🇦🇺🦘Maru koala and animals park

#MarchGoodPlaces2025
### **Maru Koala and Animal Park in-depth guide**
**——Australia’s niche animal interaction paradise, koala hugs + super cute kangaroos feeding**

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## **🦘 Park highlights**
### **1. Close encounter with koalas (one of the few parks in Australia where you can hug koalas!)**
- **Kuaala Hugging Experience**: Additional fee required (approximately AU$30), including professional photo taking, limited to koalas weighing less than 15kg.
- **Best time**: 10am or 2pm (when the koalas are awake).

### **2. Close-up of Australia’s unique animals**
- **Kangaroo Free Zone**: Get free feed and feed grey kangaroos and wallabies by hand, they are super docile!
- **Other celebrity animals**:
✔️ Tasmanian Devil
✔️Dingo (Dingo, Australian Dingo)
✔️ Colorful parrots (you can stand on your shoulders and take photos)

### **3. Family-friendly facilities**
- **Farm Area**: Children can pet sheep and guinea pigs.
- **Mini Train** (free): It is a relaxing way to travel around the park.

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## **📍 Geographic location and transportation**
- **Address**: 1650 Bass Hwy, Grantville VIC 3984 (about 1.5 hours drive from Melbourne)
- **Self-driving**: Enter the park name in the navigation, free parking lot.
- **No direct bus**, it is recommended to join a tour group or charter a bus (some Melbourne day tours include this attraction).

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## **🎫 Tickets and opening hours**
- **Tickets**: Adults AU$32, children (4-14 years old) AU$16, family ticket (2 adults and 2 children) AU$85.
- **Opening hours**: 10:00-17:00 (last entry at 16:00), open all year round.
- **Official website booking**: Enjoy a 5% discount if you purchase tickets in advance. You need to make an appointment on site to hold a koala.

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## **⚠️ Things to note when playing**
1. **Prohibited Conduct**:
- Use the selfie stick close to animals (may scare them)
- Feeding non-designated feeds (such as human snacks) without permission
2. **Dressing Tips**:
- Anti-slip shoes (there are many gravel roads in the park)
- Wear a hat and apply sunscreen (there is no shade in open air areas)
3. **Food**:
- The café in the park provides light meals (burgers are about AU$12). It is recommended to bring your own kettle.

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## **📸 Must-visit experience**
1. **Koala hug photo**: The staff will guide the pose, remember to smile!
2. **Kangaroo selfie**: They will actively come closer to eat food from the palm of your hand, so you can capture the cute moment.
3. **Parrot Interaction**: Colorful parrots land on your arms or shoulders, the colors are amazing.

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## **🚗 Visit nearby attractions**
- **Phillip Island** (40 minutes’ drive): Watch the little penguins return to their nests. A day trip is recommended.
- **Churchill Island Traditional Farm**: Experience Australian farming and pastoral life.

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### **🎯 Suitable for people**
- **Parent-child family**: There are many interactive activities, and children love it.
- **Animal lovers**: More pristine than a big city zoo.
- **Self-driving tourists**: Suitable for a stopover on the Melbourne-Phillip Island route.

**Summary**: Maru Park wins with **high interactivity + low commercialization**. Although it is not as big as a large zoo, the experience of being able to hold a koala and feed a kangaroo in person is unique! It is recommended to reserve 2-3 hours to avoid the high temperature period at noon.