Sydney Zoo slams rival Taronga Zoo over $77m plans to replace old cable car attraction

Just months after Taylor Swift renewed rumours of bad blood between the animal attractions, Sydney’s zoos have returned to battle — this time over lucrative “sky safari” plans.

The city’s animal attractions are at war again, with Sydney Zoo claiming rival Taronga’s lucrative cable car upgrade plans pose a threat to its viability.

It’s the latest rumble in the jungle between the pair, whose bad blood last boiled over when singer Taylor Swift was in town earlier this year.

Taronga last month unveiled a $77m bid to replace its old “sky safari” system with a fleet of bigger and more spacious gondolas.

But the proposal has now earned the ire of its western Sydney competitor, which claims the project could have a “significant economic impact” on its own operation.

Sydney Zoo, at Eastern Creek, has warned of a decline in visitor numbers and even job cuts if its Mosman-based opponent’s cable car concept is given the green light.

A concept image of a new cable car station that would be built as part of the Taronga Zoo proposal.

In a submission to the NSW Government, Sydney Zoo managing director Jake Burgess also claimed Taronga’s tourist attraction plans had nothing to do with its primary goal of animal conservation.

“It is clear that the proposed development is designed to improve the competitive advantage of Taronga’s overall customer experience as opposed to improving animal conservation outcomes in direct competition with Sydney Zoo for patronage,” Mr Burgess claimed.

The cable car system would transport visitors above Taronga Zoo.

“This will cause significant negative impacts on total visitation at Sydney Zoo, reducing its viability and resulting in significant adverse social and economic impacts.”

The cable car battle is the not the first time century-old Taronga and its reasonably new rival have locked horns.

Prior to the Swift stoush, Sydney Zoo won the right to keep its name after being drawn into a Federal Court legal fight by Taronga, which claimed the public might confuse the facility that only opened in 2019 with its Sydney Harbour site.

Plans for the new cable car project show the tourism attraction would have up to 25 gondolas transporting visitors between Taronga Zoo Wharf and the zoo’s main entrance.

The cable car network would be built up to 35m above ground, along the route of the old system that aged to the point it was forced to close in 2023.

Mr Burgess claimed plans for Taronga’s new project not only had “no obvious conservation outcome”, but that they also omitted “details of the purported conservation and education benefits”.

Sydney Zoo has also raised concerns over how Taronga’s cable car project would be funded.

“It is of significant concern to Sydney Zoo that the competitive advantage being sought by Taronga Zoo to increase patronage is being funded from public grants,” Mr Burgess wrote.

An overview of the proposed cable car route.

In a statement, Taronga Zoo said it was “committed to securing a shared future for wildlife and people”.

“All aspects of Taronga are informed by our expertise in wildlife conservation, education and community engagement,” a spokeswoman said.

“Taronga Zoo Sydney is grateful for the investment by the NSW Government which was provided to us in the 2022 financial year state budget.   

“Taronga is not-for-profit, with all revenue supporting our work saving wildlife and preventing extinction.

The Taronga Zoo proposal would include purpose-built cable car stations.

“The upgraded sky safari will include audio experiences within the cabins, directly connecting guests to the zoo’s conservation and education programs.”

Taronga Zoo’s plans for the project state it would “assist in securing the financial future of the zoo to ensure that it can continue to undertake a range of conservation and education projects”.

But Sydney Zoo has called for the Department of Planning – which is currently assessing the proposal – to reject the plans under the state government’s competition policy on competitive neutrality.

Prior to last year’s closure, the old Taronga cable cars had transported more than 20 million passengers over their lifespan.