Healesville Sanctuary on a beautiful Spring Day

On Sunday we decided to break away from our tradition of late of going into the City.  It seemed we were spending way too much time of our weekends around markets, shops and the City area.  I wanted fresh air and green around me.

The weather on Sunday was beautiful.  It was cool in the shade but quite warm in the sun.  We went out to Healesville Sanctuary, a place that we had never been before.  The drive there took us through beautiful countryside and long winding roads.  We found an area just ten minutes from where we are now that Hubby and I both declared we would love to live one day.  It is country but still close to our area, in fact it is still basically the same suburb but you would think you were a world away.

Anyway, back to Healesville.  The sanctuary is actually covered under your Zoo membership when you join up.  In Victoria , a visit to the  Zoo is a much cheaper option than back in Adelaide.  If you go on the weekend or in the school holidays children under 16 are free,,,,a huge savings when you have a few kidlets with you!  Hubby and I decided that since it is our first year here and we hadn't been to the zoos here, that we would get a membership.  It cost us $184 for a yearly membership which also includes the kids.  For that, we can go to either the Melbourne Zoo, Healesville Sanctuary and Werribee Open Range Zoo as many times as we like.  Also we are covered for zoos in other states as well (sadly we probably won't get to visit any others but at least we can if the opportunity happens to arise lol).

So on Sunday we ventured to Healesville and it was a beautiful day.  The only thing that disappointed us was there there was no where for the kids to actually pat the kangaroos or anything for that matter really.  It is definitely treated more as an animal sanctuary rather than allowing people to mingle with the animals.  In Adelaide there is the Gorge Wildlife Park which is truly fantastic.  You can walk in amongst the kangaroos, hand feeding them and they also do koala sessions where you can actually hold a koala free of charge and take photos etc.  Its  great for the kids to be able to have this sort of interaction with animals I think.  At Healesville you have to pay a further $25 per person for the animal interaction session which only lasts for 10 minutes!  Way too commercialised for my liking.  But overall, this Sanctuary is a beautiful place to visit and we will be returning here, next time with a picnic lunch.  One thing I did like was the dingos walking around the park with their keepers.  Once again you weren't allowed to touch but to be able to get nice and close to these beautiful animals was amazing, especially for the kids (we left with pleas of "Can we get a dingo puppy??" lol).

I will leave you with some photos of our day,,,,excuse the picture quality, I left my camera behind and only had my phone with me :(

The gorgeous dingoes

Little Poser :)

The Lineup

Lyrebird - so pretty

My boys having a rest

Zooperman - yet another superhero wearing his undies on the outside lol

The beauty and elegance of a Wedge Tailed Eagle

Gorgeous little orphan wombat the sanctuary is raising

Amazing wood carving

My little Zooperman

and a not quite as willing Zooperman lol

Sunbathing Pelicans

My boys posing with an Emu statue,,,,,you will just have to believe me that there is an emu statue there somewhere lol

Can you see the platypus

In the animal hospital

Also in the Animal Hospital

Red Kangaroos

More kangaroos,,,,I think these were Eastern Greys but can't be sure

Who doesn't love a koala

Have a beautiful day everyone!!