Featherdale is where many visitors meet their first koala and hand-feed a kangaroo. The park sits about 40 minutes west of the city, right between Sydney and the Blue Mountains, so most people visit as the first stop on a Blue Mountains day trip. This guide compares the tours that include it with going on your own, and explains what you can and cannot do with the animals.
Featherdale Wildlife Park: koalas, kangaroos and how to visit
How should you visit?
Three tours include Featherdale entry and transport from Sydney; you can also go on your own. Tour prices checked on 10 October 2026; live prices in your currency are shown on each card.
Where available, you can reserve now and pay later. Payment dates and eligibility depend on the experience and the options shown at checkout.
Finding experiences…
Blue Mountains small-group tour with Featherdale
From A$229A small-group minibus tour with Featherdale and Scenic World entry included; the stop at the park is about an hour.
Blue Mountains day trip starting at Featherdale
From A$220Begins at Featherdale, then Echo Point and Scenic World, returning to the city by ferry. Koala photos cost extra.
Featherdale with private transfers
From A$349Private return transfers with park entry included; koala photos and other encounters cost extra.
Go on your own
A$49Adults A$49, children 3–15 A$29, under 3 free. Free parking at the entrance, or take a train to Blacktown and bus 729 from Stand E, about 10 minutes to the gate.
On its own or with the Blue Mountains?
Which way suits you
Featherdale describes itself as right between Sydney and the Blue Mountains, and Katoomba is about another hour’s drive west, so combining the two makes sense. Tours usually spend about an hour at the park, enough to see the koalas and feed the kangaroos.
The park recommends about two hours, though. If the animals are the main reason for your trip, or you want a paid encounter or the keeper talks, go on your own or take the private-transfer option. Some Blue Mountains tours, such as the large all-inclusive tour, let you choose Featherdale or Sydney Zoo when you book.
What you can do with the animals
- Pat a koala under a keeper’s guidance. Holding koalas is illegal in NSW. The Personal Koala Experience includes a souvenir photo pack from A$40 per pack (not per person), for up to six people, daily from 8:30am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm.
- Hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies in three walk-through habitats; feed costs A$5 a cup.
- Free keeper talks: echidna (10:30am and 3pm), Tasmanian devil (10:45am), pelican (11am), crocodile (12pm) and cassowary (12:45pm).
- Paid encounters for small groups, often booked out: little penguins from A$200 and quokkas from A$250 (both up to two people, ages 10+), reptiles from A$150 and Koala Kindy from A$200.
Featherdale, Taronga or WILD LIFE?
Featherdale is all about Australian animals up close: around 50 koalas, more than 2,000 animals from over 260 species, on seven flat acres with paved paths. Taronga is a much larger zoo with exotic animals and harbour views on a steep site, and WILD LIFE Sydney Zoo is a small indoor zoo in the city centre for a short visit. For koala patting and kangaroo feeding, Featherdale is the one to choose.
Where it is and how to get there
Featherdale is in Doonside, near Blacktown in western Sydney, on the way from the city to the Blue Mountains. Times are approximate.
By train and bus
Take a T1 train to Blacktown, then bus 729 from Stand E outside the station; it takes about 10 minutes and stops at the park gates. Doonside station is also about a 20-minute walk away. Pay with Opal or a contactless card.
By car
It is about 40 minutes’ drive from the city centre. Parking is free, with an overflow car park when the main one fills.
Nearby and on the way
1Blacktown station
10 min by bus 729The nearest major station, on the T1 line; bus 729 to the park leaves from Stand E.
2Doonside station
about 20 minA smaller station within walking distance of the park.
3Blue Mountains (Katoomba)
about 1 hrThe Three Sisters, Scenic World and bushwalks, about an hour further west; most combined tours visit both.
Read our guide4Sydney city centre
about 40 minAbout 40 minutes east by car, or by train from Central to Blacktown.
5Taronga Zoo
about 1 hrSydney’s big harbourside zoo, best reached from the city by ferry.
Read our guide
Timing tips
- Arrive early: the park opens at 8am, and the koala photo spot, walk-through enclosures and café close at 4pm.
- The koala sanctuary closes for the koalas’ nap from 12pm to 1pm, and the lorikeet walk-in aviary closes at 3:30pm.
- Plan around the free keeper talks, most of which are between 10:30am and 1pm.
- Book penguin and quokka encounters in advance; they are limited to two people per session and often sell out.
- The park is open every day, including Christmas Day (8am–2pm).
Food and facilities
- The Treehouse Café opens at 8:30am and serves only light snacks and drinks after 3pm.
- You can bring a picnic to the covered picnic areas; alcohol and smoking are not allowed.
- Paths are flat and paved, wheelchairs and walkers are free to use (book ahead), and there are accessible toilets and parents’ rooms.
- Up to two carers enter free with a Companion Card, and assistance dogs need a registration form 72 hours ahead.
Mistakes to avoid
- Expecting to hold a koala. It is illegal in NSW; you can pat one with a keeper.
- Arriving after 3pm. Most hands-on areas close at 4pm.
- Assuming a tour stop is long. Tours usually allow about an hour; go on your own if you want more.
- Leaving penguin or quokka encounters to the day. Sessions are small and often booked out.
- Buying a koala photo pack per person. One pack covers your whole group of up to six.
Frequently asked questions
Can you hold a koala at Featherdale?
No. Holding koalas is illegal in NSW. At Featherdale you can pat a koala under a keeper’s guidance, and the Personal Koala Experience includes a souvenir photo pack from A$40.
How much is Featherdale Wildlife Park?
Adults pay A$49 and children aged 3–15 A$29; children under 3 are free. Concession tickets cost A$40.
What are Featherdale’s opening hours?
8am to 5pm every day, with last tickets at 4pm. On Christmas Day it opens from 8am to 2pm.
How do you get to Featherdale by public transport?
Take a T1 train to Blacktown, then bus 729 from Stand E outside the station, about 10 minutes to the park gates. Doonside station is about a 20-minute walk away.
How long do you need at Featherdale?
The park recommends about two hours. Blue Mountains tours that stop there usually allow about an hour.
Can you feed the kangaroos at Featherdale?
Yes. You can hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies in three walk-through habitats; feed costs A$5 a cup.
Is parking free at Featherdale?
Yes, parking at the entrance is free, with an overflow car park on busy days.
Can I visit Featherdale and the Blue Mountains in one day?
Yes. Featherdale lies between Sydney and the Blue Mountains, and several day tours include entry to both Featherdale and Scenic World.
Should I visit Featherdale or Taronga Zoo?
For patting koalas and feeding kangaroos, Featherdale. For a big zoo with exotic animals and harbour views, Taronga.
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Spotted something out of date? Tell usSources
We checked the facts on this page against these sources on October 10, 2026. Prices and times can change, so confirm them when you book.
- Featherdale Sydney Wildlife Park: visit (featherdale.com.au)
- Featherdale tickets (tickets.featherdale.com.au)
- Featherdale: koala encounter with a photo (featherdale.com.au)
- Featherdale: Koala Kindy encounter (featherdale.com.au)
- Featherdale: little penguin encounter (featherdale.com.au)
- Featherdale: quokka encounter (featherdale.com.au)
- Featherdale: reptile encounter (featherdale.com.au)
- Featherdale: animal encounters (featherdale.com.au)
- Australian Wildlife Parks media release, July 2026 (newshub.medianet.com.au)
- Busways route 729 (busways.com.au)
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From prices are indicative. Choose your date and confirm availability, cancellation terms and the final total on the booking page. * Ratings and reviews are collected by Viator and Tripadvisor.
* “What travellers say” summaries are written with AI from recent reviews collected by Viator and Tripadvisor, covering every star rating (October 2026).