Fort Wayne Zoo
Australian Adventure & The Outback: A 3-Phase Approach
Project Overview
Location: Fort Wayne, IN
Total Size: 4.6 Acres
Services: Zoo Planning, Exhibit Design, Architecture, Structural Engineering, MEP Engineering, Civil Engineering, and Landscape Design
Completion: Phase 1 & 2 (2015) | Phase 3 (June 2016)
The beach town experience begins with an expanded Train Plaza featuring stone seat walls for waiting passengers. The re-themed train station is paired with a new at-grade rail crossing, creating a new Australian Adventure entry route with improved ADA accessibility.
The beach town was richly themed with a sun-faded color palette, weathered detailing, and beach-inspired accessories. The Australian beach town features reopened to visitors in spring 2015 and included re-themed main concessions, a new ice cream shop, new restroom building, new plaza, dining courtyards, a small fountain, site furnishings, and landscaping.
The Reef Building was reimagined as a dockside cannery with an industrial feel, featuring faux timber framing and rivet detailing to evoke a specific atmosphere and setting.
The former nocturnal building was dramatically opened up and transformed into a Stingray touch tank experience featuring natural lighting, palm trees, mangroves, and an ocean-view backdrop for the sand-bottom tank.
Construction was phased to take advantage of the Zoo’s off-season for the most intensive work, minimizing disruption to visitors and maintaining access to surrounding exhibits.
Phase 1 (2014)
- New Australian Adventure Entrance Plaza
- Re-routed entrance promenade to provide an easier ADA-compliant route
- Renovated Train Station and Little Poof Plaza
- New at-grade train ride crossing complete with crossing arms and signal lights
- New restroom building with beach town theming
- Building façade renovations inspired by a faded beach town aesthetic
- Multiple dining plaza expansions with unique themed elements
Phase 2 (2015)
- Renovated Reef Plaza with expanded capacity
- The Reef, an aquatic exhibit inspired by Australia’s Great Barrier Reef, featuring a 17,000-gallon saltwater tank and a 50,000-gallon shark tank
- Reef Building renovation, inside and out, themed as an industrial cannery
- 20,000-gallon Stingray touch tank and VIP Stingray experience created within a renovated former nocturnal exhibit building
Phase 3 (2016) – The Outback
The Outback invites visitors to explore a themed village setting featuring interactive exhibits and attractions. With the completion of the final phase of a $7.0 million renovation to the Australian Adventure area of the Fort Wayne Children’s Zoo, enhancements included:
- Bridge renovation with rustic theming
- Crocodile Creek log ride storyline theme development
- Renovated ride station
- New Reptile House
- New walk-through aviary and two new bird exhibits
- Renovated Kangaroo Yard
- Renovated Dingo Exhibit and flood-proofed dingo holding area
- New Tasmanian Devil exhibit yard
- Outback Springs, a shallow creek flowing through the center of The Outback, encouraging children and families to interact with the water feature