Ballarat Wildlife Park

Wander through the park with kangaroos roaming freely around you, stop to hand-feed them along the way and get up close to koalas, wombats, Tasmanian devils, reptiles and more. Alongside its Australian wildlife, the park is also home to animals including tigers, meerkats, giant tortoises and crocodiles, making it an easy place to spend several hours exploring.

What you’ll experience

• Hand-feed free-roaming kangaroos throughout the park
• See koalas, wombats, Tasmanian devils, dingoes and emus
• Visit the Reptile House, home to snakes, lizards and other reptiles
• See tigers, meerkats, giant tortoises, crocodiles and alligators
• Watch scheduled keeper presentations and animal talks throughout the day
• Book an animal encounter for an even closer experience with selected animals
• Stop for lunch or a coffee at the café, or bring your own picnic to enjoy in the park

Best Time to Visit:

• Open daily from 9am–5pm
• Arrive in the morning so you have plenty of time to explore and plan your visit around the animal presentations
• Weekends include additional presentations, including the crocodilian presentation and tiger talk

Suitable For:

• Families
• Couples
• Animal lovers
• International visitors wanting to see Australian wildlife
• Anyone who enjoys interactive wildlife experiences

Accessibility:

• Wheelchair and pram accessible - paths are mainly concrete or gravel, although some areas have uneven ground and inclines
• The main kangaroo area includes grass and dirt surfaces
• Assistance animals cannot enter the park grounds due to the free-roaming and resident animals

Time Needed:

• Allow at least 2–3 hours, although it’s easy to spend half a day or longer if you want to see several animal presentations, stop for lunch or book an animal encounter. The park itself recommends allowing a minimum of two hours.

Insider Tip:

• You can purchase bags of kangaroo food when you arrive. Make sure to keep some for later in your visit - with more than 100 kangaroos roaming freely through the park, hand-feeding them is one of the highlights.