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 sanctuary lies in the traditional country of the Wadawurrung people, whose territory runs from the Great Dividing Range to the south coast. In their Dreamtime account, the wedge-tailed eagle Bunjil summoned six bird-men to shape the land, people and living things, then was carried to the sky as the star Altair. European settlers reached Geelong in 1836, and introduced diseases and animals brought disruption to Wadawurrung country, people and culture.

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 holds eastern barred bandicoots as part of the National Recovery Plan for the species, a captive breeding and management facility rather than a display. Its flight aviaries along the Wildlife Walk let visitors see wetland and dry-land birds at close range. Four interconnecting walking tracks link hides such as the Marshland and Billabong hides, which face the marshlands.