Mosman councillor fears Taronga Zoo will become the Australian Disneyland with 62-room eco ‘hotel’
A TEN-YEAR plan for Taronga Zoo’s future - including a hotel with a walk-in wildlife retreat for guests - has been blasted in an epic rant from a Mosman councillor.
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TARONGA Zoo’s wildlife retreat proposal, part of a $114.8 million 10-year masterplan to revitalise the zoo, has hit a stumbling block: Mosman Council.
Council’s opposition to the proposal was revealed at its meeting last week, with concerns including parking, traffic, tree loss and the relevance of the plans to the zoo’s aims.
“Turning Taronga into a Disney zoo is a national disgrace,” Councillor Simon Menzies told the Mosman Daily.
“This is the thin edge of the wedge. It starts with one hotel and then another and another. The focus should be on housing animals not humans.
“They are compromising an Australian icon to satisfy a lust for the American tourist dollar.”
At the council meeting, Cr Menzies asked zoo representatives which other zoos had hotels and Taronga’s Tim Bain said he had stayed at the Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge in Florida in the United States.
Zoo spokeswoman Libby Hodgson told councillors that Taronga’s 62-room retreat would be an immersive and educational overnight wildlife experience, not a luxury hotel, and no new structure would be any taller than any existing building from street level.
Ms Hodgson said the experience package would feature keeper talks and tours.
Cr Roy Bendall, who represents council on the Taronga board, said this week it was a tragedy that some councillors chose to political point score rather than recognise the “amazing job” the zoo does as a leading conservation organisation.
“The eco retreat has been designed as a very low rise structure designed to complement the native and green space within the zoo grounds,” he said.
“It will not be able to be seen from the road and is no higher than the existing structures.
“The zoo is a not-for-profit entity, unlike other zoos in NSW, and for those that believe that the zoo has moved outside their remit of conservation, I would encourage them to come and visit to see for themselves the amazing work being achieved to save endangered species and raise awareness of habitat loss globally.”
Councillors voted to prepare a submission of concerns to the Department of Planning and Environment, subject to councillor agreement after a zoo tour and potential workshop.
A council spokeswoman said depending on the outcome of the above process a report might be tabled at the next council meeting with details on any submission to be made.
“It is premature at this time to provide any further commentary on the contents of any submission council will make on this matter,” the spokeswoman said.
The department has exhibited the plans in Mosman Civic Centre since April 7.
The Mosman Daily first reported on the zoo’s plans in November last year.
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