What are the 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

Maru Koala & Animal Park

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Australia
Melbourne, VIC
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.

10/09/2024

As the days warm up little Nova is starting to spend more and more time out of the pouch! 🌞 Keep your eyes peeled for the sweet 7 month old joey as you stroll along our koala boardwalk 🐨

07/09/2024

Covering her eyes to the threat of extinction! ❌️ 😱

Today marks exactly 88 years since the Tasmanian Tiger was declared extinct. This is a fate that we must protect our threatened species from.

Niquoll the Tiger Quoll is a member of one of those threatened species. It is estimated that less than 10,000 wild individuals exist, a number caused primarily through habitat destruction and fragmentation.

To find out about the threatened species in your area, and to see what else you can be doing to help, head over to https://wwf.org.au/what-we-do/species/national-threatened-species-day/ to learn more.

📸 - Niquoll the Tiger Quoll

04/09/2024

Golden hour for a golden boy 🌞 Banjo the 10 year old alpine dingo loves a midweek sunbake 😎

03/09/2024

Its save a Koala Month 🐨

Its important we are acknowledging and taking steps towards protecting these unique and incredible animal's.
Tune into Maru's Socials this month to learn how to help.

📷- Coral and her beautiful baby girl Nova

01/09/2024

Happy Father's Day 💙

Today we celebrate father figures everywhere blood-related, chosen, or found.
Happy Father’s Day!

📷- Fernando our Male Common Wombat

31/08/2024

Gotta eat those greens 🍃

Eat your greens to get big and strong 💪 like Milo

📷- Milo our Male Western Grey Kangaroo

30/08/2024

In yesterday's post, we asked why koalas have frontwards facing eyes despite being prey animals - they seem to go against the general rule of 'eyes the side, run and hide / eyes to the front, go and hunt'! 👀 🐨

The reason for their forward facing eyes is for better depth perception! This helps them navigate life up high in the treetops! 🌳 Or, in the case of little Nova pictured here, helps her find the cosiest spot on mum's belly 😴

29/08/2024

BOMBASTIC 👀

Bubble the Bearded Dragon is showing off an important feature of many prey animals; the side eye! 👁 Generally speaking, predators have front facing eyes to gauge distance more accurately. Prey animals typically have side facing eyes to detect predator coming from most angles.

That just leaves one question... why do Koalas have front facing eyes? 🐨
Let us know what you think and we will let you know the answer tomorrow!

📸 - Bubble the Bearded Dragon 🐉

28/08/2024

Despite the strong winds today, Jarrah the 6 year old koala is quite content sitting up high in his tree! 🌳

Using a special plate of cartilage across their rumps, koalas are able to wedge themselves in the forks of trees to keep themselves well-balanced and comfy! You might even notice that Jarrah doesnt need to hold on with his front legs, as his bum is doing all the work!

27/08/2024

With whiskers like these, it's no wonder quolls were previously refered to as 'Native Cats'! 🐈
Despite this old nickname, quolls are not related to cats and are actually cousins of the Tasmanian Devil!

22/08/2024

Banjo soaking up the sun 🌞 in the golden hour ✨️
We think he looks so handsome 😍

📷- Banjo our Alpine Dingo

21/08/2024

Can you pull off a Mohawk ??

Jalbil sure can,
Coming into Boyd's Forest Dragon breeding season,
His girlfriend Yipi finds him especially handsome 😏

20/08/2024

Peek a boo !!

Nova sticking her head out of mums pouch to say hello 👋
Be sure to pop on down to Maru to get a glimpse of this little cutie 💓

📷- Coral and her joey Nova

17/08/2024

Our Tasmanian Devil, Uncle Fester, is loving this warm, sunny weather! Drop by Maru this weekend to spot this devilishly handsome boy sun baking in his habitat 🌞

Are you enjoying this sunny weather as much as our animals are? Or are you already missing winter!

15/08/2024

It's that time of year! 🦚

From early spring to summer, our peacocks will be trying their best to impress the peahens! Revealing a beautiful tail of about 200 feathers 🪶
Come to Maru and look out for this gorgeous courtship behaviour amongst our peafowl! 💑

📸 - Male peafowl displaying his tail with a female peafowl nearby.

14/08/2024

Let's celebrate World Lizard Day! 🦎
These unique and varied creatures make up some of our favourite critters here at Maru!
Lizards are all protected in Australia; it is illegal to harm them. However they do face many harms with habitat destruction, which is causing food and shelter to become scarcer for them!
Help us spread this important conservation message and protect not just Lizards but all of our native wildlife.
📸 - Ed the Shingleback Lizard

13/08/2024

We are thrilled to introduce our newest little girl who is the joey of koala Coral. We have named her 'Nova' after the Eucalypt species Eucalyptus nova-anglica that is a type of peppermint gum leaf. As the weather is now warming up you may be able to get a glimpse of Nova emerging from her mothers pouch when visiting Maru.

12/08/2024

Has Monday already got you yawning like Jarrah here? 🥱😴

Did you know Koalas have 30 teeth! Sharp incisors at the front snip leaves off branches, while molars at the back help cut the leaves up for digestion 😋 The gap you can see between Jarrahs front and back teeth in this photo is called a diastema - this helps koalas to effectively move leaves around in their mouth using their tongue! 👅 🍃

11/08/2024

Talk about a face full of food!

Fernando, the bare-nosed Wombat is head-first into some fresh grass. This low-energy diet is perfectly suited to the low-energy lifestyle of the Wombat, sleeping 16 hours per day! 😴 At nighttime they take their paws to work, and can dig a single tunnel up to 30 metres long. ❤️

08/08/2024

Today we celebrated Gomez the sheep’s 1st birthday! 🎉

He celebrated by sharing a platter of yummy treats with his mum, Taco 😋

06/08/2024

So... you come here often? 🦎

Mo, our Bells Phase Lace Monitor is seen peeking his head out through his favourite log. Rarely seen moving throughout winter, Mo is one of the hardest animals to spot in his habitat here at Maru!

Come down and see Mo at Maru!

05/08/2024

Koala 🐨 Golden 🌞 Hour 📸

We think Ash is looking very handsome in this light, growing into such a big Koala like his Dad, Jarrah! 🐨

📸 - Ash the 1 year old Koala eating some of his favourite gum leaf 🍃

04/08/2024

Want to get up close and learn more about the incredible animals that call Australia home? 🤔 ❓Our Wildlife Presentation held at 2pm on weekends, public and school holidays allows you to do just that! 🎉🐨🐍🐕🦎

📸-Keepers Dylan and Jess with Murray the Inland Carpet Python and Kya the Koala

03/08/2024

We’ve discovered the key to a 𝘣𝘳𝘦𝘸-tiful weekend: ☕️🦘⛳️

After venturing around the park and conquering Pirate Pete’s mini golf, head into Maru’s Homestead Bistro to indulge in one of our top 𝘬𝘰𝘢𝘭𝘢-ty coffees! We’re sure you’ll love it a 𝘭𝘢𝘵𝘵𝘦 😉 ☕️

02/08/2024

Even though Molly is an alpine dingo and is well suited for the cold weather; she is loving the sunshine we’ve been having! ☀️ With amazing weather continuing over the weekend, be sure to head to Maru to see our animals soaking in the sun!

29/07/2024

Wherefore art thou Romeo? 🎭

Easily recognised by his large scent gland, Romeo is one of our 3 male Squirrel Gliders here at Maru!
They are closely related to Sugar Gliders but are much larger and have a longer, bushier tail and longer face. Their fur is mostly grey, with a dark stripe down the middle of the head and cream patches near their ears and on their bellies.

📸 - Romeo the Squirrel Glider

28/07/2024

National Tree Day 2024 🌳

The National Tree Day program has seen Australian communities plant almost 27 million trees since 1996. These trees have been supplied through fundraising and campaigns at a local level.
To find out more about how you can help, head to https://treeday.planetark.org/ 🌳

27/07/2024

Never too cold for an Ice-Cream!🍦

A sweet treat you won't have to worry about melting in this weather. 😛
Come into Maru and choose one (or more 👀) of our 22 delicious flavours!

📸 - Kam, one of our incredible Maru team members

26/07/2024

It’s the weekend tomorrow, Kya 𝘯𝘰𝘴𝘦 it!! 🐽
Maru is open rain, hail or shine 🌧️ 🌞 Come on down this weekend and get up close and learn some more about our incredible native animals 💚

25/07/2024

Thanks to everyone who voted for us in the local business awards making us a finalist 🤗

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

Website

http://www.marukoalapark.com.au/

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Videos

KOALA MUKBANG 🐨 🍃 SOUND UP! 🔊 Jordy is munching on some delicious Eucalyptus! 🍃 At 9 years old, Jordy is our oldest Koala, but he still has some good years of leaf ahead of him! ❤️ 📹 - Jordy our 9 year old boy Koala 🐨 ♥️

To the Salon! ✂️ No, we dont take our Koalas to the salon, they groom their own lucious hair! Equipped with a "built-in hairbrush," the Rubi combs through her hair with ease! 🐨 📹 - Rubi the 3 year Old Koala

Is there anything better than a boxing session on a sunny afternoon? 🥊 Not if you ask Luna, our albino western grey kangaroo! 😂 Check out those moves! 💥

Fernando has successfully completed participating in the mange study!! 🌿 His contributions will help save his wild cousins ❤️ Thankyou to Eliza, the researcher leading this study and protecting wild wombats!! 💕

🔊 Sound Up 🔊 Rubi, our 3 year old female koala 🐨 was enjoying her breakfast 🍃 in the sunshine 🌞 this morning. These leaves must have been extra fresh, listen to that crunch!! Make sure you take advantage of our August Special for our Koala Feeding Experience running at 9am Mon - Fri. Head to our website for availabilities, bookings are essential 📅 https://bit.ly/MaruKoala

The final stage of Fernando's training! Take a look at how our keepers got him used to being handled 🌿👀

🔊 Sound Up! 🔊 How many different sounds can you identify? 🎥 - Kya the Koala eating some eucalyptus 🍃

Stage 3 of Fernando’s training! 🧠⚡️ During this stage, we practiced target training and tought Fernando where his station is! 🪵

Looking for a fun activity these school holidays? Our Keeper for a Day program is perfect for your little animal enthusiasts! Check out our website for all the details and availability https://bit.ly/MaruKeeper Hurry, bookings are essential! 🐾

Stage 2 of Fernando's training 💪 😃 Have a look at how we got him used to wearing his gas mask. 📷- Fernando our Male Bare Nosed Wombat

The first stage of Fernando's training 😀 Have a look at how our keeper's got Fernando used to tactile touch ✋️

Tune in to the Maru socials and follow along on Fernando the Wombats training journey to help save our wild wombat population! 🌿

How do you like your eggs? 🥚 Mo, our Lace Monitor, loves them hard boiled...with the shell on! Come to Maru and see Mo! You might be lucky enough to watch him eat! 😋

Due to the wild storms yesterday and continued lack of power Maru will be CLOSED TODAY at least until power returns to enable us to clean up and maintain the welfare and safety of the animals and our visitors 🎥 video taken yesterday after the storms

Our little koala joey, Ash, is growing up so quickly 🐨 His keepers love watching him grow and learn 🧠 from his mum, Grace. This morning they were both sharing their breakfast before cuddling up together for a sleep 😴 Make sure you look for this cute duo on your next visit!

Koala Joey Ash

We have a special Christmas present for you - we would like to introduce you to 'Ash' our new male koala joey! Ash is named after the type of gumtree 'Mountain Ash' and he is now regulary emerging from his mums pouch. Whilst we are closed today on Christmas Day, we will be open every other day including tomorrow Boxing Day, where if you visit you might be lucky enough to see joey Ash! Thank-you to our visitors and followers for supporing our family run business that has touched 3 generations of Heffers and where our heart still lies firmly in promoting positive animal welfare and embracing our local community. From our family to yours we wish you a very Merry Christmas and hope that your New Year is filled with friendship, laughter, happiness and good health. Best wishes from Ian, Neroli, Becky and Tabatha Heffer.

POV: Sitting on top of your breakfast makes it taste so much better 😋 Have you had the chance to feed our koala's their breakfast? 🍃 Our Koala Feeding Experience runs at 9am daily and gives you the best opportunity to see these iconic creatures up close while they are awake and active 🐨 Head to our website for details and availabilities. Bookings are essential. https://bit.ly/MaruKoala 📷 Jordy, our 8 year old male koala