By XAVIER SMERDON
ROAD works on the Westgate Bridge have kept thousands of people away from Werribee Open Range Zoo, leading to a drop in visitors.
According to zoo spokesperson Kym Carter, 33,468 people visited the zoo during the busy school holiday period from 22 December 2011 to 8 January 2012.
However 27,253 people made the trip to the zoo during the last summer holidays, a drop of 6215.
“While this may not seem like a major drop in figures, it is less than what we’d hoped for, which was for higher visitation this summer,” Ms Carter said.
“We suspect that the major road works on the Westgate Bridge and the lovely beach weather may have contributed to the lower than anticipated figures.”
Ms Carter said now that resurfacing works on the Westgate Bridge were complete, the zoo was expecting visitor numbers to increase during the last few weeks of school holidays.
“Also, we’re hoping that people who have been on their beach holidays, will now be looking for some fabulous summer fun with a few weeks of school holidays left to go,” she said.
“We hope people will come out and support us and enjoy some of the fantastic summer activities and events at the zoo.”
Ms Carter said the newly transformed safari bus had proved extremely popular with visitors and during the warm summer months children were taking advantage of the Hippo Water Play area.
The Keeper for a Day program will also be running again on 16, 18, 21, 22 and 24 January.
For more information visit zoo.org.au/Werribee.
