Serendip Sanctuary, Nature reserve in Lara, Victoria, Australia
Serendip Sanctuary is a nature reserve near Lara in Victoria, covering wetlands, open grasslands, and light woodland. The different habitats sit across gently rolling land and together support a wide range of native animal species.
The land was acquired by the Victorian government in 1959 to set up a facility for protecting and breeding native wildlife. It became one of the earliest organized wildlife conservation efforts in Australia.
The land holds deep roots with the Wadawurrung people, who maintained long-standing connections to this area for thousands of years. Visitors today can sense the ongoing significance of this place to its original inhabitants.
The reserve has free walking trails and bird-watching spots spread across different habitats, so binoculars and sturdy shoes are a good idea. Conditions and light vary across the site, and early mornings or late afternoons tend to give the best chances of spotting wildlife.
The sanctuary runs breeding programs for some of Australia's most threatened animals, including the eastern barred bandicoot and the Cape Barren goose. For some of these species, the population here represents one of the last safety nets before extinction in the wild.
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