If you love animals and are in need of a holiday, Victoria is a fantastic place to be. From open range zoos to aquariums and reserves housing exotic and native animals, there’s something to please wildlife lovers of all ages.
Here are some of our favourite things to do in Melbourne for the wild at heart.
CBD and Surrounds
Melbourne Zoo
Home to over 300 different species, it makes for a great day out and is only a stone’s throw from the city. Wander down the Trail of the Elephants, look out over the Lion Gorge, explore the Australian Bush or dive into the Wild Sea.
After you have explored the grounds, go behind the scenes with a Wild Encounter. These unique experiences mean you can get up close to some of the creatures who call the zoo home and see what happens on the other side of the enclosure.
Visiting in summer? Check out the Zoo Twilight sessions, giving you after-hours access with live music, remember to take a picnic and watch the sun go down. This is one of the top things to do in Melbourne at night during the warmer months.
Melbourne Aquarium
Along the Yarra River and in Melbourne’s well-known Southbank area you’ll find the Melbourne Aquarium. Thrill seekers will love the adrenalin boost of a shark dive where you’ll spend 30 exhilarating minutes swimming alongside sharks, stingrays and other marine animals.
If you’d rather be on the water then in it, you might also like to consider the aquarium’s behind the scenes group tour which includes a ride on a glass bottomed boat above the Oceanarium.
Visiting the city on a Friday night? Check the schedule for the Aquarium After Dark events, typically run in the last week of the month. Enjoy a cocktail upon arrival, canapes, unlimited drinks and a live acoustic music as you roam the displays.
Collingwood Children’s Farm
If furry, friendly farm animals without the crowd sounds like your thing, a visit to Collingwood Children’s Farm may just be the thing for you. Families will love this popular spot, with cows, donkeys, chickens, pigs and more! Milking a cow and guinea pig cuddles take place daily for no extra cost.
Further Out
Healesville Sanctuary
Healesville Sanctuary is home to many native Australian animals, and is situated around an hour’s drive from Melbourne. Make your visit memorable by wading with the platypus or having a pat and play with a wombat. This extra experience is not only great for the photo album but also helps aid the fight against animal extinction.
You might be feeling peckish after all your happy snaps with your new animal friends, so make a pit stop in the Yarra Valley on your way home and delight in gourmet eats, local produce and some of Australia’s finest beers, wines and spirits.
Werribee Open Range Zoo
This Zoo is the place to go if you’ve ever found yourself dreaming of a day on the safari, but aren’t ready to splurge on tickets to Africa just yet. Here you can get up close and personal with some of the fastest, biggest and most intriguing animals on earth. Take a bus around the zoo or pay a little extra to go off road, with your own personal safari guide. Your host will drive you around the zoo, teaching you about the animals and their lives both in Werribee and in the wild.
Phillip Island Penguin Parade
If you don’t mind taking a scenic drive a tad further out from the Melbourne CBD, a day trip to Phillip Island is well worth the effort. Even more so when there’s adorable penguins involved! The Phillip Island conservation park allows visitors to watch the penguins waddle their way over the sand at sundown as they return home for the night. Various viewing options are available for optimal penguin spotting.
Mansfield Zoo
More than 100 animals call this north eastern Victorian zoo home, including two rare white lions. Visitors will have the opportunity to feed a number of the animals on site or watch the lions be fed by zoo keepers. Expect to cross paths with kangaroos and deer as they freely roam around the property too, perfect for photos along the way.
Ballarat Wildlife Park
The Ballarat Wildlife Park takes great pride in providing an interactive wildlife experience for its guests. The park houses a number of native Australian animals, along with a wide range of both native and exotic reptiles.
Allow time to take part in a VIP tour during your visit. Senior wildlife keepers will facilitate close encounters with some of their popular residents including a giant tortoise, wombat and even a snake! If you’re in need of some fun things to do in Melbourne add one of these wild and memorable animal hotspots to your Melbourne itinerary. Rest and recuperate at the end of the day with a stay in one of The Sebel Hotels & Apartments.