Turtle Back Zoo Reopens Outback Adventure with $1.3M Renovation

After a $1.3 million upgrade, the Outback Adventure section at Turtle Back Zoo now features an expanded walkway linking key exhibits in West Orange, New Jersey.

The changes fixed access problems at the site, where tight paths blocked strollers and wheelchairs. "We always are mindful of ways we can improve the experience of our visitors to Turtle Back Zoo," said County Executive Joseph N. DiVincenzo, Jr. to NJ.com.

Workers built a broad path connecting the Australian zone to the Aviary, Essex Farm, and Prehistoric Playground. Two strollers can now pass side by side with room to spare.

New shade spots near the wallaby area let guests watch the animals in comfort. The changes make viewing much better for everyone.

On April 10, staff cut the ribbon to mark the exhibit's return. The work fixed the bottlenecks that had kept guests from seeing the animals well.

Zoo chief Jillian Fazio said the new setup would boost their wildlife teaching efforts. More guests can now learn about nature and how to protect it.

This marks the first big change to the Australian section since it first welcomed guests. The work upgraded one of the zoo's main draws.

The project shows how animal parks can change to give guests better views. Families pushing strollers and people in wheelchairs now move freely through the space.

The fresh design fits the zoo's goal to teach while staying open to all. School groups and families will find it much easier to move between exhibits and learn about the animals.