Around the Sanctuary

Nestled just an hour from Melbourne in the Yarra Valley, is the bushland animal sanctuary Healesville; a haven for Australia’s unique wildlife. We followed our guide along paths where we spotted koalas lounging in eucalyptus trees and kangaroos hopping gracefully across the open land. (Karen’s note — most kangaroos were just lounging in the grass. If he saw some graceful loping across the paths, I must have been in a different part of the park. Several locals commented on how lazy kangaroos are, rarely summoning the energy to move about.) We tried to catch a glimpse of the elusive platypus. We passed the enclosures for the dingoes and the burrowing wombats. We got several renditions of the story about the woman who claimed the dingo had stolen her baby. Everyone had an opinion. The final consensus — it ruined her and the rest of her family’s life forever, whether she was at fault or not.

Everyone Loves Koalas

The number one attraction at the sanctuary were the cuddly koalas, lounging in their eucalyptus trees with an air of leisurely indifference. Most of them were fast asleep, their fluffy bodies nestled against the branches, blissfully unaware of the visitors admiring their cuteness. They are so cute and cuddly that tourists actually pay extra just to have a close encounter with them, and pet or stroke them. It was all crazy to us, that need to touch a wild animal.

Artwork

In addition to the enchanting array of animals, since they moved so slowly, or not at all, allowing Randy to get plenty of great photo images of them, the sanctuary offered this great series of artworks. We wandered through vibrant mosaics, looking like postage stamps, capturing the images of the quintessential animals of the continent. So if you did not get a chance to spot these animals in the wild, or at the several sanctuaries across the country, here was what you missed.

Bird Show

The highlight of our visit to the sanctuary was a bird presentation. Feeling just like the rest of the audience, school kids on a field trip to the zoo, which is exactly what we were, we eagerly waited for the trainers to bring birds of prey and vibrant parrots out of their enclosures. The bird master/trainers repeatedly expressed their gratitude to the birds willing to perform, as each bird had a choice of whether or not it wanted to be put on display. Clearly they were coaxed with several treats. One bird needed a beak trim and was happy to let it be ground down using a Dremel tool. Very funny. As the raptors got bigger so did the show. Everyone’s focus was on the stage (mine too), while her assistant walked behind us (unknown to us) and then the woman in front launched the giant bird. We did not realize until it cam barreling towards that its destination was just behind our heads. I felt like it was going to fly right into me, and we all squealed and ducked! One of the last things, a buzzard hawk demonstrated how to use a tool to open an egg. They gave the buzzard an egg (with a treat inside) and a rock. The buzzard knew how to pick up the rock and slam it into the egg eventually cracking the egg open and finding the treat.

Wine Tasting

After visiting the sanctuary, we stopped at Yarra Valley Wine for a wonderful lunch. The meal was absolutely delicious, showcasing the local flavors with fresh ingredients. The wine tasting that followed was an entertaining experience; while some of the selections were more drinkable than others, we had a great time with our new companions. The picturesque vineyard setting added to the charm, making it a perfect end to our day of exploration.