Woodlands Track
Open
All non-members must pre-book online. Zoo Members can show their member card at the zoo gate.
The captivating Australian bushland of Healesville’s Woodland Track is home to an array of forest animals. This native ecosystem is alive with birds and mammals, from kookaburras and emus to wombats and wallabies. Take a breath, listen to the bird calls, spot a joey, and savour the sanctuary’s tranquil surrounds.
Emu
Emus are native to Australia and are found across most of the country. They can't fly, but they can run as fast as 40-50km per hour. Emus enjoy eating plants and occasionally insects. Male emus are dedicated parents, preparing nests for their chicks and caring for them after hatching.
Lace Monitor
The solitary Lace Monitor is found in forests and coastal tableland habitats across eastern and south-eastern South Australia. They have a long forked tongue and a nasty bite. This beautifully patterned monitor eats insects, birds, small mammals, eggs and small reptiles. If threatened, they use their claws to shelter in trees.
Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby (southern population)
In Victoria, the Brush-tailed Rock-wallaby now exists in only two small and isolated locations.
Conservation Status
Vulnerable
Barn Owl
Barn Owls live throughout Australia, but are rarely seen, as they are most active and fly at night. They have heart-shaped faces and like to sleep in hollow logs, caves or dense trees in the daytime. Barn Owls love snacking on mice and smaller birds, and the occasional tasty lizard.
Australian Pelican
Australian Pelicans are found throughout Australia, Papua New Guinea, Solomon Islands and Indonesia. Known for their long bills (40 to 50cm!), wide wingspans, and throat pouches, Pelicans travel long distances to find food. Pelicans form large flocks and sometimes work together to capture food, driving fish into shallow water for a shared feast.
Kookaburra
A Kookaburra laugh is Australia's unofficial national sound. These chortling carnivores are part of the Kingfisher family and enjoy feasting on mice, insects, small reptiles and smaller birds. While Blue-winged Kookaburras (pictured) don't chortle like their Laughing Kookaburra relatives, their flashy blue colourings make them iconic for an entirely different reason.
Animals of the Night
Enter the darkness to spot an array of nocturnal natives.
Tasmanian Devil
Tasmanian Devils are the largest carnivorous marsupials in the world.
Conservation Status
Endangered