Canberra has always catered brilliantly for families. Its expanse of verdant parks and gardens, and scores of great museums with their interactive designs appeal to curious children and the curious child in us all.

But when I mentioned the fabulous zoo we were planning to visit in Canberra to all and sundry, I was met with a resounding chorus of "What zoo?" It seemed that most people thought the closest thing to a zoo in Canberra was Question Time at Parliament House.

But yes, there is a zoo, quite possibly the most exciting and hands-on zoo in Australia, if not the world. Set amid eight acres of lakefront land just five minutes from Canberra city centre is the National Zoo and Aquarium.

The National Zoo and Aquarium is a mecca for animal-loving families with a variety of extraordinary tours for all ages, Australia's largest collection of big cats and plenty of other exotic residents in large naturalistic enclosures.

Privately owned, the zoo doesn't exist just for entertainment … it's all about education and conservation. Of the 34 endangered species at the zoo, several are involved in breeding programs. Breeding programs are a guiding factor for most modern zoos to help preserve endangered species and educate the public so that better care is taken by future generations.

The National Zoo and Aquarium takes its role of educating the public very seriously and its tours are designed with this in mind, in an enjoyable hands-on way.

We were looking for a big thrill and the ZooVenture tour was just the thing, offering us a bounty of rare and close-up experiences with amazing animals in a jam-packed two-hour adventure.

Exhilarating for parents and children alike, ZooVenture runs at the same time as the adult ZooVenture but offers a less intimidating alternative for the younger members of the family. Ironically though, it was we older folk who showed a bit more hesitation around some of the critters than the kids.

The tour started on the adrenaline high of hand-feeding an enormous Sumatran tiger, reputed to be the largest in Australia, who made it quite obvious with his snarling that he'd quite happily eat his benefactors, given the opportunity. To be face-to-face with a man-eater with just two feet and a wire fence to separate you is an amazing experience. Having him roar inches from your face and look you in the eye is incredible. To have the said tiger delicately remove a chicken leg from your hand through the wires is overwhelming.

Our next stop was to visit and feed the lions, their paws and teeth alarmingly huge at point blank range. With a quick pit-stop to pat a dingo, on we went to feed vegetables to an eland, a large breed of antelope, weighing in at a tonne!

The Malayan sunbear had a certain sweet charm that won our hearts with one look. We all took our turn feeding the lovable Arataki by fork, which gave some measure of comfort, for despite the small size and extreme cuteness, the Malayan sunbear is the most aggressive of all the bears. Sixty kilos of muscle, happy to rip you to shreds for fun and not survival … not a bear I'd like to meet in a dark alleyway.

Adults and children both vied for a view of the very cute otters as they displayed amazing underwater skills during a feeding frenzy.

The highlight of the ZooVenture tour for me was listening to the mournful grumbling and moaning of a 400kg European brown bear as it watched and waited for a turn while its den mate carefully licked every morsel of a porridge-like treat from my bare hands.

Never did I think I would get an opportunity to be so intimate with such a dangerous animal, but the safety of wire fences and incredibly well trained tour guides mean that you can do just that, right here in Australia.

The differing fear factors of children and adults became particularly apparent when our guide brought out a very handsome and particularly large python. Many of the less-brave adults declined the opportunity to get intimate with this charming chappy but the children, as usual, were first in line for some serious snake action.

The patience and care taken by the keepers was impeccable and I don't think anyone felt any real danger at all. At the end of the tour I didn't see a single face between 10 and 70 without a giant grin.

The zoo also offers Meet A Cheetah — a fantastic opportunity for adults and children over 12 (and over 1.5m tall) to have hands-on contact with three very beautiful cheetahs in their enclosure. Cheetahs are the fastest land animals in the world and in the wild are found only in Africa.

With a maximum of two visitors at a time and supervised at all times by experienced keepers, the experience is phenomenal. To pat and play with these big cats like they were a family pet is an amazing thrill. Listening to them purr as loudly as a revving motorcycle as you touch their striking faces is an unexpected reward and the whole experience left me feeling elated and not a little bit special.

More information

The National Zoo and Aquarium is located at Scrivener Dam, Yarralumla, Canberra. The zoo is open 9-5pm every day of the year, except Christmas Day.

Adults and children aged over 10 can take the full tour. Younger children have the option of completing a less intimidating version, which runs at the same time.

Adults and children over 12 years of age. Must be over 1.5m tall. Maximum of two people at a time.

The National Zoo and Aquarium recommends that people contact the zoo before coming to discuss which tours will be most appropriate for their children.

Tours operate daily and bookings are essential as placements are limited.

Contact the National Zoo and Aquarium on (02) 62 878 400 or visit www.zooquarium.com.au for further information.

First published in Out & About with Kids