoreOthersThe National Zoo & Aquarium actively supports Free the Bears, an organisation that rescues and rehabilitates captive bears and works with local communities and governments to protect bear habitats. The zoo raises funds through visitor donations and animal encounters to support this conservation mission.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Taronga Zoo Sydney: Iconic Sydney-based zoo operated by Taronga Conservation Society; the leading Australian wildlife attraction (~1.5M visitors/year) and the most direct competitor for Australian wildlife tourism and education program demand.
• Australia Zoo: Queensland-based zoo founded by the Irwin family; one of Australia's largest wildlife attractions with similar zoo + animal encounter + event + accommodation (Crikey!) product mix targeting families and international tourists.
• Melbourne Zoo: Zoos Victoria-operated zoo in Melbourne; direct peer in ZAA-accredited zoo operations, education programs, encounters, and conservation narrative, competing for the same Australian zoo-going audience.
• SEA LIFE Sydney Aquarium: Major Australian aquarium operated by Merlin Entertainments; directly comparable on the aquarium side of National Zoo & Aquarium's offering, including marine exhibits, encounters, and bundled ticket products.
• Werribee Open Range Zoo: Zoos Victoria safari-style zoo near Melbourne; comparable on safari/guided tour products (which National Zoo & Aquarium also offers), ZAA-accredited operations, and encounter experiences.
• Monarto Safari Park: Large safari park in South Australia operated by Zoos Victoria; comparable on open-range safari tours, conservation messaging, and ZAA-accredited wildlife experience delivery.
• Feenix Wildlife Park: Adelaide wildlife park rebrand of the former Gorge Wildlife Park; comparable regional Australian wildlife attraction offering animal encounters and family experiences.
• Crocosaurus Cove: Darwin-based wildlife attraction focused on saltwater crocodiles and reptiles; comparable encounter-heavy product, regional Australian location, and tourism-driven customer base.

Regional players

• Auckland Zoo: Major New Zealand zoo operated by Auckland Council; comparable ZAA-equivalent accredited zoo with similar conservation, education, and encounter product set, but serves a trans-Tasman market rather than direct domestic competition.

Broad incumbents

• Merlin Entertainments (SEA LIFE / WILD LIFE): Global attractions operator (parent of SEA LIFE and WILD LIFE brands); relevant as the scaled, multi-site incumbent that competes with National Zoo & Aquarium through aquarium and wildlife products bundled with global tourism distribution.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC9bbsPymN80nVq1cNMtPr2w
• Facebookfacebook.com/canberrazoo
• Instagraminstagram.com/nationalzoo
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/national-zoo-aquarium

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about national zoo & aquarium