Healesville Sanctuary & Warburton redwoods
Full day · ~10 hours
The best native-wildlife day near Melbourne. Healesville Sanctuary is bushland home to koalas, kangaroos, wombats, dingoes and the famous platypus house — far closer to the animals than a city zoo. From there we wind up the Yarra Valley to Warburton's surreal planted redwood forest for the photos everyone's seen on Instagram, with a chocolaterie stop on the way home.
Why it's famous
Discover Healesville & Redwoods.
Healesville Sanctuary is Zoos Victoria's bushland home for native wildlife in the Yarra Valley. Instead of cages and concrete, paths wind through tall forest to Kangaroo Country, Dingo Country, the Koala Forest boardwalk up in the gum treetops and the World of the Platypus — one of the easiest places anywhere to watch this shy, extraordinary animal up close.
Further up the valley, near Warburton, stands a forest that looks like it belongs in California. Californian redwoods were planted at Cement Creek in the 1930s as part of a hydrology experiment, and today the 90-year-old trees rise in striking, perfectly straight rows — a hushed, cathedral-like grove inside Yarra Ranges National Park.
In between sits the Yarra Valley itself: rolling vineyards, country pubs, cafés and producers, all about an hour from Melbourne. The day finishes at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie on 40 acres at Yarra Glen, where you can watch chocolatiers at work through large viewing windows.
What you'll see & do
- Meet koalas, kangaroos, wombats, dingoes and Tasmanian devils in bushland habitats at Healesville Sanctuary
- Watch platypus swim in the World of the Platypus
- Catch Spirits of the Sky, the sanctuary's daily presentation of raptors, owls and parrots in flight
- Walk among rows of 90-year-old Californian redwoods at Cement Creek, East Warburton
- Follow the Cement Creek trail through ferns and tall eucalypts to the Yarra River
- Lunch at a bakery, pub or café on Healesville's main street
- Watch chocolatiers at work and browse hundreds of chocolates at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie
- Take in vineyard and mountain views across the Yarra Valley on the drive
Why you'll love it
- Guaranteed platypus sightings at Healesville's platypus house
- Koalas, wombats and dingoes in bushland enclosures
- The surreal planted redwood forest at Warburton
- A stop at the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie
$499 AUD — total. No hidden anything.
One fixed price per vehicle (up to 7 people). Here's exactly what that covers:
- Fixed price in AUDThe price you see is the total — per vehicle, up to 7 people
- No hidden chargesNo booking fees, no card surcharges, no surprises
- Tolls, fuel & parking includedEverything the car needs is in the price
- No driver or waiting chargesYour driver and reasonable waiting are included
- Hotel / home pickup & drop-offDoor-to-door across Melbourne — included free
- FREE airport pickup with any tourBook a tour and we collect you from the airport at no charge
- Pay at the END of the tourNo prepayment, no deposit — PayID, cash or card
See it on film
Official videos
Virtual Tour of Healesville Sanctuary
Official video · Zoos Victoria
Dive into the World of Platypus at Healesville Sanctuary!
Official video · Zoos Victoria
Discover the Yarra Valley Chocolaterie
Official video · Yarra Valley & Dandenong Ranges
Your day, stop by stop
What we’ll do.
Times are guidance — we adjust on the day to your group’s pace.
Send this itinerary to your group:
- 08
08:30
Pickup from your home
Across the city while the roads are quiet.
- 10
10:00
Healesville Sanctuary
3+ hours with koalas, roos, wombats and the platypus house. Check the keeper-talk times on arrival.
Zoos Victoria's bushland sanctuary in the Yarra Valley, with Kangaroo Country, Dingo Country, the Koala Forest boardwalk, the World of the Platypus and the daily Spirits of the Sky bird presentation.
Official website ↗🎟️ Booking recommended
Buy your entry tickets online before the day; animal experiences (koala, kangaroo, VIP tour) are booked separately
- 13
13:30
Lunch in Healesville
Bakery, pub or café on the main street.
Healesville is the Yarra Valley's gateway town, with country pubs, cafés and bakeries along its main street.
Official website ↗ - 14
14:30
Redwood Forest, Warburton
1,500 Californian redwoods in perfect rows — cathedral-quiet and unreal on camera.
Californian redwoods planted at Cement Creek in the 1930s as part of a hydrology experiment, now over 90 years old and standing in striking uniform rows within Yarra Ranges National Park. There are no bins or toilets on site — check Parks Victoria for any access alerts before you go.
Official website ↗ - 16
16:00
Yarra Valley Chocolaterie
Chocolate, gelato and river views. Dangerous for the wallet.
A chocolate destination on 40 acres at Yarra Glen with large viewing windows onto the chocolatiers, a huge range of handcrafted chocolates, freshly churned ice cream and a café with valley views.
Official website ↗ - 18
18:00
Drop-off at home
Door-to-door return.
Getting there
How far is it?
Every numbered stop on one map — shown from the CBD for scale. Your day is door-to-door from your home, we handle all the driving, tolls and parking. Tap the map for Google Maps.
Tickets & bookings
Book your tickets before the day.
Attraction entry isn’t included in the fare — buy it directly from the official sites below (no mark-up, no middleman). Tell us your session times and we’ll plan the driving around them.
Healesville Sanctuary
Buy your entry tickets online before the day; animal experiences (koala, kangaroo, VIP tour) are booked separately
zoo.org.au
Healesville Sanctuary — Zoos Victoria
Recommended — buy online before the day; check the keeper-talk times
zoo.org.au
What’s included
- Premium 8-seat MPV for the whole day
- Driver, fuel and all road tolls
- Door-to-door pickup and drop-off
- Up to 10 hours from pickup to drop-off
- Comfort stops on request
Not included
- Healesville Sanctuary entry tickets
- Meals, snacks and chocolate
- Guided commentary (we drive — exploring is yours)
Common questions
Good to know.
- Is the redwood forest walk hard?
- No — it's a flat, short walk from the carpark on an unsealed path. Comfortable shoes are enough.
- Can we swap the chocolaterie for a winery?
- Yes — the route passes several Yarra Valley cellar doors, so tell us at booking and we'll slot one in.
- Will we definitely see a platypus?
- Healesville's indoor platypus house means yes, rain or shine — it's one of the few places in the world you reliably see them.
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Ready for Healesville & Redwoods?
Send us your preferred date and group size — we’ll confirm availability within a business day.
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