9 Best Places in Melbourne for Fun and Adorable Wildlife Encounters

With heaps of choices and diverse collections of animals, Melbourne is the place to be for animal lovers. Whether you’re fond of fascinating reptiles, aquatic creatures, or furry mammals, Melbourne has all that, and more! 

The best part is that they offer hands-on experiences that you won’t get anywhere else. Instead of just seeing animals from afar, you’ll have the chance to feed, pet, and even take a selfie with them. There are also plenty of experts on hand to give you a behind the scenes look into the life of the animals at Melbourne’s zoos.

To help you pick the ideal animal encounter for you and the entire fam, we’ve made this list of some of the best Melbourne attractions around:

Keen to get up close and personal with animals? Head on over to Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Park! The animal sanctuary lets visitors enjoy a more interactive experience. You can take a wombat for a leisurely stroll around the park, stroke furry koalas, and even hold a python!

What better way to get to know creatures from jungles and savannahs than by seeing them in their natural habitat? At one of the best Melbourne zoos, animals roam freely in their sanctuaries as visitors watch. You don’t have to travel all the way to Africa to see cheetahs, wild dogs, and meerkats at Werribee Zoo.

Can’t get enough of the fascinating creatures? Level up your experience with the Slumber Safari! With two days of access to the Werribee Zoo, exclusive animal encounters, and an African-style dinner and breakfast, you’ll be able to enjoy a full immersive wildlife experience without leaving the country.

For a laid-back experience with animals, there’s no better place to visit than Collingwood Children’s Farm. The community farm is all about connecting with nature. You can spend the day walking the estate, enjoying a picnic, and cuddling goats, sheep, and guinea pigs. Make sure to participate in the daily activities to learn more about caring for the animals.

With seven different trails, you and your little ones  can explore an Aussie bushland and its natives at Healesville Sanctuary. Follow the Main Track to see reptiles and amphibians, head to Dingo Country to see the magnificent creatures, bounce around with roos at Kangaroo Country, and more!

Asian rainforest animals? Lemurs, gorillas, and hippos from Africa? Local icons like kangaroos, koalas, and Tasmanian Devils? Check, check, and check. Melbourne Zoo animals come from all over the world to provide the ultimate animal experience. Look for your favourite animal at one of the different areas, learn about different species at the Keeper Talks, and capture these fun moments on your phone or camera

Keen to learn more about the Melbourne Zoo? Check out our helpful guide here and get the low down on the hours, directions and the Melbourne Zoo animals:

Leave your phonesand laptops at home for a taste of the farm life at Myuna Farm. Around half an hour away from Melbourne, you can enjoy a day of taking in the views of the wetlands, cuddling baby animals, and having a nice barbecue at the grounds.

In addition to the different animals in Melbourne’s zoos, there are also plenty of stunning aquatic creatures at SEA LIFE Melbourne that are worth a visit. Across the 12 zones, you’ll get to watch penguins slide and play around in the snow, touch sea stars and shark eggs, and see stingrays and sharks swim above you. You can even level up your visit and go on a dive with sharks!

Save money and time with the Melbourne Attractions Keypass! Find out how you can explore SEA LIFE, visit the ArtVo Museum 3D Art Gallery, and go on a Yarra River cruise on a discount here:

Come face to face with four-metre long pythons, frill-necked lizards, saltwater crocodiles, and more at Reptile Encounters. The mobile zoo is all about providing a personalised experience to students, but is also available for private tours at their HQ. Besides the reptiles, you can also get up close to sugar gliders and potoroos.

Meet one of the most iconic Aussie animals at their home at the Koala Conservation Reserve! Located at Phillip Island, you and the rest of the fam can explore the boardwalks to see the furry friends up close. Be on the lookout for other natives like wallabies and echidnas that are just as fascinating.