Maru Koala & Animal Park

Maru Koala & Animal Park A small family owned and operated tourist attraction, including an Animal Park, Pirate Pete's Mini-golf and the Homestead Bistro.
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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. Enjoy the Wildlife show in our covered auditorium. 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.

WE ARE HIRING AT MARU!!! We are searching for an enthusiastic and passionate candidate to join our growing business and ...
27/08/2026

WE ARE HIRING AT MARU!!!

We are searching for an enthusiastic and passionate candidate to join our growing business and friendly team in our supportive workplace.

Positions available;
- Part-time Mandarin speaking customer service and Hospitality Assistant with a minimum of 50 hours per fortnight available.
- Casual Assistant Cook

If your passionate about food and want to work in a unique wildlife park setting, we’d love to hear from you!!

For more information or to apply please contact us via [email protected]

Please share with anyone who may be interested.

24/08/2026

🐾 Meet Grier — Senior Keeper at Maru!

Behind every animal at Maru is a team of passionate people dedicated to their care, wellbeing and conservation. Today, we’re introducing you to one of those people.

Grier’s journey into wildlife keeping came from a lifelong love of Australian native animals and a desire to help others appreciate just how unique they are. With Australia having one of the highest mammal extinction rates in the world, Grier believes keepers have an important role to play — not only in caring for animals, but in inspiring others to protect them too.

Before joining the Maru team, Grier worked as a dog trainer and animal rehabilitation assistant, helping animals recover, rebuild confidence and get moving again. These skills now help him build trust, create enrichment opportunities and support the wellbeing of the animals in his care.

His favourite part of being a keeper? Getting to know each animal as an individual — discovering what motivates them, how they think, and watching their personalities shine.

Grier has a special bond with Hobart the Tasmanian Devil and Molly the Dingo (but we won’t tell the others 🤫). From training sessions and enrichment ideas to the less glamorous parts of the job — like counting koala poo 💩 — every day as a keeper brings something different.

Next time you visit Maru, you might see Grier working with the animals behind the scenes, helping them learn, explore and thrive. 💚

School holidays? Sorted. 🐨🦘It’s already time to start thinking about what the kids are going to get up to these school h...
23/08/2026

School holidays? Sorted. 🐨🦘

It’s already time to start thinking about what the kids are going to get up to these school holidays — and if they’re wildlife lovers, Keeper for a Day is a pretty special way to spend it.

Become an honorary keeper at Maru and work alongside our experienced Park Keepers, getting hands-on with the practical side of caring for Australian wildlife.

As an honorary keeper, you’ll:
🌿 Help with feeding, cleaning and animal care
🌿 Prepare enrichment activities
🌿 Get behind-the-scenes access to animal habitats, feed preparation and hospital areas
🌿 Assist with keeper animal talks and afternoon feeds
🌿 Learn about wildlife care and rehabilitation

And every child who takes part receives their very own Keeper for a Day certificate to take home!

Choose from a Half Day (9:30am–12:30pm) or Full Day (9:30am–3:30pm, including lunch), available Wednesdays and Saturdays during the school holidays.

School holidays have a habit of sneaking up on us — so if you’re already wondering what are we going to do this time?, consider this your sign. 👀

Spots are limited, so book ahead!

21/08/2026

When your animal co-worker sets the pose… and you have to recreate it. 😂🐾

Keepers spend their days observing animal behaviour — but we didn’t realise that included mastering their best modelling angles.

How did they do? 🐨🦘🦥

WE ARE HIRING AT MARU!!! We are searching for enthusiastic Mandarin speaking Customer Service and Hospitality candidate...
20/08/2026

WE ARE HIRING AT MARU!!!

We are searching for enthusiastic Mandarin speaking Customer Service and Hospitality candidate to join our growing business and friendly team in our supportive workplace.

* Minimum 50 hours a fortnight available-part-time.

If your passionate about food and want to work in a unique wildlife park setting, we’d love to hear from.

For more information or to apply please contact us via [email protected]

Please share with anyone who may be interested. See less

18/08/2026

Happy National Science Week! 🔬🐾

When you think of a keeper’s day, you might picture feeding, cleaning and caring for animals — and those are important parts of the role.

But there is so much more happening behind the scenes.

Keepers are constantly observing, recording and learning from the animals in their care. Every note about a behaviour, appetite, activity level or preference helps build a deeper understanding of each individual animal.

As a ZAA-accredited facility, animal wellbeing is at the centre of everything we do. Continuous observation and evidence-based care help our teams make informed decisions to support the physical and behavioural needs of the animals.

So yes, keepers clean habitats… but they’re also part-time scientists, behaviour detectives and lifelong learners. 🐾🔍

What’s one thing you think keepers notice that visitors might miss? 🐾

A quick update on bird flu The Maru team is closely monitoring the bird flu situation and has enacted a response plan to...
17/08/2026

A quick update on bird flu

The Maru team is closely monitoring the bird flu situation and has enacted a response plan to help protect the animals in our care, our staff, visitors and the surrounding environment.

As you explore Maru and the wider Gippsland region, please remember we all play a role in protecting our wildlife and ecosystem.

When visiting Maru, especially after visiting farms, parks, reserves or beaches, please use our wash stations and arrive in clean footwear and clothing.

Please also remember to only feed purchased kangaroo food to the kangaroos. This helps avoid attracting wild birds, and any uneaten food can be returned to the baskets around the park.

If you see a sick or dead bird:
AVOID — Keep your distance and don't touch
RECORD — Note the time and location
REPORT — Emergency Animal Disease Hotline: 1800 675 888

Thank you for helping to protect wildlife and the wider environment. 💚

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

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