Plans for a bigger and bigger version of Taronga Zoo’s old cable car have divided Mosman residents in the affluent north coast suburb, amid fears it will be a visual blemish on their views of Sydney Harbour.
The proposed $77 million replacement for the beloved Sky Safari, which carried 20 million visitors from the nearby wharf up the steep incline to the zoo entrance from 1987 to last year, will have masts taller than 35 meters and larger gondolas will support.
Mosman Parks and Bushland Association member Bob Clark fears the skyrocketing transport will result in ‘an imposing scar on this important port area’.
‘It’s not just the poles; you’ll have the gondolas whizzing around in circles. “It will have a significant adverse impact in terms of visual amenities,” he told the newspaper Sydney Morning Herald.
Mr Clark believed the masts were made taller ‘to convey those harbor views to North Head and South Head’ towards the stop from the top of the hill.
He described it as “operating the port when it is not necessary.”
The Taronga Conservation Society has submitted plans for the new Sky Safari cable car to NSW Planning Minister Paul Scully, who will decide whether the project goes ahead.
The previous Taronga Zoo cable car closed last year after being in use since 1987
Some Mosman residents fear the improved Sky Safari will affect their views of Sydney Harbour. The photo shows Taronga Zoo
The association said the taller pylons ‘reflect Taronga’s commitment to maintaining the current canopy, including avoiding the need to cut through heritage hoop pines’ and would allow for canopy growth.
While the Sky Safari would be “a new prominent feature” of the harbor view towards Bradleys Head, it would “enhance the identity and location” of the zoo.
“The impact is considered to be a moderate change in a limited area that is ongoing but can be reversed,” the plans say.
The new cable car would provide a “family-oriented tourist infrastructure” without “unreasonable impacts… in terms of views, traffic, acoustic impacts during construction and ongoing operation.”
A Taronga Zoo spokeswoman said the larger gondolas can accommodate 10 people each, compared to the previous system’s six, and have reclining seats to allow for larger wheelchairs and pushchairs.
An artist’s impression of the new Sky Safari Cable Car, which is currently being considered for approval by the NSW Government
“The larger cabins and easier access to public transportation mean that guests who previously found it challenging to navigate the zoo can do so with greater ease,” the spokeswoman said.
Mosman Mayor Ann Marie Kimber said the council had ‘generally supported’ the proposal, despite residents’ concerns about the project’s larger scale and noise pollution.
“We have asked for continued communication with affected residents and the council, and for no advertising on the outside of the gondolas as there were concerns about the visual impact,” she said.
The new system will have 20 to 25 cable cars that rotate approximately 1.5 km over the 28 hectare site.
At this stage, the cost of using the new Sky Safari will, as with its predecessor, be included in the zoo entry ticket.
The original service was first installed in 1987 before being upgraded in 2000.
In January 2023, the zoo announced that the “aging asset” had “sadly reached the end of its operable life and required significant upgrades to continue functioning.”
“The retirement paves the way for a proposed upgrade that will see the Sky Safari transformed into an unforgettable and fully accessible family experience,” Taronga Zoo said at the time.
If the zoo’s plan for an improved Sky Safari is approved, it could open its doors to customers in 2025.