Healesville Sanctuary

If you’re a fan of “Croc Hunter” Steve Irwin, you’ll know just how many amazing animals call Australia home. Healesville Sanctuary is considered one of Australia's best wildlife parks, where you can see a whole range of Australia’s native creatures. Nestled in the foothills of the Yarra Valley, just one hour from Melbourne, the famous Sanctuary is your chance to get eye to eye with koalas, dingoes, kangaroos and the unique platypus, just a few of the 200 native species you’ll find flourishing in this beautiful bushland environment.

Bird lovers will be especially impressed with Healesville Sanctuary's Birds of Prey Presentation, which was launched over ten years ago and has become one of the Sanctuary's 'must do' experiences. Set in an outdoor amphitheatre, you’ll witness the breathtaking power and beauty of a wedge-tailed eagle flying just inches above your head. Other birds you might meet include the buzzard, kite, peregrine falcon, osprey and those wise and pensive owls. You can also visit Karak, the South-eastern Red-tailed Black Cockatoo, who was the official Mascot of the Melbourne 2006 Commonwealth Games.

Indigenous history is also part of Healesville Sanctuary’s appeal, where visitors can get off the beaten track on the Burra Burra Yan Tour, with an Aboriginal guide to impart the ancient secrets of the bush. Led by Murrindindi, a local Wurrundjeri interpreter and storyteller, his exclusive guided walk through the protected Bushland of Coranderrk offers an authentic experience of Victorian indigenous culture. See the Australian bush through the eyes of a traditional custodian of the land, who will reveal the medicinal and food uses of plants and the fascinating story of the boomerang.