Aww-worthy alert: A koala casually heads off work as you enjoy heartwarming cuddles with Aussie wildlife

▲The Moonlit Sanctuary spans an expansive area of 10 hectares.

Reporter Chen Hanyin / Reported and photographed from Australia

Animal lovers visiting Australia must get up close with the incredibly cute wildlife at the Moonlit Wildlife Conservation Park (Moonlit Sanctuary) in Victoria, Melbourne. Just a 50-minute drive from downtown Melbourne, the park is home to up to 30 species of wildlife. Here, you can cuddle a koala, take photos with a python, and spend a healing day with these animals.

▲A koala lazily napping on a tree.

▲Visitors from around the world spend hours flying in to meet the star, Tiypa.

When in Australia, you absolutely must get up close to an adorable koala. The koala star Tiypa is 11 years old this year, which is equivalent to 50–60 human years—already a grandpa. The first time I saw him, it was almost his bedtime. He calmly took photos with visitors before quietly climbing down the tree to call it a day. His fluffy body and meme-worthy expressions are super healing. Taking a photo or hugging him costs about 20 Australian dollars.

▲The expression of the calm yet world-weary grandpa Tiypa as he hurries to finish work.

▲Finally, he can go back to sleep.

Unlike traditional fenced zoos, most of the animals and birds here roam freely. Covering an area of 10 hectares, you can encounter them everywhere. If you have food in hand, they’ll even approach you on their own. While feeding, baby kangaroos will gently hold your hand, afraid the food might leave—a truly adorable sight. You can see many native Australian wildlife species here, such as wombats, kangaroos, and koalas, all incredibly cute. The entire park is planted with tens of thousands of trees, full of greenery, where animals roam freely.

▲Vast tree cover allows wildlife to roam freely.

▲Baby kangaroos are super friendly and will come up to ask for food.

There’s a very large lake in the park where birds fly freely and waterfowl swim gracefully on the surface. The scenery is expansive and beautiful. The park is open from 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM. Beyond daytime zoo visits, visitors can also book night tours in advance. The two-hour night guided tour offers a unique zoo experience under the night sky.

▲A fluffy wombat taking a nap at noon.

▲Visitors can interact closely with the small animals, but must not enter the enclosures.

《Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park Website Directions》
Address: 550 Tyabb-Tooradin Rd, Pearcedale VIC 3912, Australia
Daytime visiting hours: 10:00 AM to 5:00 PM
Daytime ticket prices: Adults AUD 18; Seniors & Students AUD 14.4; Children (4–15 years) AUD 9; Free for children under 4; Family ticket (2 adults + 2 children) AUD 48. (Australian Dollars)