The zoo sits in Melbourne's fastest-growing municipality. Visitation was already climbing before the expansion; the question was whether the facilities could keep pace. The redevelopment commissioned by Zoos Victoria gave ARM and TCL the opportunity to reimagine the entire precinct – not just adding new animals but rethinking how visitors move through the landscape, how keepers care for animals, and how the zoo advances its conservation mission.

The centrepiece is the 21-hectare Elephant Sanctuary – roughly the size of the entire Melbourne Zoo – purpose-built to relocate Zoos Victoria's Asian elephant herd from their previous home. The sanctuary is designed around elephant welfare first: outer habitats retain significant trees and existing vegetation; deep-water pools and sandpits occupy the central yards; two overpass bridges allow elephants to move freely between management areas and the wider habitat. The Herd Barn and Bull Barn are separate purpose-designed buildings, with layouts that protect both keeper safety and elephant behaviour — the product of detailed Safety in Design reviews. The elephants arrived in February 2025 and are thriving.

New paddocks and veterinary facilities for American bison and Asian wild horse completed Stage 1. A new waterhole precinct, treeline sky safari gondola, and upgraded all-abilities visitor infrastructure complete the picture, giving visitors aerial views across 222 hectares for the first time.

Werribee is now Australia's leading open range zoo. The expansion is expected to contribute more than $17.8 million annually to Victoria's economy.