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.
WWW zoo.org.au/healesville

History

Dr Colin MacKenzie set up the Institute of Anatomical Research in 1920 on of land formerly 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 1943 when David Fleay managed it.
The park was placed under the management of the Victorian Zoological Parks and Gardens Board on 27 June 1978.
In 2009, the sanctuary was threatened by the Black Saturday bushfires, and the sanctuary evacuated their threatened species to Melbourne Zoo.
In 2025, Healesville Sanctuary opened the Australian Platypus Conservation Centre, a dedicated facility for the rehabilitation and release of injured or sick platypuses. The centre includes climate-controlled ponds, burrowing banks, and monitoring technology to support both recovery and research, while a future visitor experience space is planned to promote public engagement and conservation awareness.

Animals and exhibits

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