Healesville Sanctuary
Bushland Zoo for Indigenous Wildlife

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The Healesville Sanctuary is part of the Trio of Victorian Zoos.

The City Melbourne Zoo and The Werribee Free Range Zoo complete the trio.

I really recommend that a visit to all three be part of your on going family getaway experience. 

The Sanctuary is a Zoo displaying Australia's unique, indigenous animals in a natural, lush bushland setting.

Australia being an isolated Island is home to very unique and unusual animals. These animals live in bushland, deserts, forests and sand-dunes throughout this amazing country.

Healesville Sanctuary has been set up for you to experience these amazing creatures as close to how they naturally live. Most of us probably would never get the opportunity to see them in their normal environment.

The Park has been set out to allow visitors to enjoy getting as close as possible to the animals.

Hand feeding the wallabies and kangaroos is an amazing experience.

There are over 200 species of Australian wildlife displayed here. Dingo, platypus, echidnas, possums, bats, owls, eagles, birds and reptiles are just some of the fauna on display.

Feeding the Bush Kangaroo at the Healesville Sanctuary Melbourne AustraliaHand Feeding The Australian Kangaroo At Healesville

How To get To The Healesville Sanctuary

Getting to the Healesville Sanctuary is quite a simple journey down the Maroondah Highway East of Melbourne.

From the center of the City the journey will take you approximately 1 and 1/2 hours.

You will pass by some tempting wineries (put that idea in the Getaways Diary for future date), beautiful countryside and through the quaint township of Healesville.


View Healesville Sanctuary in a larger map


What You Can Experience At The Healesville Sanctuary

At the Healesville Sanctuary there are interactive presentations held throughout different times of the day.

This is where the public can interact with the Zoo keepers, ask questions and sometimes personally participate in the show.

Keeper interacting with wedge tailed eagle  at the Healesville Sanctuarycompliments of http://www.flickr.com/photos/richard_jones/1884529270/Wedgetail Eagle At Healesville Sanctuary
Wedge tailed eagle at the Healesville Sanctuary compliments of http://www.flickr.com/photos/richard_jones/1883678743/Trainer and Wedgetail Eagle At The Sanctuary

There are the most informative and entertaining Meet The Keeper Presentations held at different times throughout the day...see your Guide Map for the time and location details.

Make the most of your visit by sitting for a moment with your "Guide Map" (Pick this up at the entry) and work out just where you want to go, what you want to see and when and where the Meet The Keeper Presentations are on.

Extra Exhibitions At The Healesville Sanctuary

healesville sanctuary platypus with keeperPlatypus with Keeper

The BHP Billiton Platypussary

An amazing building housing what I found to be an incredible insight into how and where the illusive platypus lives.

- Underwater the platypus can close its eyes, nostrils and ears and navigate using electro receptors located on its fur.

- The male and female platypus are both capable of producing from around the age of two years.

- It is an egg laying mammal!

- They can live between 12-16 years.

Want to know more about this fascinating creature? 

Click on the link here for all the details for the Meet the Keeper Presentations.

The Indigenous Australian Platypus at the Healesville Sancturay Melbourne AustraliaThe Indigenous Australian Platypus

The Australian Wildlife Health Centre

This is where all activities and procedures are on view to the public. You can, if you have the inclination, view surgery procedures, post-postmortems etc.

The Health Center is a veterinary care facility and it cares for injured wildlife that arrive from all around the countryside.

Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary Health Center compliments of http://www.flickr.com/photos/richard_jones/1884644204/Wildlife Health Centre At Healesville

Wildlife of Australia.
Princeton Pocket Guides

Ideal for the nature-loving traveler, Wildlife of Australia is a handy photographic pocket guide to the most widely seen birds, mammals, reptiles, amphibians, and habitats of Australia.

The guide features more than 400 stunning colour photographs, and coverage includes 350 birds, 70 mammals, 30 reptiles, and 16 frogs likely to be encountered in Australia's major tourist destinations.

Wildlife of Australia is an indispensable and thorough resource for any nature enthusiast interested in this remarkable continent.

  • Easy-to-use pocket guide
  • More than 400 high-quality photographs
  • Accessible text aids identification
  • Habitat guide describes the Australian bush and its specific wildlife
  • Coverage includes the 350 birds, 70 mammals, 30 reptiles, and 16 frogs most likely to be seen on a trip around Australia
Purchase your copy here - Wildlife of Australia? (Princeton Pocket Guides)

Walking Tracks

There are walking tracks throughout the sanctuary where you will pass by and sometimes personally interact with...

  • Dingoes (These beautiful animals are exercised every day)
  • Rock-Wallabys
  • Goannas
  • Blue Toungue Lizards and other Reptiles
  • Emus
  • A Huge variety of Birds
  • Echidnas
  • Tasmanian devils
  • Animals of the night
  • Cockatoos
  • Kookaburras
  • Lyrebirds
  • Koalas
  • Fruit Bats and a whole lot more

Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary red kangaroo compliments of http://www.flickr.com/photos/roopyfoo/2097562780/Australian Bush Kangaroo

Picnic areas and Free BBQ Facilities

Want to eat with the snakes, kangaroos or koalas, just pick your spot and enjoy the interaction.

As you can see there is so much to see and do at the Healesville Sanctuary that you will most likely require the whole day.

Take a picnic or enjoy a range of delicious lunch selections to light meals and take-away foods.

Kiosk and Restaurant

There is also a licensed bistro where a delicious meal can be enjoyed together with an extra delicious wine supplied from one of the local area wineries.

At different areas throughout the wildlife park you will find take-away kiosks. All these are marked on the Guide Map.

Sanctuary Gift Shop

Here you will find well crafted products and souvenirs.

It is located at the front entrance and you are able to access this free of charge during opening hours, handy for that very special and unique gift.

Burra Burra Yan Indigenous Walking Tour

Would you like an authentic experience with our Victorian Indigenous Culture? This Tour is truly amazing and highly spiritual.

Immerse yourself in the aura of the Coranderrk Bushland a never to be forgotten experience. Perhaps you may like to learn how to throw a boomerang.

Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary boomerang demonstration compliments of http://www.flickr.com/photos/lolo/4898348972/Boomerang Trowing Lessons At Healesville

Getting Around The Sanctuary

The walking pathways and tracks are very easy to navigate. No steep hills or hard climbing that needs to be done.

You can also hire pushers and wheelchairs.

Please note that the Wildlife Sanctuary is quite large so there is considerable walking that needs to be done so that all the wildlife can be seen.

Make sure that you...

  • Wear comfortable shoes
  • Bring plenty of sunscreen
  • Wear a hat if possible
  • Carry lots of water

You may come across this little Australian animal on your journey through the Sanctuary.

Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary echidna compliments of http://www.flickr.com/photos/mackan/104100104/Australian Indigenous Echidna

You can find out more about this unique place such as conservation projects, special School holiday programs, what's new and a whole lot more here on the Sanctuary official website.

For details on all the Meet The Keeper Presentations please click here for the show times and particulars.

Here is a little sample of what you can find at the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary. This is a Melbourne sightseeing experience that you don't want to miss. Sit back and enjoy this introduction to this amazing natural Australian Zoo. 


Melbourne Flexi Attraction Pass - iVenture Card

Wanting to visit multiple Melbourne attractions but can't find an attractions pass that best suits you?

The best value and most customisable Melbourne attractions pack on the net is available right here! Save up to 40% on entry to some of the top attractions in and around Melbourne - this iVenture card, Melbourne Flexi Attraction Pass, allows you to make YOUR ideal itinerary from a choice of 26 of the most popular hotspots for adult and family fun.

Whether it be zoos, sightseeing tours, river cruises or many more, the pack is completely customisable to your tastes, and ensures you don't pay for any unnecessary attractions you don't want to visit.

With such a wide range of choices and options available, this is truly the Melbourne pass iVenture card is for everyone who's looking to maximise their time in Melbourne and ensure they only spend money on the attractions that they want to see, meaning no wasted money or no expensive bundles.

For the full list of available attractions, check out the "Inclusions" section on the booking page. Healesville Sanctuary entry is included.

koala seen at healesville sanctuary on the experience oz attraction pass
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