Notes of meeting of Environmental Community Groups and Zoo about Taronga Zoo’s Sky Safari Proposal – Friday 24 May 2024
Commitment to Country – working with elders and Indigenous advisory group
Taronga Zoo consulted with elders and the Zoo Indigenous Advisory group, which informed the design of the cable car entry area from the ferry. The “NAWI” story will also inform the gondola design and colour. This story concerns vessels moving people ‘from salt water to sky’. Similarly, the gondolas will move visitors from the salt water of the harbour to the sky. Sky Safari is seen as an educational tool, not just transport.
Government Architects Office meeting
Key issues were discussed with the Government Architects Office, including accessibility, tree cover, views to and from the harbour, impact on tree canopy, pylon impact and ensuring sustainable option traffic issues, including construction traffic considerations.
Feedback from community engagement
The community expressed preferences, including that this project be an upgrade, not an expansion, Connection to Country, visual impact, traffic and congestion, heritage concerns, and the importance of Taronga’s conservation work and impact on animals. Mosman Council also provided feedback, and the Taronga Zoo team listened.
Route
The route will follow the same footprint directly up the slope as the original safari route.
Pylons
There will be fewer pylons. The current sky safari has 9 pylons. At present, 6 or 5 are planned. The cable car path will necessarily be broader to accommodate the larger gondolas – 20 metres either side.
Pylons P3, P4 and P5 will be higher to protect the present tree canopy and allow future growth. However, it is hoped that P4 might not be necessary.
The two heritage hoop pines near Pylon 4 will be retained and protected. The bushland near the lower station is of particular concern. The dotted line in the diagram above shows the former height of the former cable. No extra trees are proposed to be planted – replacement only.
Lower Station and gondolas
The lower station will be a light touch structure fitting into the present cutting as much as possible. It will have a footprint similar to that of the previous station. The previous station had 45 metres of queueing space, allowing 60 people to queue. The planned station will have 125 metres of ramping with 80% under cover, allowing 200-250 people to queue with 85% of the queue protected from the weather. It is expected that the sky safari would be able to load 400 people in 15 minutes. Toilet facilities will be available.
Inspired by the Nawi story, the canoe and leaf shapes are used as decorative motives for the gondolas and queueing area with an oyster colour. There will be 20-26 gondolas larger than the previous ones. They will accommodate 6-10 passengers, with space for strollers and walking frames. The life of the gondolas is approximately 25 years. Contracts have not been awarded yet – both Dopplemayr (Swiss) and Leitner-Poma (France) are being considered. Gondolas can be run at variable speeds depending on demand.
Top Station
The top station will settle into the landscape, allowing 75 people to queue under cover. The 20-26 gondolas will be stored and maintained around the top station. The station's colour will reflect the Nawi story of people's movement from salt water to the sky.
Two new angophora trees are proposed near the top station.
The suggestion of vertical gardens around the structures was noted, as was the idea that the pylon structures might also offer some opportunity for birds of prey to create habitat
Gondola numbers and sustainability
At present, the Zoo has costed for 20 gondolas and is pushing for 6 additional. The number of gondolas in use at any time will depend on demand. As a sustainability measure, gondolas will only run when necessary. The stabling area for gondolas located near the top station will require more space than has been needed in the past.
Other sustainability features of Taronga Zoo operations include:
It is proposed that the Zoo will be run totally via renewable energy sourced from a solar farm out near Wellington, NSW, and solar panels in situ.
An entirely electric fleet – The Zoo is promoting public transport. The team sees the sky safari as encouraging and supporting public transport use rather than private vehicle use.
Zoo is currently carbon neutral
Cost for users of the sky safari – There was some discussion about whether the Zoo would charge an additional fee for those who use sky safari. In the past the Zoo ticket has included sky safari. The community groups strongly agreed that there should be no additional charge. The cost for a family to visit the Zoo is not insignificant. In addition, if sky safari is seen as a sustainability measure tied in with public transport use, it should not be charged separately. Further discussion on pricing is envisaged and discussions with Sydney ferries is encouraged and supported.
Planning and consent process – There will be a pop up display with the concept for the proposed sky safari at Mosman Markets on 1 June 2024. (Senior Citizens Centre). The exhibition will move to the Zoo in the afternoon.
The team advised that they conducted a small area letterbox drop about this popup.
Attendees suggested that the Zoo increase its advice to the community about this before Saturday. Mosman Daily is to carry advice. The meeting suggested posters in local shopping centres etc.
The Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) must be submitted as a State Significant Development before August 2024 to the Dept of Planning. The EIS will address all the matters contained in the Planning Secretary’s Environmental Assessment requirements dated 11 August 2022.
Once agreed, the EIS will be placed on public exhibition.
Suggestions about community engagement about the EIS included the following:
If the exhibition period falls in the school holidays the exhibition time must be extended to cover that 'overlap.'
Wide advertising of the EIS because of the National significance of the project. (Zoo is nationally significant on a Nationally significant site- the harbour) . National newspapers perhaps
Physical exhibition of the EIS important in the area.
Do not rely on the Department Planning Portal.
Exhibition at Mosman Council and consideration of a Community Information and Feedback Session in a popular location such as Bridgepoint. Hold it over a couple of days to promote community awareness and response to the EIS and foster better community understanding about the proposal.