Sydney Zoo has announced where new animal residents will be crawling, slithering and pouncing from, as Sydney Zoo Mini Zookeepers alpaca their bags to visit Melbourne, Broome and Singapore in early 2019.

Ahead of the much anticipated opening of Sydney Zoo, eight lucky Sydney kids have landed a dream role as the first Sydney Zoo Mini Zookeepers, becoming the mini-faces of the brand new zoo, with unlimited access to the world class facility, championing learning and animal conservation from the heart of Western Sydney.

Selected from thousands of entries across the country, and over 24 hours of entry footage, the wonderful winners come from many different backgrounds and areas of Sydney, all united by their passion for animals, including; Zeke (Age 11, Barden Ridge), Sakaina (Age 10, West Hoxton), triplets Katerina, Evie & Irini (Age 9, Greenacre), Jye (Age 12, Waniora), Georgia (Age 9, Kenthurst), Ty (Age 10, Quakers Hill).

One particular entry stood out to Sydney Zoo, with a terrific trio of identical triplets Katerina, Evie & Irini, delighting staff with their enthusiasm, and knowledge of the animal kingdom.

Managing Director of Sydney Zoo, Jake Burgess, says "We were overwhelmed with the quality and volume of entries for the first Sydney Zoo Mini Zookeeper positions. The gifted group will now embark on their first assignment, travelling to Sydney Zoo's domestic and international zoo partners, to meet and bring various animal species home to Western Sydney."

The incredible mix of animal species headed home to Western Sydney include a; Rhino from Singapore, Orangutan from Melbourne and a Saltwater Crocodile from Broome.