Tasmanian Devils near Hobart: Bonorong, the Unzoo or a Tour?
4 min read
For a quick, easy devil encounter, Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is the simplest: it is north of Hobart in Brighton, open daily, and sells its own admission ticket. The Devil Unzoo is further away on the Tasman Peninsula and fits best into a Port Arthur day. Which one you choose depends on whether you have a car and how long you can give it.
| Option | Length | From | Rating | Best fit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bonorong admission ticket | 1 day (entry only) | €23.08 | 4.7/5 from 151 reviews | You have your own transport |
| Bonorong half-day tour with Richmond | 4 hours | €45.54 | 4.6/5 from 203 reviews | Devils and kangaroos without a car |
| Mt Wellington, Mt Field, Bonorong and Richmond | 9 hours | €117.92 | 4.8/5 from 821 reviews | Devils inside a wider nature day |
| Port Arthur, Tassie devils, Richmond and Tasman NP | 10 hours | €127.90 | 4.8/5 from 457 reviews | Unzoo feeding plus Port Arthur |
| Devil Unzoo general admission | 2 hours | €40.55 | – | You are already on the Tasman Peninsula |
Bonorong
Bonorong is open from 9am to 5pm every day, according to its own site. Its GetYourGuide ticket page gives the address as 593 Briggs Road, Brighton, and lists a bag of kangaroo food, parking and keeper talks at 10am, 11.30am, 1.30pm and 3.30pm with entry. The roos roam free and can be hand-fed. The sanctuary says its wildlife rescue service and hospital are funded entirely by entry fees, so a visit pays for animal care. The half-day Gray Line tour adds a short guided stroll through Richmond, with Bonorong entry included; it starts and ends at Brooke Street Pier, and the page also offers a courtesy hotel pick-up that you arrange with Gray Line or your hotel, with no hotel drop-offs after morning tours.
The Devil Unzoo
The Unzoo is on Arthur Highway at Taranna on the Tasman Peninsula, and its ticket page gives opening hours of 10am to 5pm and a visit of about two hours. The ticket covers entry, animal encounters and the botanic garden; the page also lists a devil tracker adventure, which the Unzoo sells as a separate guided tour, so check whether it is part of the general ticket before you go. There is also a Behind the Scenes Devil Tracker tour at €187.17, a 3-hour guided 4WD trip for up to 8 guests that includes Unzoo entry; the page also lists tea and coffee, so check there whether they are included. Tours Tasmania’s ten-hour day includes the Unzoo entry fee and a devil feeding, but needs a minimum age of 8 and reasonable fitness, is not suitable for people with mobility impairments, and free cancellation ends two days before the tour. Our Port Arthur guide covers the rest of that day.
Which one for whom
If you have a car and a free morning, buy the Bonorong admission and plan around a keeper talk. Without a car, the half-day tour is the shortest. Families with children under 8 should note that the Tours Tasmania day sets a minimum age of 8. If devils are one stop among many, the nine-hour day includes Russell Falls and Bonorong entry, and the summit of Mt Wellington depends on cloud, so it may come early or late.
Recommendation
Without your own transport, take the half-day Bonorong tour at €45.54. With a car and a free day, take the Bonorong admission at €23.08. See Tasmanian wildlife tours for the rest.
