Moonlit Sanctuary is only 50 minutes south-east of central Melbourne, at the top of the Mornington Peninsula, and on the way to the Penguins on Phillip Island.
Melbourne’s award winning wildlife park, Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park invites you to explore 10 hectares of bushland, meeting endangered species, feeding kangaroos and wallabies, petting koalas and enjoying encounters with colourful birds, reptiles, dingoes and many other animals.
The park is on flat terrain with paths constructed of fine hard packed gravel, making the experience suitable for people of all abilities. Wheelchair visitors can negotiate the easily navigable paths. Each display has a glass fronted section to allow everyone to enjoy the park. The Koala encounter is height adjustable to allow visitors using wheelchairs to get up close and personal.
At night, Moonlit Sanctuary comes alive with world-famous lantern-lit tours. Night birds are active, tiny feathertail gliders and giant yellow-bellied gliders swoop around, and endangered quolls, pademelons and bettongs forage for food.
The Sanctuary is an ark for endangered creatures, and a showcase of their unique beauty. It is a living classroom which encourages children and adults alike to unlock the mystery of Australian mammals, reptiles, birds, fish, insects and amphibians in a natural bush setting.
You can experience a range of magical activities at Moonlit Sanctuary
Wander around their beautiful wetlands, a haven for water birds that change with the seasons. Meet koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, emus, Cape Barren geese and curlews, and stop past the wombats.
BY DAY…enjoy hand-feeding our gentle and curious wallabies and kangaroos, or cuddle one of the resident koalas. You can meet their feisty Tassie devils, and learn the latest in the fight to save this threatened species.
Catch one of the daily dingo talks, and get to know the characters in our dingo pack. Book in for an exclusive adventure with dingos Blaze and Scorch. Enjoy a python presentation or get up close and personal for a python cuddle.
Then pop over to the parrots and see orange bellied parrots, a critically endangered species; then visit the stunning red-tailed black cockatoos, gang gang, superb parrots, and the unique violet eyes of our bower birds.
The latest addition, the Wildlife Show – Conservation in Action, adds another fully accessible feature to the park.
BY NIGHT…embark on a guided lantern-lit evening tour which winds its way through the home of many of the sanctuary’s memorable nocturnal animals. See feather-tail gliders, a nightjar, quolls, Tasmanian devils, owls and possums. Meet squirrel gliders, bettongs, potoroos, to name but a few of the creatures you will encounter at surprisingly close quarters.
Accessibility
Facilities include a multi-purpose entry building with ramp in and out to the park. Containing a reception and orientation area, it has an open area that can be adapted to school groups or functions as required.
Up to 60 people can be accommodated at one time. Advanced bookings are required for this.
Wheelchair and pram access is provided by ramps and suitably wide doors. Washrooms with full disabled access and baby change facilities are attached.
Easy to access
Front door only 10 metres from car park.
Ramps into and out of visitor centre – there are no steps or stairs at Moonlit Sanctuary.
Easy to get around
Flat to undulating ground with compressed gravel paths linking all exhibit areas.
Numerous benches around Sanctuary so you can always take a breather.
Glass fronts to exhibits for visibility.
Some exhibit areas have woodchip paths.
Useful facilities
Wheelchairs, walking stick and umbrellas available for loan free of charge.
Disabled facilities adjacent to visitor centre. Pan height 45cm.
Baby change table available for use
Companion Animals
As required by law, companion animals are permitted in Moonlit Sanctuary. However we do remind visitors that if they bring a companion animal with them, none of our animals will approach them and they will not be able to enjoy the close contact with animals enjoyed by other visitors. We require that companion animals do not enter any animal enclosures, including the Wallaby Walk and that they remain under the physical control of the visitor at all times.
