DCR Images - Ballarat Wildlife Park

Diane Ross

Ballarat • Grampians • Healesville • Kangaroo Island • Ocean Road

Phillips Island • Tasmania • Wilsons Prom • Misc

Ballarat Wildlife Park is similar to the Healesville Sanctuary but it is much smaller. It has a couple unique features that make it a worthwhile visit. First, you can get your photo taken with a Koala Bear. You can’t actually hold the Koala but I did pet them while they were taking my picture. Second, they sell food for you to feed to the kangaroos. That makes for very friendly kangaroos.

As soon as I entered the park a kangaroo came hopping right over. He was a very smart kangaroo. Most of the kangaroos hang out at the picnic area on the back side of the park. There were not too many by the entrance. By waylaying customers at the entrance this kangaroo gets to eat without competition. However, you should save some of your food for the picnic area.

Friendly kangaroos are both good and bad for photography. You can get real close. The problem actually is staying far enough away for the camera to focus. Every time I knelt down the kangaroos would come over looking for food. It is hard to take a picture of a kangaroo that is two inches away from you.

Once you run out of food try scratching the kangaroos under the chin. They really seem to like that.