Went to the Sanctuary with my daughter and grandsons. Haven't been for years as living in the valley it was done to death with visitors. Was pleasantly surprised. Great for kids but also good to have a wander any age. The dinosaur exhibition is especially good for kids. The bird of prey show is fabulous. I probably wouldn't go back for a while but I found it most interesting.

Nice selection of animals with easy to follow map and signs for directions. Feeding the kangaroos was a highlight of the trip with the platypus section a close second. We managed to get a super video of a platypus swimming underwater. The koala experience was very disappointing. We had no interaction with them as they were all sleeping. Staff were very friendly and helpful. Overall we had a very enjoyable day.

We visited the animal sanctuary as part of our day excursion to the Yarra Valley. The sanctuary is a good size and splits into 3 main areas which you can explore. There is plentiful to see and all the animals are native to Australia. We particularly liked the animal hospital where you can watch the vets perform procedures on their rescue animals. One thing to keep in mind is that there is not much cover between the trails, so keep that in mind if you’re visiting on a rainy day. There is also not too many food options so maybe consider bringing your own meal and snacks particularly if you’re in a big group as the food is a bit pricey.

I went there with Lily this morning and we enjoyed ourselves but when we wanted to feed the kangaroo the lady said you can't feed it so get lost then we walked away feeling extremely uncomfortable after she spoke rudely to us.

So worthwhile. Fantastic to see all the Australian animals. The environment and enclosures were beautiful and natural. Go to the (free) Keeper Talks they were interesting and often did things eg feeding so you saw the animal. The entry starts at $46 for an adult. This is a must see!

It is another primitive and friendly safari in the protective areas. The overall surroundings and environment are maintained naturally by lots of experienced volunteers. I can tell the devoted contribution they make here. The banners and instructions are really easy to be read and understood. You can explore different kinds of zones by walking or jogging. It is a new and fresh experience for me and family since you can really see those wild creatures in a very short distance.  Kids and I are impressed with the kangaroo and koala since it is our first time to see them. They are really cute and easy going by their general movements. Visitors either take photos or shoot videos while visiting those attractive creatures. My kids get lots of fun and knowledge by visiting them. The climate in this area is cloudy and cool for me and family. It is really comfortable to dive in the evergreen fields here. The air is really fresh and the water is so clean and chilly. It refreshes your body and mind while walking around the safari. There are 2 cafes inside safari. One is close to the exit and the bigger one is close to the kangaroo zone. Simple meals are available but it is crowded during lunch time always. Be patient with queue up and make sure animals won’t bother you while dining. It is a good place for kids and family to visit and the duration is around half day. Just come and visit here. Have fun. 

I like Healesville Sanctuary but can see it declining as I’m a regular visitor. Signage is not very good for international guests. No signage to say if cafes open or close had to wander around looking for one that was open. Unfortunately the one at entrance open and only outside seating. I got attacked by an ibis when putting a mouthful of food into my mouth it flew up to my mouth and took out the food as it was going in. Gave me a real shock. I went straightaway to the ticket office and reported it, she wasn’t very concerned saying it happens all the time. She’d mention to management but didn’t take my details. I was with a baby so I’m just glad it got me instead of him. The ibis are on the tables with bird poop everywhere. No signage up about the birds with a warning anywhere.

I was left with the impression that the welfare of the animals and the living conditions of the park have been invested in. It is a good thing. There is a lot to see in the park and there are especially a lot of koalas. Allow enough time for this experience.

The VIP experience was not different from the regular experience. Koalas were cool to see, but not particularly happy. Whole experience was ok.

We went with a family group from ages 12 to 74. We were able to pre-book a free wheelchair for a family member who had a recent leg operation. We saw a wonderful variety of Australian animals. Some animals like the koalas are set up to be easy to see. Some appeared when we watched long enough, especially in the nocturnal house. I couldn't spot the lyrebird, although I enjoyed a lot of the birds in the multiple giant aviaries that we went through. The younger members of the family were able to spot the platypus and also went to the "Spirits of the Sky" wild bird display. I didn't really plan in advance for the displays and zoo keeper talks, but the ones we passed were interesting, but a bit crowded with the school groups. We spent about 5 hours seeing lots of animals and had a great family day out.

An amazing visit. Due to not seeing Australian wildlife in the wild on my trip, it was a must on my last day in Melbourne. Actually being able to see the nocturnal rodents was a orivildege, along with the Dingo, Wombat, Tasmanian Devil and of course the ‘roos and Koalas. Definitely a must do visit. Only problem is getting there you must either do an organised your or hire a car. Expensive with Uber/taxi.

Healesville Sanctuary is free roaming sanctuary, the critters are not on a schedule and can come and go within their massive enclosures as they please. Even the Bird show does not guarantee which birds you will see, because if the birds don't want to play, they can sit the show out. This applies to all the critters in the park, and while it might be disappointing not to see your favourite Tassie Devil, or Cockatoo, it is much better for all park residents, and it means you can go back again to see them... The park is pretty big, and you can do the big loop around the entire place if you want. We did some in the morning, had some lunch, then some in the arvo. We followed the schedule on the map. Sometimes it means zigzagging around the park, but they have a bunch of really good short cuts that means you are not walking a million miles. What topped off the day was the Dingo Experience. Basically we got to go in the enclosure with a lovely lady dingo. As with everything here, if she doesn't want to come out and play, she is not forced to. Luckily for us she did want to meet us and it was an amazing experience. We must have been in there with her for 30 minutes or more, and she is smart tool. One of the rocks in there is just for her to sit on and when she does no one is allowed to bother her. She knows that, and when she has had enough of us gushing over her, she jumps up onto it and lays down for a rest... The whole experience was totally worth it and highly recommended...

This animal sanctuary was a great surprise in its standards, contented animals and welcoming and helpful staff who clearly love their work. The Birds of Prey exhibition was fantastic (and no extra cost) so make the time to see this. The staff changing the koala food engaged with visitors in a friendly and relaxed way, telling us what was going on, how the koalas live, eat and sleep - a great experience. I have been to a lot of zoos / sanctuaries - I was surprised how great this one was - visit if you can

This Zoo has loads of Australian native animals in their natural environment. Kangaroos abound, it's a thrill jumping around. The emus are inquisitive. The emus are the world's second largest flightless birds. They look fierce, but their bites are harmless. The wombats are interesting; visitors will find that the platypuses, which are unique to Australia, are fascinating. It's easy to spend a day at the Healesville Sanctuary. The Sanctuary is in the Yarra Valley, around an hour from Melbourne.

We had the VIP tour and it was a big waste of money. There was no “close encounter” at all except the feeding of the echina. The only “value adding” was the stories about the animals.