Maru Koala & Animal Park

Maru Koala & Animal Park A tourist attraction, including an Animal Park, Pirate Pete's Mini-golf and the Homestead Bistro. Enjoy the Wildlife show in our covered auditorium.

Founded, owned and operated by the Heffer family, at Maru we personally ensure you get the most out of your visit. Pat a koala and hand feed and pat the kangaroos and wallabies, rare albinos and meet the wombats, dingoes and other delightful creatures at the Animal Park. Enjoy hourly koala tours where the Keeper will introduce you to our koala family inside their enclosure. Take advantage of the o

pportunity to get a photograph up close with one of our Koalas! Learn about our Wildlife Shelter and enjoy frequent talks given by our animal keepers that help you learn about the animals as you interact with them. There are plenty of photo opportunities to ensure that you have souvenirs to share your experience with family and friends. There’s more to Maru than animals! Set sail for 18 holes of adventure at Pirate Pete’s Mini-golf, officially opened in June 2008. Putt your way around the thirty meter Pirate Ship, encounter life size Pirate figurines and enter the gold mine under the five meter thunderous waterfall. Only fifteen minutes from Phillip Island, Maru is a great day out, where you can also enjoy a meal or a snack in our licensed Homestead Bistro whilst the kids enjoy the outdoor play area.

🐍✨ Snake Enrichment in Action! ✨🐍Check out Amelia the Centralian Carpet Python exploring her enrichment climbing board. ...
27/03/2025

🐍✨ Snake Enrichment in Action! ✨🐍

Check out Amelia the Centralian Carpet Python exploring her enrichment climbing board. 🐍 Enrichment like this helps improve muscle tone, coordination, and overall well-being, as well as mimicking the challenges they’d face in the wild (they climb trees!)

Then and now!! βœ¨πŸ’šOur 2 year old Koala, Ash, has certainly grown a lot since he first emerged from the pouch at 6 months ...
26/03/2025

Then and now!! βœ¨πŸ’š

Our 2 year old Koala, Ash, has certainly grown a lot since he first emerged from the pouch at 6 months old (first photo!) 🐨 However, there could still be more growing to do, as male koalas typically reach full physical maturity at 4-5 years old!

Hump day is on the horizon, Uncle Fester can smell it!! 🐽Tasmanian Devils have an amazing sense of smell, being able to ...
25/03/2025

Hump day is on the horizon, Uncle Fester can smell it!! 🐽

Tasmanian Devils have an amazing sense of smell, being able to detect scents from up to 1km away!

πŸ“Έ- Uncle Fester, our 6 year old Tasmanian Devil

Happy National Eucalyptus Day! 🌳 πŸƒToday we recognise the vital role the Euclyptus tree plays in Australia's ecosystem. B...
23/03/2025

Happy National Eucalyptus Day! 🌳 πŸƒ

Today we recognise the vital role the Euclyptus tree plays in Australia's ecosystem. Being one of the most prominant trees in Australia, Eucalyptus provides shelter for countless species, and a food source to animals like Koalas 🐨. With over 800 species of this tree that covers more than 101 million hectares across the country, you can see why this tree is so important πŸƒ

Unfortunataly Eucalyptus is one of the most logged trees in Australia, which in time, will prove devastating to our ecosystem in countless ways.... but you can help !!

One of the best ways to preserve our trees is by remembering the 3 R's;

1. Reduce
2. Reuse
3. Recycle ♻️

By recycling, we can continue to utilise the resources we already have, while preserving as many trees as possible, and reducing logging rates.

You can also help by donating to a 'sponsor a tree' program like we have here at Maru! Ask our friendly staff more about the program next time you come visit ❀️

πŸ“· Ash

Did you know, that even though Wombats are a nocturnal animal travelling up to 3km in search of food in the night, they ...
22/03/2025

Did you know, that even though Wombats are a nocturnal animal travelling up to 3km in search of food in the night, they are actually quite sedentary! They will get up and eat as much as they can, while taking periodic naps throughout the night 😴 πŸ’€
What a life!

πŸ“· Minya, our 4 year old Southern Hairy-Nosed Wombat

Our Tawny Frogmouth, Chuppa Chup, is often mistaken for either an owl or a tree branch, despite being neither of these t...
20/03/2025

Our Tawny Frogmouth, Chuppa Chup, is often mistaken for either an owl or a tree branch, despite being neither of these things! πŸ¦‰ 🌿

Tawny Frogmouths are more closely related to Nightjars than owls, and whilst their mottled grey feathers and posture help them camoflauge as a dead tree branch, they are infact, living, breathing (and beautiful) birds!

Sssssleeping sssssoundly πŸ’€πŸAs snakes don’t have eyelids, they sleep with their eyes wide open! πŸ‘€ You might think this wo...
19/03/2025

Sssssleeping sssssoundly πŸ’€πŸ

As snakes don’t have eyelids, they sleep with their eyes wide open! πŸ‘€ You might think this would make it hard to tell if they’re snoozing away, but other signs such as slowed breathing, a still body and a lack of tongue flicking can all indicate a slumbering serpent πŸπŸ’€

πŸ“Έ- Amelia, our Centralian Carpet Python

Meet Chickpea the Peachick 🦚 Chickpea is our youngest peafowl at Maru, and whilst it's easy to tell the difference betwe...
16/03/2025

Meet Chickpea the Peachick 🦚

Chickpea is our youngest peafowl at Maru, and whilst it's easy to tell the difference between adults, male and female juveniles look very similar!
There is one small difference, which is the head crest; blue for males and green for females. πŸ’š πŸ’™

Make sure to look out for Chickpea here at Maru! 🐨 ❀️

Wanna see some real speed !! Well you won't with these little cuties, their top speed is 2.3km per hour.But that waddle ...
15/03/2025

Wanna see some real speed !!

Well you won't with these little cuties, their top speed is 2.3km per hour.
But that waddle is just far too cute 😍

πŸ“·- Snorkles our Male Echidna

Odin, our male Quokka has been keeping cool over the past few days by enjoying a crisp vegetable snack in the afternoon!...
12/03/2025

Odin, our male Quokka has been keeping cool over the past few days by enjoying a crisp vegetable snack in the afternoon! πŸ₯•πŸ πŸŒ½

Can you guess what his fave veggie is? (Hint- It’s not the one he’s holding in this photo!)

Our Dingoes are curious canines, using their strong sense of smell to investigate the scent samples (fleece, fur and poo...
11/03/2025

Our Dingoes are curious canines, using their strong sense of smell to investigate the scent samples (fleece, fur and poo) of other Maru animals that the keepers have scattered throughout their habitat ! 🌳 This is a form of enrichment that promotes mental fulfilment and encourages natural behaviours 🐽

πŸ“Έ- Banjo, Ella and Molly, our 10 year old Alpine Dingoes

When you realise its Monday tomorrow πŸ˜ͺ (even though all you do is eat and sleep...its hard work!!!)πŸ“· Coral, our 6 year o...
09/03/2025

When you realise its Monday tomorrow πŸ˜ͺ (even though all you do is eat and sleep...its hard work!!!)

πŸ“· Coral, our 6 year old female Koala

Happy International Womens Day  πŸŽ‰ Today we celebrate all the hard working and dedictated Women, not just here at maru, b...
08/03/2025

Happy International Womens Day πŸŽ‰

Today we celebrate all the hard working and dedictated Women, not just here at maru, but across the world🌎

Women make up about 64% of the zookeeping industry in Australia, and are an integeral part of wildlife conservation!

Today is a day to celebrate all the wonderful women in your life 🌟
So to the Women at Maru, we thank you and today we celebrate you ❀️

Did you know a frog's feet can help to identify the species? Different types of frogs will have different feet and toes ...
05/03/2025

Did you know a frog's feet can help to identify the species? Different types of frogs will have different feet and toes depending on their natural habitat.
This is the typical structure of a tree frog with what look like suction cups on the toes. The microscopic cell structure on these pads resemble bristles, and combined with a mucus secretion create an adhesion effect, allowing tree frogs to "stick" to trees and leaves in their natural environment or our walls and windows at home.

Photo: Jeremiah, one of our green tree frogs showing off the secrets of his superpower

When someone tells you, you're not a bear !!Despite Koala's 🐨 often bring called Koala bear's 🐻They are not bears they a...
04/03/2025

When someone tells you, you're not a bear !!

Despite Koala's 🐨 often bring called Koala bear's 🐻
They are not bears they are marsupials,
They are more closely related to Wombat's.

πŸ“·- Kya our 2 year old Female Koala 🐨

Happy world wildlife day!  🌱The theme for this years world wildlife day is "Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in ...
03/03/2025

Happy world wildlife day! 🌱

The theme for this years world wildlife day is "Wildlife Conservation Finance: Investing in People and Planet". Tourism is a huge part of conservation, so by visiting Maru you are helping contribute directly to our conservation message. So thank you so all the visitors who have stopped by to see all of our native wildlife 🐨 πŸƒ

πŸ“· Nova, our 11 month old Koala

When you love your food so much you must stand in it πŸ˜‹ The Quokkas are settling in to their home very nicely and we have...
02/03/2025

When you love your food so much you must stand in it πŸ˜‹

The Quokkas are settling in to their home very nicely and we have already worked out that the way to Hera's heart ❀️ is definitely though her stomach.

πŸ“·- Hera one of our Female Quokkas
Ft. Medusa in the background

Address

1650 Bass Highway Grantville
Melbourne, VIC
3984

Opening Hours

Monday 9:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 9:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 9:30am - 5pm
Thursday 9:30am - 5pm
Friday 9:30am - 5pm
Saturday 9:30am - 5pm
Sunday 9:30am - 5pm

Telephone

+61356788548

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