Moonlit Sanctuary is a fantastic way to connect and see over 70 species of Aussie animals.
Moonlit Sanctuary is Melbourne’s award-winning wildlife park. Perfect for the whole family, it offers an unforgettable experience where you can get up close to wildlife, including kangaroos and wallabies.
Open every day of the year except Christmas Day, Moonlit Sanctuary also offers lantern-lit evening tours, allowing you to see the wildlife while they are wide awake.
How to get to Moonlit Sanctuary
From Melbourne, the drive is about an hour along the M1, with plenty of parking available. You can also catch a train to Cranbourne Station, then the 792 bus to Baxter-Tooradin Road/Pearcedale Road before going on a 30-minute walk or booking a shared ride.
Moonlit Sanctuary is also a great stop to stretch your legs while making your way to Phillip Island!
Animal encounters
To get up close to some unique wildlife at Moonlit Sanctuary, you will need to pre-book these encounters to secure your spot!
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Koala
Meet the Aussie favourite and cuddle and pat the friendly koalas in a small group. Bring along your phone and camera to take some photos and selfies! You are unable to hold the koalas, but this experience is still well worth it.
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Emu
They may appear as scary, but you can get up close to younger emus with a quick 15-minute encounter and give them a snack. The emus are young, they are full of energy and love to have a play around.
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Wombat
Meet one of the friendly common wombats at an encounter. Not all wombats are friendly, but the one you are meeting loves pats while they enjoy their meal. Take some selfies while you listen to the keeper talking about this friendly wombat and their species.
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Dingo
With 2 different encounters available, you will learn more about these Australian wild dogs. You can choose to pat and play with dingoes or take them for a walk through the wildlife park.
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Python
This is one of the best places where you can hold a python in a safe environment. As you hold these snakes, you will be learning about their natures and how important they are to the natural environment.
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Kookaburra
Meet one of Australia’s favourite birds, known for their distinctive laugh that echoes through the wildlife park. In the kookaburra encounter, you can get up close to these birds, hold them, and capture fantastic photos.
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Goshawk
Experience having a goshawk fly between you and a keeper during this spectacular encounter! Learn about goshawks and snap photos of this experience.
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Barn owl
If you are a Harry Potter fan, this owl may look a little familiar, otherwise, it is still an incredible experience to get up close to one of the barn owls. You will meet the owls and have a chance to hold them while wearing a protective glove.
Be a keeper for a day
Experience what it is like to be a wildlife keeper for a day and join a Moonlit Sanctuary keeper. Participants must be over the age of 12, and anyone under 18 must have a parent or guardian present. You can also opt to go behind the scenes and help the keepers prepare treats for the wildlife while learning about how they care for animals.
Tours
Spend an hour walking around with a keeper as they answer all your questions and share information about the different wildlife here. Private tours are available at any time during opening hours, but please let the sanctuary know a week in advance. There is also a threatened species tour where you can get up close to some of the most endangered species in Australia. You will learn about and help care for 3 to 5 different species in the park.