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Book Ballarat Wildlife Park Tickets

4.5(613 Ratings)

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Woman feeding a Kangaroo at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Family petting a Koala at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
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Meerkat on a woman at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Tiger at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Koala eating at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Crocodiles at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Wormbat Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Meerkat on a woman at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Woman feeding a Kangaroo at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Family petting a Koala at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
https://www.headout.com/blog/ballarat-wildlife-park/?preview=true
Meerkat on a woman at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Tiger at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Koala eating at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Crocodiles at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Wormbat Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Meerkat on a woman at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Woman feeding a Kangaroo at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Family petting a Koala at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
https://www.headout.com/blog/ballarat-wildlife-park/?preview=true
Meerkat on a woman at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Tiger at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Koala eating at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Crocodiles at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Wormbat Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Meerkat on a woman at Ballarat Wildlife Park in Melbourne
Tickets
4.5(613)

Ballarat Wildlife Park Tickets

from AU$40
AU$36

10% off

Instant confirmation
Mobile ticket
Flexible duration
  • Craving a wild adventure? Ballarat Wildlife Park is your ticket to excitement which offers a thrilling day out for animal lovers of all ages.
  • Get up close with 100+ free-roaming kangaroos! Don't miss a chance to hand-feed these friendly hoppers for an Aussie experience you won't forget.
  • Witness over 35 koalas, wombats, and emus. Remember to visit the exhibit of the world's smallest penguins – they're absolutely tiny and so lovable.
  • Say hello to the big cats Kai and Akasha, the majestic Sumatran/Siberian tigers, as they lounge and play in their state-of-the-art sanctuary.
  • Learn heaps about Aussie wildlife with presentations by meerkats, penguins, etc. You might even get to pet a koala or hold a snake if you're brave!
  • Craving a wild adventure? Ballarat Wildlife Park is your ticket to excitement which offers a thrilling day out for animal lovers of all ages.
  • Get up close with 100+ free-roaming kangaroos! Don't miss a chance to hand-feed these friendly hoppers for an Aussie experience you won't forget.
  • Witness over 35 koalas, wombats, and emus. Remember to visit the exhibit of the world's smallest penguins – they're absolutely tiny and so lovable.
  • Say hello to the big cats Kai and Akasha, the majestic Sumatran/Siberian tigers, as they lounge and play in their state-of-the-art sanctuary.
  • Learn heaps about Aussie wildlife with presentations by meerkats, penguins, etc. You might even get to pet a koala or hold a snake if you're brave!

Inclusions

  • Entry to Ballarat Wildlife Park
  • Daily animal shows & presentations
  • 12pm: Meerkat presentation
  • 12:30pm: Penguin presentation
  • 1:30pm: Dingo talk/walk
  • 2pm: Reptile presentation
  • 2:30pm: Tiger presentation
  • 3pm: Crocodilian presentation (only on weekends & holidays)
  • 3:30pm: Tasmanian Devil presentation
  • Please keep in mind that the schedule for these presentations may change without prior notice.
  • Tip: It's worth purchasing animal encounter tickets on-site to make the most of your visit.
  • This experience is accessible by wheelchair and pram/strollers.
  • Due to venue restrictions, pets cannot tag along on this experience.
  • These tickets can't be cancelled or rescheduled.

Top things to do in Melbourne

Located five minutes from Sovereign Hill, Ballarat Wildlife Park is the only regional zoo of its kind on such a large scale. Find here more than 100 kangaroos roaming around freely, and experience hand-feeding them. You can also interact with koalas, wombats, and a giant tortoise. The reptile collection here is one of the largest private collections in Australia and includes over 400 individual animals of both native and exotic origins. They also have an 'Animal Experience' where you can get a professionally clicked photo of you and an animal as a souvenir to take home. Ballarat Wildlife Park also has a fully licensed cafe where you can take away a meal.

Why Visit Ballarat Wildlife Park

From hand-feeding friendly kangaroos to patting koalas, cuddling wombats, and seeing 'Crunch' the 5-meter super croc as well as the two Sumatran tigers, there's plenty of excitement awaiting you at Ballarat Wildlife Park. You can even have your photo taken as a memento of the experience! Immerse yourself in the daily tour, as well as conservation presentations. Learn about southern cassowaries, giant tortoises, emus, and dingoes, and see cute meerkats digging around the park. The reptile house is home to snakes, frogs, and lizards. Ballarat Wildlife Park is also home to the world's smallest penguin species!

Your Ballarat Wildlife Park Ticket Explained

Your all-day access Ballarat Wildlife Park ticket includes a guided tour (scheduled to take place at 11:00 AM on the weekends only) with a local guide who will give you the inside scoop on some of the park's most popular species - some of which you can even touch and feed! You can also access the park’s daily shows and presentations.

Best Way To Buy Ballarat Wildlife Park Tickets

The best way to buy your tickets is if you book them online. That way you get to plan your itinerary according to your leisure, as well as avoid the long ticketing queues and waiting times. 

Discounted Ballarat Wildlife Park Tickets

Infants aged 0-4 enter free of charge. Children aged 5-15 enjoy reduced ticket pricing (carry a valid photo ID).

What to Do at Ballarat Wildlife Park

Meet the Animals

Ballarat Wildlife Park has 6 new Meerkats that have joined its family. They inhabit their brand new enclosure at the Park, and spend the cold winter nights in Ballarat all cuddled up in their heated sleeping quarters. At the Little Penguin exhibit, say hello to a colony of Little Penguins, the world’s smallest penguin species, and the only species of penguin found on the Australian mainland. Catch the Sumatran Tigers ‘Maneki’ and ‘Satu’ eating or snoozing under the sun, and see threatened amphibian species like the Brown Toadlet and The Growling Grass Frog, one of Australia’s largest frog species. There are also kangaroos, emus, freshwater crocodiles, quokkas, red-bellied black snakes, and more!

Enjoy Animal Encounters

One of the animal encounters at Ballarat Widlife Park include patting a koala. Victorian laws do not allow you to hold or carry them, but you can get close to them and have a photograph taken for an extra cost. While you’re at it, don’t miss out on taking a photo with Hugo the Giant Tortoise who is over 80 years old! You can also have Pablo the Boa Constrictor, or, Moss the Coastal Carpet Python wrapped around your shoulders and have a photo taken of that experience. Do also take the time to meet and cuddle with the friendly wombats. The experience allows you to carry one wombat while having your picture taken. All these experiences take place at set times, so make sure to check and plan your experience accordingly.

Learn About the Conservation Programs

Ballarat Wildlife Park has several conservation programs in place for endangered animals. They were the first privately owned Wildlife Park on the Australian mainland to breed Tasmanian Devils. The goal of the park is to protect them from the contagious cancer that has affected up to 90% of the species’ wild population. Each year the park is involved in the breeding recommendations and have been successful with many joey births. Ballarat Wildlife Park also have a Save the Koala program, where they purchase a Koala food tree with the sponsorship money and plant on their Koala tree plantation. The park also supports tiger conservation efforts via the Tiger Protection Conservation Units (TPCU). It is home to two Sumatran tigers.

Plan Your Visit to the Ballarat Wildlife Park

Here's all you need to know before heading out to the Ballarat Wildlife Park.

Timings
Getting There
Best Time to Visit
Dining
Nearby Accommodation

Ballarat Wildlife Park is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM (closed on Christmas Day).

Animal Encounter timings:

  • Tree Kangaroo $50 – 11 AM (not suitable for children under 12 years)
  • Koala $50 – 11:30 AM
  • Meerkat $80 – 12:15 PM (not suitable for children under 9 years)
  • Koala $50 – 1:30 PM
  • Giant Tortoise $50 – 2 PM
  • Snake $50 –  2:30 PM
  • Wombat $50 – 3:30 PM
  • By Bus: Catch bus #20 to the Ballarat Wildlife Park stop.
  • By Car: Ballarat Wildlife Park is approximately 2 hours away from Melbourne.
  • By Train: The train from Southern Cross (Melbourne) to Ballarat takes 1h 25m including transfers and departs hourly.

Half a day is plenty of time to see everything at your own pace at the Ballarat Wildlife Park. If visiting in summer, get there early to avoid the heat.

The cafe at Ballarat Wildlife Park will be open for takeaway only with access to some outdoor seating provided around the park. You can use these to have a picnic.

  • Budget: Ballarat Eureka Lodge Motel, Miner’s Retreat Motel
  • Mid-Range: BIG4 Ballarat Goldfields Holiday Park, Sovereign Park Motor Inn
  • Luxury: Ballarat Premier Apartments

Must-Visit Attractions Around Ballarat Wildlife Park

Soverign Hill

Established in 1970, Soverign Hill is an open-air museum in Golden Point that portrays the first 10 years of Ballarat after gold was discovered there in 1851. Go here to enjoy a fun learning experience with costumed characters, horses, and cats that displays what life was back in the Victorian Goldfields. See the amazing gold pour where $160,000 worth of gold is melted and converted into a 3 kg bullion or watch the outdoor show Aura, an after-dark theatrical experience. While you’re at it, dress-up and take photographs with your friends in the old-timey photography studio!

The Art Gallery of Ballarat

The oldest and largest regional Australian gallery, the Art Gallery of Ballarat was established in 1884. It is home to Australian art from colonial to the contemporary periods. Discover here works of Fred Williams, Sidney Nolan, Clarice Beckett, Arthur Boyd, and other famous artists.  The heritage-listed Gallery building also hosts temporary exhibitions and often puts on shows inspired by the works in the gallery.

Ballarat Botanical Gardens

A fantastic place to spend time with the whole family, the Ballarat Botanical Garden is 40 hectares and has an Ex-Prisoner of War Memorial which honors the many thousands of prisoners held during the World Wars, and the Korean War. There are also a marvelous assortment of mature trees and marble statues that are set in vivid bedding displays. Enjoy walking around and relaxing in the garden’s peaceful environment while trying delicious food from the eateries from here.

Visitor Tips

  • You can buy kangaroo food at the entrance to feed kangaroos.
  • Photos of your Animal Encounter will be ready within 60 minutes of having the experience and can be collected from the staff in the Gift Shop.
  • Please Note: Animal Encounter experiences can be cancelled at short notice for a number of reasons. To avoid disappointment please call before arrival to ensure they are running.
  • If temperatures run above 34 degrees Celsius, Koala Encounter experiences may have to be cancelled or rescheduled.
  • During winter, the Giant Tortoise as well as Snake Animal Encounter experiences may be cancelled due to the cold weather.

Ballarat Wildlife Park: FAQs

What is Ballarat Wildlife Park?

Ballarat Wildlife Park is an interactive wildlife park that was opened by Greg Parker in 1987. The Park is situated on 37 acres of natural bush land.

Where is Ballarat Wildlife Park located?

It is located in Ballarat, Australia.

What are the opening hours at Ballarat Wildlife Park?

Ballarat Wildlife Park is open daily from 9 AM to 5 PM (closed on Christmas Day).

What’s the best time to visit Ballarat Wildlife Park?

If visiting in summer, get there early to avoid the heat.

How much time do you need at the Ballarat Wildlife Park?

It usually takes half a day to see everything at your own pace at the Ballarat Wildlife Park.

How much do Ballarat Wildlife Park tickets cost?

Tickets cost AU$31.5 for adults. Children aged 5-15 can avail tickets at the cost of AU$17.5. Infants aged 4 and under can enter for free.

What is included in the Ballarat Wildlife Park ticket?

You get an all-day pass that includes access to the daily animal shows and presentations, as well as a guided tour at 11 AM (during the weekend only).

Is outside food allowed in Ballarat Wildlife Park?

Yes, you can even picnic with your family here.

What is the cancellation policy for Ballarat Wildlife Park tickets?

These tickets cannot be canceled, amended, or rescheduled.

Is Ballarat Wildlife Park wheelchair accessible?

There are wide accessible paths into most areas of the Park enabling inclusion by children who use wheelchairs. All toilets within the park have disabled access.