Healesville Sanctuary Tours and Tickets

You’ll see all kinds of native Australian animals and birds at Healesville Sanctuary—keep your eyes peeled for koalas, wombats, kangaroos, dingoes, and wallabies. There are also private special demonstrations where you can learn about echidnas, platypuses, tawny frogmouths, and more from a specialist, for an additional fee.

The animals are up and about in the mornings, so try to get to Healesville Sanctuary early in the day—it’s also less crowded this time of day. On that note, plan your visit for weekdays and avoid weekends or school holidays, since the sanctuary attracts much more visitors at those times.

Set aside about half a day to make the most of your time at Healesville Sanctuary—though the exact time depends on the interests and energy levels of your group, of course. There are park maps available that plot out 1-, 2-, and 4-hour routes to help you plan accordingly.

Yes, you do need to pay to get into Healesville Sanctuary. There are several options ranging from single-entry tickets to memberships. Memberships are a great deal if you want to go multiple times, as kids under 16 are free, and they cover admission to three other zoos including Kyabram, Melbourne Zoo, and Werribee.

While you can easily visit the sanctuary on its own, there are some organized tours that combine a visit with other stops in the Yarra Valley—some even include lunch, wine, and vineyard tours. Such excursions also provide round-trip transfers from Melbourne to ease the entire planning process.