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Victoria’s best petting zoos, children’s farms and animal encounters
From farm animals to native wildlife, these are the best petting zoos, children's farms and animal encounters in Melbourne and across Victoria.
Living in an urban environment has many benefits, but it can at times feel removed from nature. Luckily, Victoria is home to a swathe of petting zoos, children's farms and animal encounter experiences perfect for the whole family.
These animal parks, farms and wildlife sanctuaries all offer something a little different, depending on the interests and age of the visitors, as well as their comfort level. Head to Healesville for a hands-off encounter with a koala or take a trip to Ballarat to meet a mob of cheeky meerkats - or even feed a tiger. For something more pastoral, a number of working and tourism-based farms around Melbourne welcome guests to partake in everything from cow milking to tractor rides.
Before you embark on your animal adventure, ensure that your car is prepared and safe for your road trip, pack an emergency car safety kit, and update your emergency roadside assistance plan. Download the VicEmergency app to your phone to check for official bushfire and extreme weather warnings.
Electric car owners are also advised to check EV charging availability along the route prior to leaving. RACV Members can access information about EV charging stations via the RACV App.
The best petting zoos, children's farms and animal encounters near Melbourne
Collingwood Children’s Farm
18 St Heliers Street, Abbotsford 3067
Collingwood Children's Farm is renowned for giving inner-city kids a taste of real farm life. Located on the banks of the Yarra River in Abbotsford, the farm is home to cows, horses, sheep, chickens, pigs, goats, cats and guinea pigs.
Visitors to the farm can enjoy releasing (and rounding up) the poultry, petting goats, cuddling with guinea pigs, brushing cows, watch animal feedings, and more. There's even the chance to get a photo on the farm tractor.
Activities change daily. Visit the farm's Instagram page to see the daily schedule, which is posted each morning. The farm has a café that serves breakfast and lunch. It uses the organic fruits, vegetables, and herbs that are grown on-site wherever possible.
Ballarat Wildlife Park
250 Fussell St, Ballarat East 3350
Ballarat Wildlife Park is located not far from RACV Goldfields Resort and is home to native and non-native wildlife.
The attraction offers a wide range of interactive animal encounters: guests can feed a cassowary, pat a tree kangaroo, hang out with a snake, take a photo with a koala, say 'hi' to Hugo the giant tortoise or even get up close to the park's mob of cheeky meerkats.
Ballarat Wildlife Park is also the only place in Victoria where you can (safely) hand-feed one of the park's two Sumatran tigers - brother and sister Kai and Akasha.
Wildlife presentations showcasing the park's dingoes, little penguins, Tasmanian devils, reptiles and crocodile also occur regularly.
Ballarat Wildlife Park has diverse range of wildlife encounters to choose from, including kangaroos, meerkats and even a tiger. Image: Visit Victoria.
Bundoora Park Farm
1069 Plenty Rd, Bundoora 3083
Visitors of all ages can enjoy feeding the animals and cuddling the guinea pigs at Bundoora Park Farm. The park is open every day and is easily accessible from the Melbourne CBD via the Route 86 tram (alight at Stop 61).
In addition to the animal-handling activities, the park runs education and recreation programs as well as hosting students interested in agriculture.
Take some time to explore the Heritage Village while at the site, with some of the colonial era farm buildings dating back to 1899. Pack a picnic to enjoy at one of the picnic areas or buy your lunch from the Bundoora Park Café.
Read more: The best picnic spots in Victoria.
Moonlit Sanctuary
550 Tyabb-Tooradin Rd, Pearcedale 3912
One of the best known residents of Moonlit Sanctuary is Mary the common wombat. What isn't common about Mary, however, is how friendly she is. Twice a day guests to the sanctuary can visit Mary during her lunch to give her back pats and learn more about her species from her keeper.
Mary isn't the only animal you can meet at Moonlit Sanctuary, with the attraction also offering dingo, emu, barn owl, goshawk and kookaburra encounters (note that not all encounters allow guests to physically touch the animal).
Moonlit Sanctuary runs wallaby feedings, keeper talks and presentations and nighttime tours where you can see potoroos, gliders, quolls, pademelons and other nocturnal native animals up close.
Animal Land
200 Duncans Ln, Diggers Rest 3427
Melbourne's western suburbs are home to Animal Land, a working farm that's on a mission to provide visitors with an authentic farm experience.
The award-winning, family-owned business has been operating since 1985 and gives you the chance to nurse baby animals, collect eggs, milk cows, feed animals and go on a pony ride. Guests are able to explore the farm at their leisure with a café, picnic, barbecue and play areas all available on site.
Animal Land also hosts children's parties and farmstay accommodation (you can even collect fresh eggs for your breakfast).
Visitors to Moonlit Sanctuary can meet and pat Mary the Wombat during her lunchtime. Image: Visit Victoria.
The Funky Farm
209 Coolart Road, Hastings
The Funky Farm is a boutique private farm that offers hands-on experiences with a range of native and non-native animals.
There are more than 200 critters to meet in total, including wallabies, emus, snakes, gliders, lizards, dingoes, wombats and two crocodiles (lovingly named Crikey and Fluffy).
A significant number of the Funky Farm animals have been rescued, hand-fed back to health and nursed through illness – so the kids will get a big education in animal care as well as some cherished memories.
Chesterfield Farm
1221 Ferntree Gully Rd, Scoresby
Chesterfield Farm has a long agricultural history, with the land having been used for dairy farming since 1893. These days you can visit the 40ha farm and meet a variety of animals, as well as learning about how a farm runs and where our food comes from.
Families can meet pigs, goats, cows, ducks, chickens, ponies, rabbits and even an ostrich and camel. Cow milking and sheepdog demonstrations are each held once a day, with tractor rides also available.
One of the top attractions is the animal nursery. Visit during lambing (typically August) season for an extra dose of cuteness.
Edendale Farm
30 Gastons Rd, Eltham
Edendale might be small, but this seven-acre working farm is passionate about educating visitors on sustainable land practices, growing produce, and the process of farming other animal products.
Animals you can visit at Edenvale include guinea pigs, sheep, alpacas, goats, ponies and a selection of small native animals and insects. The chicken pens are usually open for visitors to enter, and a small donation buys you a bag of chicken feed to gift to your new feathery friends. Other animal enclosures should not be entered.
From August each year you may spot lambs frolicking about with their mothers, while from September you can expect the arrival of kids (baby goats).
You can have a close encounter with a kangaroo at Healesville Sanctuary, but in the interests of animal welfare it is a hands-off experience. Image: Visit Victoria.
The Big Goose
233 Mornington-Tyabb Rd, Moorooduc
The Big Goose is a great school holiday or weekend attraction for families, with its big red barn looking like something straight out of Old McDonald's farm.
Inside that barn you'll find friendly bunnies and guinea pigs ready for a cuddle, with lambs, goats, chickens and ducks also available to meet and feed. The farm's resident kangaroos, wallabies and emus are also always happy to meet new friends that come with edible gifts (food can be purchased for $3.00 a bag).
Not only is there a cast of native and non-native animals to meet at The Big Goose, but there's also a huge all-weather adventure playground, pirate ship, mazes, mini golf course, splash park and free tractor rides.
Healesville Sanctuary
Glen Eadie Ave, Healesville
Healesville Sanctuary has been advocating for native Australian animals since 1934. Each visit to the zoo helps support its conservation efforts through research, rescue, rehabilitation and breeding programs.
The zoo offers many different animal encounters where you enjoy up-close experiences with the resident koalas, kangaroos, echidnas, parrots, dingoes and even a platypus (Healesville is notable as only one of two places in the world to have successfully bred a platypus in captivity). For welfare reasons, Healesville Sanctuary does not allow guests to touch the animals but you are welcome to take photographs for personal use.
RACV Healesville Country Club and Resort is located just 10 minutes drive from Healesville Sanctuary, making it a great base for a weekend away in the country.
