The new Sky Safari, due late 2027

When did the old Sky Safari close, and when will the new one open?

The old cable car retired in January 2023. Works on the new one formally began on 28 April 2026, and Taronga is aiming for late 2027.

The original ride opened in 1987 as the Taronga Aerial Cabin Ride. According to the Mosman Collective, it closed in January 2023 after 35 years and more than 20 million passenger trips. Planning approval for the rebuild came in September 2025, and Taronga's Sky Safari upgrade page now reads "construction underway" with a late 2027 opening.

One design magazine wrote in late 2025 that the new gondolas would open in 2028. The zoo's own pages say late 2027. We go with the zoo, and we would not plan a trip around a launch date until Taronga publishes one.

What will the new Sky Safari be like?

Bigger gondolas for up to 10 people, room for prams and larger wheelchairs, and a new step-free lower station at the ferry wharf.

The new line runs from Taronga Zoo Wharf up to Bradleys Head Road, close to the old route. Local reporting gives the length as 916 metres on six pylons, down from nine, with capacity rising to 1,200 guests an hour. Taronga's construction announcement promises views over the giraffes, zebras, rhinos and chimpanzees, plus the harbour.

The big change is access. The new cabins hold up to 10 people, up from six in the old ones. The new lower station gets ramps, shade, amenities and a lift, and connects to the ferry wharf so you can step off the boat and ride straight up. For families with a pram, that will change the whole day.

How do I get from the ferry wharf to the Main Entrance without the cable car?

Walk in through the Lower Entrance, take bus 238 up the road, or use the free shuttle in NSW school holidays.

The getting-here page lists three options. The Lower Zoo Entrance is a 3-minute walk from the wharf, and you can climb through the zoo from there. It is steep. Bus 238 runs from Balmoral Beach to the Zoo and Ferry Wharf via the Main Entrance, on a normal Opal or contactless fare. The free shuttle between the wharf and the Main Entrance runs only in NSW school holidays and is free with a zoo ticket.

Our advice: go up first and walk down. Take the 238 or the shuttle to the Main Entrance, work your way downhill past the African Savannah and Great Southern Oceans, and leave through the Lower Entrance for the ferry. Your legs will thank you. If you come from the city by bus instead, route 100 from the QVB drops you at the top anyway; see our ferry guide for the full comparison.

Is the zoo itself affected by the Sky Safari works?

The zoo stays open every day. Expect a fenced construction zone at the top, a changed bus turning circle at the wharf and more trucks on Bradleys Head Road.

Taronga says it remains open 365 days a year during the works. The old stations are being demolished. Construction vehicles enter the upper site from Bradleys Head Road, with traffic controllers on hand, and the bus turning circle on Athol Wharf Road has changed for the build. The zoo states that the 238 bus and the ferries are not expected to be affected.

Inside, the closures and works page carries a general note that some areas may be temporarily closed as the zoo is rebuilt. It is worth a quick look the day before. For the entry ticket itself nothing changes: the standard ticket still covers every keeper talk and the two big shows.

The zoo's own day ticket. Pair it with the public F2 ferry from Wharf 4 and bus 238 up the hill.

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Which part of the harbour walk is closed during the works?

The foreshore track between Whiting Beach and Taronga Zoo Wharf has had no through route since early May 2026, and it may stay closed until the works finish.

This matters if you planned to walk from Mosman to the zoo along the harbour. Taronga's upgrade page says the track is closed through zoo land for safety, but stays open as far as Curlew Artist Camp and Whiting Beach. From October to December 2026 the closure point moves about 200 metres earlier, just past Whiting Beach, while the boardwalk is repaired.

The detour: take the stairs near Whiting Beach up to Whiting Beach Road, then follow Bradleys Head Road. Signs sit at both ends of the closed section. The Bradleys Head to Chowder Bay walk starts at the zoo wharf and heads the other way, so check NSW National Parks alerts before you set out.

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