Short answer: the Australia Zoo Day Tour with Noosa Transfers is $159 per person with us, and it runs seven days a week. That covers pick-up and drop-off at your Noosa accommodation, the return drive, day admission to the zoo (an adult ticket alone is $77.45 at the gate) and at least six hours inside. The other way in from Noosa is a backpacker bus run from the Noosa Heads bus station. It is normally $169 and drops to $135 on some deal dates, but it is only open to travellers aged 18 to 35, and you get five hours at the zoo instead of six. If you have a car, driving is cheapest: about an hour each way, and parking is free.
Prices are per person in AUD. Ours updates from the live listing. The others were checked on 26 October 2026 and change often.
Australia Zoo from Noosa, every option compared
| Option | What’s included | Pick-up | Time at the zoo | Price |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Australia Zoo Day Tour with Noosa Transfers (Croc Tours, booked with us) | return transfer, day admission, Wildlife Hospital sneak peek | your Noosa accommodation | at least 6 hours | $159, 7 days |
| Backpacker bus from Noosa Heads | return transfer, zoo entry | Noosa Heads bus station, 8:15am | about 5 hours | $169, or $135 on deal dates; adults 18 to 35 only |
| Another Noosa operator’s shared transfer | return transfer, zoo entry | your accommodation | at least 6 hours | $169 adult; runs with 4 or more passengers |
| Drive yourself | zoo entry only | none | as long as you like | $77.45 adult entry, plus fuel; parking free |
| Bus, train and the zoo’s free shuttle | zoo entry only | none | depends on connections | $77.45 adult entry, plus Translink fares |
Is the backpacker deal really cheaper? On its deal dates, yes, by about $24. Check the small print before you book: it is for 18 to 35 year olds only, you walk to the Noosa Heads bus station rather than being picked up, you get an hour less inside the zoo, and on most dates it costs $169, more than ours. If your date isn’t discounted, or you’re over 35, or travelling with kids, ours is the cheaper way in.
What the tour price covers
The tour is nine hours door to door:
- pick-up from your hotel, hostel or apartment in Noosa (you pick your pick-up point when you book, and the exact time is confirmed on your booking)
- a small-group, air-conditioned vehicle, not a coach, with up to 17 people
- day admission to Australia Zoo, which includes the Crocoseum shows, the zoo’s free shuttle around the grounds and the splash park
- a sneak-peek ticket into the Australia Zoo Wildlife Hospital
- at least six hours inside the zoo
- drop-off back at your accommodation
Croc Tours is one of the two transfer companies the zoo itself lists on its getting here page. It runs seven days a week.
Not included: food and drinks inside the zoo, and paid animal encounters and photo packages, which you buy on the day.
What the zoo ticket costs on its own
Australia Zoo’s 2026 gate prices for one day:
| Ticket | Price |
|---|---|
| Adult | $77.45 |
| Child (3 to 14) | $51.95 |
| Student (with ID) | $67.45 |
| Pensioner | $67.45 |
| Under 3 | free |
| Family of 4 (2 adults, 2 kids) | $233.95 |
| Family of 5 (2 adults, 3 kids) | $280.95 |
So on our $159 tour, the ticket is $77.45 and the rest pays for the door-to-door return transfer, about 140 km of driving.
Getting there without a tour
Driving. Australia Zoo is on Steve Irwin Way at Beerwah, about 69 km from Noosa. Take the Bruce Highway south to exit 188 (Landsborough/Steve Irwin Way), then follow Steve Irwin Way past Landsborough. The entrance is on the left about 5 km later. Allow about an hour each way. Parking is free. If you’re hiring a car or campervan for the coast anyway, this is the cheapest day out.
Bus, train and the free zoo shuttle. There’s no direct public bus from Noosa to the zoo. Take a Translink bus from Noosa to Nambour station, then a train south to Beerwah. Australia Zoo’s free courtesy coach meets most trains at Beerwah station. If it isn’t there, call the zoo on 07 5436 2000 and they’ll send it during opening hours. That’s two changes each way, so check the times on translink.com.au the night before and leave early. The zoo opens at 9am and some animals go to bed at 4:30pm.
When it’s worth it
Australia Zoo is the right call for a rainy day in Noosa, a day with kids, or anyone who has always wanted to see the Crocoseum. On a clear, calm day, though, a day in the Everglades or at Double Island Point is the more Noosa thing to do. Every Noosa day out is compared in Noosa tours compared, and all Noosa prices are on Noosa tour prices.
FAQs
What is the cheapest Australia Zoo tour from Noosa with transfers?
On most days it’s our Australia Zoo Day Tour with Noosa Transfers at $159, with accommodation pick-up, entry and at least six hours inside. On a few promotional dates, a backpacker bus from the Noosa Heads bus station is cheaper, at $135, but only for adults aged 18 to 35, with five hours at the zoo.
How much is an Australia Zoo day tour from Noosa?
Tours with return transfers and zoo entry cost about $160 to $170 per adult in 2026. Ours is $159, under the tour’s $169 RRP, with pick-up at your accommodation.
Is Australia Zoo entry included?
Yes. Day admission and a Wildlife Hospital sneak-peek ticket are included. On its own, an adult ticket is $77.45 at the gate.
What time is pick-up and when do I get back?
Pick-up is in the morning from your Noosa accommodation, with the exact time confirmed on your booking. The tour runs about nine hours door to door, with at least six inside the zoo, so you’re back late afternoon.
How far is Australia Zoo from Noosa?
About 69 km, or roughly an hour by road, at Beerwah on Steve Irwin Way.
Can I get to Australia Zoo from Noosa by public transport?
Yes, but it takes two changes: a Translink bus to Nambour, a train to Beerwah, then the zoo’s free courtesy coach from Beerwah station. Check times on translink.com.au before you go.
Is parking free at Australia Zoo?
Yes, parking is free.
Is Australia Zoo good on a rainy day?
Yes. It opens daily, 9am to 5pm, whatever the weather, and much of it is covered or shaded. That’s why it’s the usual Noosa plan B when the surf is blown out or the Everglades are rained on.
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