Healesville Sanctuary


Healesville Sanctuary, formally known as the Sir Colin MacKenzie Sanctuary, is a zoo specialising in native Australian animals. It is located at Healesville in rural Victoria, Australia, and has a history of breeding native animals. It is one of only two places to have successfully bred a platypus, the other being Sydney's Taronga Zoo. It also assists with a breeding population of the endangered helmeted honeyeater.
The zoo is set in a natural bushland environment where paths wind through different habitat areas showcasing wallabies, wombats, dingoes, kangaroos, and over 200 native bird varieties.
Guided tours, bird shows and information areas are available to visitors.

History

set up the Institute of Anatomical Research in 1920 on of land which had formerly been part of the Aboriginal reserve known as Coranderrk. The Reserve passed to the Healesville Council in 1927 and became the Sir Colin MacKenzie Sanctuary in 1934.
The first platypus bred in captivity was born in the Sanctuary in year 1943 when it was managed by David Fleay.
In 2009, the sanctuary was threatened by the Black Saturday bushfires, and the sanctuary evacuated their threatened species to Melbourne Zoo.

Animals and exhibits

;General exhibits
;Koalas
;Birds of the bush
;Kangaroos
;Gang-gang Aviary
;World of the Platypus/Platypusary
;Woodland Aviary
;Rock-wallaby
;Arid Birds
;Wetlands Aviary
;Wallabies
;Wombat Closeup
;Animals of the Night
Cockatoos
Reptile Encounter
;Lyrebird Forest
;Larger Wetlands Aviary
;Flying Foxes