After making the move west from Melbourne Zoo in February, Werribee Open Range Zoo's herd of nine Asian elephants is ready to welcome visitors into its world-class new digs. The state-of-the-art Elephant Trail spans an impressive 21 hectares — that's the size of the entire Melbourne Zoo complex — giving these gentle giants more space than ever before to roam the landscape, and still leaving plenty of room for human visitors to join them, too. The new trail seamlessly connects the six different habitats and two mega pools in the $88-million precinct. The trail includes plenty of designated open space, too, giving visitors the chance to have an up-close encounter with these magnificent creatures. You can also take a look inside the Elephant Barn, where experienced keepers train the herd and keep them in tip-top shape. The trail also swings past two massive swimming pools — a choice spot for the elephants when they're keen to cool off or indulge in an invigorating mud bath. Just how massive exactly are these pools? They hold 150 million litres of water — which is roughly enough to fill Flinders Street Station — that's pumped in through a 2.5-kilometre pipeline connected to the Werribee Recycled Water Plant. Getting a good wash behind the ears has probably never felt so good. If you're keen to learn more about the elephants and how they live, the zoo is also holding regular talks giving you the opportunity to do just that. There are five that take place each day, held in various locations throughout the habitat. With the trail taking about an hour to explore on foot, there's also a brand-new cafe perfectly positioned along the route. Here, you can sip coffee and munch on a cake while watching these magnificent creatures go about their day. Two months after they made the nearly 40-km trek from their former home at Melbourne Zoo — following a rigorous two-year training program to prepare them for the journey — the elephants have settled into their new surroundings over the last few weeks. Now, human visitors are invited to say hello to some of the biggest and friendliest land animals on the planet. The Elephant Trail is open daily from 9am–5pm at Werribee Open Range Zoo. Head to the zoo's website for more information.