Healesville Sanctuary

Healesville Sanctuary is a wildlife park in the Shire of Yarra Ranges in Victoria dedicated to the conservation of native Australian animal species. The grounds cover around 11 hectares (28 acres) of bushland and include several zones where visitors can observe kangaroos, koalas, wombats, dingoes, and platypuses up close.

Sir Colin MacKenzie founded the Institute of Anatomical Research in 1920 on land near Healesville to study native species. The facility transferred to local council management in 1927 and opened its gates as a public sanctuary for Australian wildlife.

The facility collaborates with Wurundjeri elders and offers guided walks where visitors learn about plants and animals that held meaning for the first people of this region. The site sits near the former Coranderrk settlement, and signage explains how local communities lived alongside nature for generations.

The grounds open daily from 9 in the morning, and most animal presentations take place throughout the day. The park has cafes, shaded rest spots, and paths suitable for strollers and wheelchairs.

In 1943 this facility achieved the first successful breeding of a platypus in human care anywhere in the world, a breakthrough that helped scientists better understand the biology of this unusual species. The sanctuary has since maintained a specialized breeding program that provides insight into the reproduction and care of these shy animals.