Healesville Sanctuary

conservation and cultural center, Victoria, Australia

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July 19, 2026

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The Healesville Sanctuary, located about 40 miles (60 km) east of Melbourne in Victoria, Australia, functions as both a wildlife conservation center and a cultural hub. It is home to over 200 native Australian species. As a cultural center, it plays a role in preserving and sharing indigenous knowledge through guided tours of its protected bushlands. The sanctuary is situated near the town of Healesville, which was founded in 1860 and is known for its fruit cultivation, poultry raising, and dairying, as well as its proximity to timber stands and ski slopes. The area also features the Maroondah Reservoir and was historically associated with the Sir Colin MacKenzie Wildlife Sanctuary, which included a platypus research station.12

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Victoria
Cultural life
The Healesville Sanctuary, roughly 40 miles (60 km) east of Melbourne, serves not only as a wildlife conservation centre, supporting more than 200 native species, but also as a cultural centre, preserving and transmitting indigenous knowledge through guided tours into the protected bushlands. Off the southwest…
Read More
The Healesville Sanctuary, roughly 40 miles (60 km) east of Melbourne, serves not only as a wildlife conservation centre, supporting more than 200 native species, but also as a cultural centre, preserving and transmitting indigenous knowledge through guided tours into the protected bushlands. Off the southwest…
Read More