Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Help me decide how to spend the extra day

I have an Oz/NZ trip coming up. I would like to know where to spend one extra day. The options are Mt Cook day trip from ZQN or the Australia Zoo (Steve Irwin) in Brisbane. I am both an animal enthusiast and a nature lover. I have done two tours in Africa and seen Switzerland. I plan on visiting Switzerland, Alaska and Norway.

Help please.

Mt Cook - Australia Zoo is over rated IMNSHO.

Mt Cook - Australia Zoo is over rated IMNSHO.

Sorry I don't understand, is Mt Cook or Australia Zoo over rated or both?

Mt Cook - Australia Zoo is over rated IMNSHO.

Sorry I don't understand, is Mt Cook or Australia Zoo over rated or both?

bump...

Australia Zoo is over rated - the only reason people go to it is because of who owned it.
Mt Cook however is stunning and gorgeous.

A colleague visited Australia Zoo late last year. He was disappointed, too.
I think the experience would be best described as Aussie entrepreneurship meets Disney.

If you don't get detailed reviews (and can't find old threads here on Australia Zoo), perhaps try VT (http://www.virtualtourist.com) and TA (http://www.tripadvisor.com) - or even better, the Lonely Planet forum/reviews website for user reviews.

I'd consider going, in your shoes, but see if it is the sort of thing you really want to do. If you are a big fan of Steve's TV shows (or Binis, soon Bob's!)

(I wouldn't go solely on two or three responses here, but look for a broader range of reviews... I doubt the Zoo is a must-see for all of this forum's readers)
Either way, enjoy. :)

A colleague visited Australia Zoo late last year. He was disappointed, too.
I think the experience would be best described as Aussie entrepreneurship meets Disney.

If you don't get detailed reviews (and can't find old threads here on Australia Zoo), perhaps try VT (http://www.virtualtourist.com) and TA (http://www.tripadvisor.com) - or even better, the Lonely Planet forum/reviews website for user reviews.

I'd consider going, in your shoes, but see if it is the sort of thing you really want to do. If you are a big fan of Steve's TV shows (or Binis, soon Bob's!)

(I wouldn't go solely on two or three responses here, but look for a broader range of reviews... I doubt the Zoo is a must-see for all of this forum's readers)
Either way, enjoy. :)


Thanks i am a fan of Steve. My problem is whether to choose the Zoo or Mt. Cook, what would you do?

Thanks i am a fan of Steve. My problem is whether to choose the Zoo or Mt. Cook, what would you do?

Mt Cook. If you are fan of Steve then Australia Zoo would have been my suggestion before his death, but without him there really isn't much to it. I would suggest if you like zoos Taronga or Western Plains instead, but that's another thread:)

Paging Kiwiflyer :)

We should ask for a voting thread on your quandary. :p

I'd go Mount Cook, but with NZ it depends on the season. No point in missing out because of a blizzard.

Otherwise get a coin and flip it. :p

This will be next March end, so no blizzards I hope.

This will be next March end, so no blizzards I hope.

In that case it will be Autumn, and that only increases the beauty of the drive from CHC or ZQN to Mt Cook. I haven't been to Oz Zoo, but will lodge a vote for Mt Cook anyway (consider me biased)!