Ballarat Wildlife Park

Ballarat Wildlife Park and its collection

Ballarat Wildlife Park, opened in 1987, is a zoo in Ballarat, Australia.

The ten-hectare site holds over 300 animals, among them more than 100 kangaroos roaming loose, along with a large reptile collection.

History

The founder, Greg Parker, bought his first python at ten and built a collection topping 300 reptiles of 50 species. He took a job at Healesville Sanctuary during the late 1970s and, after a year of planning, bought 10 hectares and opened the park in February 1985.

Animals and collection

The park housed Patrick, recorded as the oldest known common wombat in captivity, who died in 2017 at around 30. A five-metre saltwater crocodile named Crunch arrived in December 2013 with a female, Bella, the pair taken from the Lockhart River to replace a dead crocodile called Gator.

Things to do

Things to do include Tiger Encounter, Koala Encounter, Meerkat Encounter and Junior Keeper Program.

What the venue says

• You can enjoy lunch in our fully licensed cafe or bring along a picnic to have on our outdoor table and chairs, surrounded by the Kangaroos.
• The car park is located on-site at the park, situated on the corner of York and Fussell Streets in Ballarat East.
• Designated disabled parking spaces are conveniently located to the left of the main entrance/Gate 1 area to assist visitors with accessibility needs.