Healesville Sanctuary

Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary

Healesville Sanctuary is recognised as one of Australia's biggest tourists attractions. It is home to over 200 species of Australian flora and fauna. Here they offer educational programs and exhibitions, including the increasingly popular birds of prey show.

Healesville Sanctuary has its own health centre, caring for injured and sick wildlife. Many animals injured in the Victorian Bush Fires in Febuary 2009 have been brought to Healesville for treatment. Once treated by a veterinarian the healing animals will be sent to a volunteer wildlife carer who will continue to care for them until the animal is strong enough to return to the wild.

The Sanctuary is located on 30 hectares of land and only one hour from Melbourne. Healesville itself is a suburb of the stunning Yarra Valley wine region. A visit to Healesville Sanctuary is a great day out for all of the family, with many more attractions right on its door step.

Priding itself on its advancements in eco tourism, Healesville is at the for front of educating the public as well as tourists on the importance of Australia's eco system. Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary was recently awarded the Advanced Accreditation in Eco Tourism by Eco Tourism Australia. This award proves to tourists that the Sanctuary has a commitment to natural area management and ecological sustainability.

Healesville was originally founded in 1921, for research purposes by Doctor Colin Mackenzie. Healesville Sanctuary was to be names the Australian Institute of Anatomy. The land was handed back to the Healesville council in 1927, it wasn't until 1934 that the Healesville Wildlife Sanctuary was opened to the Australian Public. To be an Australian park dedicated to the protection and welfare of Australia's native flora and fauna.

Involved in many breeding programs, Healesville Sanctuary helps to breed endangered species and slowly release them back to the wild. This helps to increase numbers. They are successfully running these programs for many endangered species such as the Brush-tailed Rock Wallaby, Helmeted Honey eater, Mountain Pygmy Possum, Orange-bellied Parrot and the critically endangered Spotted Tree Frog.

Healesville has recently been in the news for being the first Sanctuary to successfully breed Platypus in captivity. This is a huge step forward for the Australian Platypus population, and an accomplishment that Healesville Sanctuary should be very proud of.

There are many things to see and do at Healesville. Each day there is an opportunity to meet the Zoo Keepers who work on the grounds, to meet the animals they care for and learn a little more about them.

Open to the public 9am to 5pm seven days a week. The park only closes to the public on Christmas and Boxing Day. A fantastic day trip for tourists, families and individuals a like.