Mosman Council says Taronga Zoo is ‘drifting away from core values’ with eco-lodge plan

MOSMAN Council has unanimously opposed plans for Taronga Zoo’s contentious eco-lodge but is powerless to stop it going ahead.

An artist’s impression of Taronga Zoo’s planned Wildlife Retreat.

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MOSMAN Council has opposed plans for a $115 million redevelopment at Taronga Zoo, including a 62-room tourist hotel, but is powerless to stop it going ahead.

Because the zoo is officially a “state significant property”, Taronga can bypass the normal local council approval process and take its 10-year master plan straight to the NSW Planning Department.

“(Premier) Mike Baird will get the ultimate say but we hope they will take on board our concerns,” said Simon Menzies, one of four councillors who carried a unanimous 4-0 vote against the plan last week.

“We feel we are being left out of the whole equation, but hope the government will listen to the councillors representing residents.”

Taronga’s planned Wildlife Retreat is part of a $115m 10-year master plan.

Council called on the zoo to review its proposal, and will lodge its objections with the Planning Department, local state MP Jillian Skinner and federal MP Tony Abbott.

Councillors said they were concerned about traffic and parking, the loss of trees and the height of the five accommodation “pods” up to four-storeys.

They worry the zoo is losing sight of its primary purpose — housing animals, not humans — by introducing events such as concerts, weddings, corporate weekends at its convention centre and now the planned eco tourism retreat.

The plan’s critics say the zoo should be kept for animals, not people.

“This was the straw that broke the camel’s back, pardon the pun,” Cr Menzies said.

“I fear the zoo is drifting away from its core values with these ancillary uses. We are seeing its nature change by creep over time.

“I’m concerned that 20 years from now we will look back and say, ‘We used to have a wonderful zoo’.

“Anywhere else in Mosman this would not be approved.”

Cr Menzies said one hotel at Taronga Zoo would set a precedent for another down the track.

The zoo also hosts rock concerts as part of its Twilight at Taronga series.

Cr Roy Bendall, who represents council on the Taronga board, left last week’s council meeting before the vote against the zoo plan was taken.

He has strongly supported the eco retreat, calling it a “very low rise structure designed to complement the native and green space within the zoo grounds”.

Cr Bendall has said the planned hotel would not be visible from the road and was no higher than existing structures.

He has praised the zoo for its “amazing” work to save endangered species and raise awareness of habitat loss globally.

Cr Roy Bendall says the eco-lodge will complement the zoo’s green space.