Walk on the wild side

BEING woken by strange animal sounds is just part of the fun, writes John Crook after a night spent with wild African animals on the outskirts of Melbourne.

Out of Africa ... Werribee Open Range Zoo offers visitors the chance to stay the night in tented accommodation for a 'Slumber Safari'

THE nudge turns into push and push into shove as my wife accuses me of snoring.

Only problem is I've been awake for half an hour and surely any snoring could never sound like the roar of a lion?

It is not just the king of the jungle which is a reminder that we accepted the challenge of joining a slumber safari at Werribee Open Range Zoo, with African animals all around.

Sounds of the savannah have been reverberating throughout the evening, making this slumber party quite different than any other.

While animals may rule, it should be noted this zoo is people friendly, offering much more than just a tour of the range, with perhaps the slumber safari being one of the most interesting.

The zoo is only one of the surprises which awaits those who direct their four wheels in the direction of Werribee.

Starting the day about 10am, first port of call is a visit to the Mansion Hotel and, once coffee is taken, a stroll to the other side of the building uncovers the entry to The Mansion, one of the grandest homes from another era.

The Chirnside brothers, Thomas and Andrew, created their vast pastoral empire, building a 60-room mansion to house family and servants.

It was their home until 1922, offloading it to another grazier, who sold it to the Roman Catholic Diocese of Melbourne for use as a seminary.

At the end of the tour, the inner-man calls and visitors may wander off for a picnic in the grounds of Werribee Park, do lunch in the grand hotel, or wander down the treelined path to Shadowfax Winery for a bite and wine-tasting.

It's a toss up then between a visit to the Victoria State rose garden with its 5000 rose bushes or the zoo.

The roses can wait until tomorrow morning, so until we join the sleepover group we set aside a few hours wandering the reserve to help prepare us for an evening African-style.

There are monkeys, rhinos, a hippo or two, stately giraffes and a dozen or more other animal species which are all visible as they wander the open range. Then, the time has come to step into the wilds of Africa, on the outskirts of Melbourne.

The first surprise is the quality of accommodation – room-sized canvas tents with wooden flooring and luxury bedding.

An African barbecue feast around the campfire sets the mood, particularly when the night animals remind us that they are aware that strangers are in their midst. Being awakened by strange animal sounds in the middle of the night is part of the fun.

But we soon drift off to dreamland again.

Any interruptions are soon forgotten the following morning, as we join other intrepid travellers for a delicious cooked buffet breakfast and the chance to share other travel experiences in the knowledge that perhaps little else equals the thrill of sleeping within a lion's roar of the highway which joins Melbourne and Geelong.

The rose garden may seem a little tame after a night amid the wild animals, but the displays are stunning.

The whole experience has been world-class.

Sunday Mail (SA)