Come to this family owned park for a day with the local animals of Australia!

Phillip Island is a haven of wildlife, boasting numerous opportunities for you to get up close and personal with some of Australia’s best-loved creatures, including kangaroos, wallabies, and koalas.

At Maru Wildlife Park, you can pet koalas and see other native Australian species as they frolic in their natural habitat. As well as a diverse array of animal life, you can also have a go on the exciting pirate-themed mini-golf course and tuck into delicious food at the Homestead Bistro.

The Park is ideally located on the Bass Highway, just fifteen minutes from the Penguin Parade so you can combine a visit with other exciting adventures.

The Wildlife Park’s Residents

There are a range of Aussie animals who call this park their home! From jumping kangaroos and wallabies roaming about the grassland to wombats snoozing in their burrows. As well as the mammals of Australia, the park is jam-packed with unusual reptiles and colourful birds, including a creature which is as close to a dinosaur as you can get; the saltwater crocodile! Visitors can grab a map and wander the paved walking tracks weaving around each animal enclosure! No matter what age you are, these unique creatures are sure to excite you, with many being quite hard to spot in the wild.

Animal Encounters at Maru Wildlife Park

The incredible animal encounters at Maru Wildlife Park are what draw in visitors the most to this fascinating attraction.

While on-site, you can pet a koala and hand feed an albino kangaroo, as well as walk with dingoes and make conversation with the resident parrots. Elsewhere, you can meet Honey to golden possum and hold a real python snake.

Every hour there are animal tours, where the relevant Keepers take you right inside the enclosure and share fun facts about the animals’ behavior, habitat, and diet. Get to know more about some of Australia’s native species, like wombats, Tasmanian Devils, dingoes, wallabies, and colourful bird species.

Don’t forget to bring your camera, too, as there are plenty of photo opportunities during these close encounter experiences.

Try Your Hand at Mini-Golf

Once you’ve experienced the animal life and learn more about the native species of Australia, why not try your hand at mini-golf?

The fun course at Maru Wildlife Park boats 18 holes of pirating fun for all the family, with life-size pirate figures to guide you along the way as well as many other unique and eye-catching statues that make the course that little bit more exciting. If there are members of your family that are pirate-mad, don’t miss the Autumn pirate festival that takes place at the park every year.

Maru Wildlife Park provides the perfect introduction to the vast array of animal life in Australia. From native species to colourful bird life and beyond, you’ll learn everything you want to know about the country’s best-loved creatures.

And, if that wasn’t enough, you can get up close and personal with them too in the unique animal encounters. When you’ve finished, play some mini-golf with the family and enjoy a delicious meal in the on-site restaurant.

Explore the Philip Island Tours

Cameron Ward
Cameron Ward
Managing Director at Sightseeing Tours Australia

Cameron Ward began with a passion for travel and turned it into a thriving tourism business. He co-founded Sightseeing Tours Australia after starting out as a tour guide in Melbourne. Cameron delights in helping visitors get the most from their trip to Australia. Whether he's leading tours or writing about his favourite places, Cameron loves sharing his local insight with fellow travellers.

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