Cuddle a Koala at Phillip Island
A short drive from the bustling city of Melbourne, Phillip Island is a natural hub, with native animals swarming both in the wild and the island’s wildlife parks
What is Australia without its unique wildlife? It is the homeland to a vast and diverse range of animals, found in the thick bushlands, surrounding ocean shores, and roaming the desert outback. No trip down under is complete without coming face to face with Australia’s most beloved animals, with cuddling a koala or feeding a kangaroo on every traveller’s bucket list.
Phillip Island is well-known for its incredible animal encounters. On the sandy shores and in the lush forests you can get up close and personal with some of Australia’s most magnificent creatures. At the Maru Wildlife Park you can do exactly this and more with their range of close encounters and beautiful scenery packed full of cute animals and native species.
The best part about the park is the opportunity to interact with the array of animals that call it home, including some of Australia’s finest critters, like koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, emus, wombats, and crocodiles.
Throughout the day, knowledgeable park keepers carry out talks and presentations about the different animals, sharing their feeding habits with you and giving you the chance to learn all about the country’s native animals. On the weekends and holidays, you can experience the featured Wildlife Show, but there are plenty of things to do during the week, too, including sheep shearing shows and animal feeding demonstrations.
The Koalas at Maru Wildlife Park
Koalas are Australia’s cuddliest critters, and you can get to know them at the park. Found amongst the lush eucalyptus trees, these cute creatures have unique sleeping, breeding, and feeding habits that you can learn all about during your time in the park.
As well as exploring the raised boardwalk that weaves through the eucalyptus trees, you can go inside their enclosure with the keepers to get an even closer look at them.
And, if that’s not enough, you can make your visit to the Maru Wildlife Park even more memorable by taking part in a Close Encounter with these creatures. During this experience, you can pat, cuddle, and interact with one of the resident koalas, learning about their unique character, and getting to know it by name. You’ll have the chance to take your own photographs, but there is also a professional photographer on hand if you want something a bit more special to remember your visit by.
The Park’s Other Residents
This family-owned Park is an award-winning, fun family attraction. Kangaroos and Wallabies can be seen roaming the grassy fields, with other animals such as Emus and birds nearby as well. Travel to the burrows of the country’s echidnas and wombats to see these unique creatures which are very hard to spot in the wild. As well as the mammals of Australia, the park is jam-packed the reptiles, including the largest known reptile alive; the saltwater crocodile. Learn more about each and every animal when you join the talks and presentations done by the passionate park staff members.
The Activities on Offer
The Maru is not just a wildlife park but features a number of fun family activities. It is home to Pirate Pete’s Mini-Golf, which has a set of 18 holes surrounded by life-size pirates and the Princess Caribbean Pirate Ship. Once you’ve travelled through the mini-golf course, rest up at the Homestead Bistro, where you can enjoy a meal or a mere snack while overlooking the park. If the kids still are chock-full of energy, they can head to the Dinosaur Indoor Playroom while you sit back and relax.
The Maru Wildlife Park really is the perfect opportunity to get to know some of Australia’s best-loved creatures – especially the koalas. With a selection of ways to see them, including a boardwalk, keeper shows, and close encounters, you’ll leave knowing a whole lot more about these cuddly creatures, as well as have lifelong memories of an incredibly unique experience.
Related article: Activities at the Maru Wildlife Park
