Conservation Park on Mornington Peninsula

Moonlit Sanctuary is a conservation park on the Mornington Peninsula and was established by Michael Johnson who was inspired by the British Naturalist Gerald Durrell.  Michael's concept was to develop a park where people could expierence the animals that roam Australia's bushland.

From humble beginnings the Park has now grown into a very popular tourist attraction on 25 acres with wetlands, bushland and more than 30 animal enclosures.

Tawny Frog Mouth

Wetlands early development

You can wander around the park and feed some of the animals and listen to a range of keeper talks. You can also book in for a range of animal experiences.

We take tours to visit the Park on the way to see Phillip Island Penguins and combining the two makes it an amazing day of wildlife experiences. We usually include a koala and dingo experience on our tours.

The koala experience is probably the most popular

The dingo experience is also great fun

The Park has a wide range of Australian animals including our favourite the Tasmanian Devil.

The Park has a cafe and is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. You can also book a night tour, sponsor an animal or be a keeper for a day.

Book a private tour with us

Stunning sunsets and much more at Port Macquarie

Port Macquarie and the surrounding area are full of natural wonders including beaches, lakes, rivers and Natural Parks.

A stunning sunset over the river at Port Macquarie

390 kilometres north of Sydney, the town is located where the Hastings River meets the ocean. Besides the River and other waterways Port Macquarie has a range of beautiful beaches and average temperatures ranging from 7 to 27 degrees. These all ensure its a popular holiday area for fishing, surfing, beach and nature lovers alike. 

 We visited in August and enjoyed mild days of 22 degrees allowing us to fish in the River, explore the rainforest and visit a number of beaches including Town Beach, Flynns Beach, Shelly Beach and Lighthouse Beach. 

Here's a snapshot of some of the activities to enjoy if you visit the area.

Sea Acres Rainforest Centre


Located a short distance south of Port Macquarie the Sea Acres Rainforest Centre is certainly worth a visit.

With a 1.3 kilometre boardwalk meandering through the rainforest the Centre is suitable for people of all ages.  Its also possible to spot wildlife along the boardwalk. We were luck to observe a bush turkey building its nesting mound and a small and large lace monitor. Birds can be heard in the surrounding rainforest and the sound of the whip bird  was a pleasing and regular occurrence. 

Lace Monitor

There is an amazing Aboriginal exhibit downstairs at the Centre called the "Spirit of the land exhibition". Hearing and seeing the 2 Birpai Aboriginal stories told via sand drawings was totally fascinating and well worth the gold coin entry fee. 

A cafe and souvenir shop is also located at the Centre.

Lighthouse Beach

A short drive south of Port Macquarie Lighthouse Beach is a 9 kilometre stretch of beach with Watonga Rocks sitting on the sand part way along the beach.

Lighthouse Beach from the Lighthouse

The beach is popular with surfers and at the southern end camel safaris and 4wd's share the sand.

Tacking Point Lighthouse 

The beach is named after Tacking Point Lighthouse  which is the 3rd oldest lighthouse in Australia,  built in 1879, after more than 20 ship wrecks occurred in the area. 

A number of viewing platforms have been built in the area around the lighthouse as its a great place to watch for whales as they travel along the coastline. Spotters for the whale watching boat tours are often seen at the lighthouse directing the boats to areas where whales are frolicking in the waters near the point.

A whale frolicking off Lighthouse Beach

Chinese Junk Cruises

For an interesting experience try a sunset cruise along the Hastings River in an authentic Junk.

There's also a lunchtime fish and chips cruise where I'm told dolphins are often spotted.


Ellensborough Falls

If you love waterfalls and don't mind driving a longer distance Ellensborough Falls is located in Manning Valley at Elands approx 85 kilometres west of Port Macquarie. 

The falls are one of the longest single drop waterfalls in the southern hemisphere and are easily viewed from the car park area. 

There is a short walk to the head of the falls or you can walk down more than 600 steps to view the falls from the bottom. 

A kiosk is located in the car park area but only open on Fridays, weekends and NSW school holidays from 10 a.m. - 4 p.m.

Other useful information

Port Macquarie beach guide

Beach safety in Australia

Close encounters with wildlife at Ballarat Wildlife Park

Set on 15 hectares the Ballarat Wildlife Park is a great place to visit and encounter Australian wildlife.

 With more than 80 kangaroos roaming the park the opportunity for a close encounter is excellent.

The kangaroo is probably one of Australia's most recognised wildlife and is also another marsupial that's popular with tourists.  There are over 60 species of kangaroos and their close relatives which include wallabies, wallaroos, tree-kangaroos and forest wallabies. The larger red kangaroo is found in arid regions and the eastern and western grey Kangaroos are found in great numbers across much of southern part of Australia.

The kangaroos were very friendly and totally unafraid of people as they wandered nearby.

The Park has a number of koalas and an opportunity to have your photo taken with a koala is a popular activity with visitors.  The koala is a tree-dwelling, herbivorous marsupial with thick fur making it one of the most popular Australian animals with visitors. They eat fibrous Eucalyptus leaves which are low in nutrition so they can sleep for up to 18 hours a day.

There is an interactive koala activity is on daily at 2.00 p.m.

There are a number of exhibits with Tasmanian Devils. These endangered animals (due to facial tumours) are one of our favourites. The Tassie Devil is the world's largest surviving carnivorous marsupial. They have a thick-set, squat build and their markings are unique.

An interactive exhibit with Tasmanian Devils and Spotted Quolls is scheduled each day at 3.30 p.m.

This wombat wandered out of its comfortable burrow so we could capture a great shot.   The wombat is the largest burrowing mammal in Australia. They look cute and cuddly and are very solidly built. The wombat is nocturnal coming out at night to graze. In winter months you can also see them grazing during the day.

There's an interactive wombat display at 2.30 daily. 

The Park also has a reptile house with a range of lizards, snakes and other reptiles on display. An interactive reptile presentation is held at 1.30 each day. 

The Park is open every day except Christmas Day and tickets reasonably priced.

You can book a private tour with Longhorn YOUnqiue Tours to Ballarat which includes the wildlife park. 

Potato Point isolated beach, wildlife and much more than the name suggests!

Potato Point is located on the South Coast of New South Wales a 6 kilometre drive from the town of Bodalla which is famous for its cheese. 

Surrounded by the Eurobodalla National Park, Potato Point is a fairly isolated spot mainly populated by wildlife and holiday homes.

Kangaroos grazing on the beach front

There are a number of small beaches were you can enjoy an isolated walk, surf, fish or swim. We stayed at an eco friendly caravan park right on the beach which was solar powered and provided wood so we could light a fire in the fireplaces scattered throughout the park.

Friendly kanagroos grazed on the beach front and in the grasslands, no doubt moving back into the shelter of the National Park in the night.

You can take a long walk along the beach at the front of the caravan park to an inlet overlooking Tuross Head which is much larger as around 2,200 people live. There are fantastic views from this point across to the nearby mountains.

The August days were sunny but it was freezing at night so a fire was welcome!

We were lucky to spy a pod of dolphins frolicking in the ocean near our camp site and kookaburras also came to visit which topped off a short stay in this lovely location.

Coonawarra Wine Region

The Coonawarra region is located about 375 kilometres south west of Adelaide close to the Victorian border.

It is renowned for producing world class red wines especially Cabernet Sauvignon and its secret is the magical marriage of rich red terra rossa soil, limestone, pure underground water and a long cool ripening season for the grapes.

Its a great wine area to visit as the wineries are all located close together basically along a 21 kilometre stretch of the main road.

29 wineries make up the region with 25 having cellar door sales. Whilst this is an area famous for its red wines a number of the wineries also produce white varieties  Patrick of Coonawarra also produces Applelation a very tasty apple cider.

Patrick of Coonawarra

 Hollick Wines

Where to eat

Hollick Wines is the only winery with a restaurant and 5  serve coffee and food.  Upstairs at Hollick is open Wednesday to Sunday for lunch and dinner on Saturday.

Pipers of Penola is an award winning restaurant located in the town of Penola on the southern end of the Coonawarra. Open Tuesday's to Saturday this restaurant is great if you enjoy a formal dinner and quality food.

Pipers of Penola

If you prefer a more relaxed feel  Fodder's changing menu includes wood fired pizza and other meals all using local and fresh produce. Open for lunch and dinner Thursday to Sunday Fodder is located in Coonawarra.

Fodder

Penola Station is another option serving modern international food. This restaurant is open 7 days a week for lunch and dinner in the summer and closed Tuesday during winter. 

Where to stay

There is a range of accommodation in Coonawarra or nearby in Penola and Mount Gambier which is about 30 minutes south. Our choices include:

Coonawarra Country Cottages  all tastefully decorated and furnished these 3 lovely cottages provide comfortable and charming self catering accommodation and 2 have the benefit of large gardens.

Must @ Coonawarra  with stylish and fresh apartments with modern appliances this property is located in Penola a short drive to the Coonwarra wineries.

Highbank Winery Accommodation  has a choice of accommodation including 2 romantic guest retreats - the Cottage and the Villa both have picturesque views of the vines.  

The Barn is located a short distance from Mount Gambier and set in beautiful gardens with an award winning steakhouse. With their award winning Steakhouse and a range of suites spread throughout the gardens its our  first choice when we're touring the area.  

The Barn

Other attractions

The Coonawarra Region is also close to a number of other tourist attractions including:

The Blue Lake Mount Gambier  is located in a volcanic crater. The colour of the water changes from grey to a vivid blue in November each year changing back to grey after March. Its a beautiful scenic spot and a great illustration of how fascinating nature can be.  Nearby are a number of other lakes called the crater lakes.

Blue Lake

Umpherston Sinkhole /Sunken Garden is located in the heart of Mount Gambier. Once a cave the sinkhole was created when the top of a chamber collapsed downwards. The topsoil on the floor of the cave creates a perfect environment for a sunken garden.

Umpherston Sinkhole

The Cave Gardens are a State Heritage Area and also located in the city of Mount Gambier. You can walk down into the caves and view the gardens from a suspended viewing platform. Each night there is a sound and light show which tells of Indigenous Dreamtime stories.

Cave Gardens

Bool Lagoon  is located a short distance to the north of Coonawarra and is visited by up to 150 species of birds many migrating from the Northern Hemisphere. UNESCO have designated the wetlands as a Wetland of International Importance under the Ramsar Convention. 

Bool Lagoon

Heading further north towards Adelaide are the Naracoote Caves. Palaeontologists have been studying the fossils and bones found in the caves for over 30 years and now Naracoote Caves are recognised as one of the world's most important fossil sites. 

There are more than 26 caves in the National Park with a number are open to the public and others maintained for continuing scientific research.  Check tour times and pricing

Naracoote Caves

Wonambi Fossil Centre  

If you don't like to go underground The Wonambi Fossil Centre provides an opportunity to step back in time and discover what Naracoorte was like over 200,000 years ago. The Fossil Centre is a walk-through diorama with life-sized models of extinct animals in their ancient habitats.

Wonambi Fossil Centre

Why not come explore this area with us on a 3 day or 4 day private tour from Melbourne to Adelaide tour 

Phillip Island Nature Parks

Phillip Island Nature Parks was established to conserve the natural beauty and historic and archaeological history of Phillip Island. 

The Park is part of the UNESCO Western Port Biosphere Reserve with wetlands, woodlands, wildlife sanctuaries and coastal areas. The area is rich in bird life with significant populations of little penguins, shearwaters and hooded plovers and wildlife including koalas, swamp wallabies and Australian fur seals.

Swamp Wallaby

The Park Service manages a number of tourism attractions including the Penguin Parade, Koala Conservation Centre, the Nobbies and Churchill Island Heritage Farms.  The profits generated are used to invest in conservation, research, ecotourism, environmental and education initiatives within the Nature Parks. 

The most cost effective and best way to enjoy the range of activities of the Nature Park is to purchase a 3 Parks Pass as it allows you to attend the Penguin Parade, visit the Koala Conservation Centre and learn about Victoria's early farming history on Churchill Island Heritage Farm.

Penguin Parade

Most people are drawn to Phillip Island to see the iconic Penguin Parade where you can watch the little penguins make their way across the beach heading towards their nesting areas after spending their day hunting in the ocean.

This is a fascinating experience as you watch and wait in anticipation of the sun setting and the little penguins arriving. It often feels like they will never come and then it seems that a sole little penguin emerges from the sea. Maybe this is a scout as shortly others follow. Sometimes they stop and some will scurry back as if they are too frightened to leave the ocean but slowly crowds of them appear and wander into their nesting areas.

At one stage you could sit on the beach in the evening and the penguins would wander past quite close to you.  It was an amazing experience, but as crowds grew the need to protect the penguins and their habitat meant viewing platforms and walkways were constructed. 

Today there are a range of experiences that you can purchase including having a Park Ranger guide you to a private area to view the penguins on the beach (Ultimate Experience) or enjoying the penguins in the comfort of a Sky Box (VIP Experience) where you'll also have fantastic views across the beach and help the Ranger count the penguins as they return for the night. Another option is the Research Tour where a Ranger shows you how researchers collect data and you'll see the weigh bridge where penguins that cross are weighed. You'll also visit the Sky Box before seeing the Penguin Parade from front row seats at the Penguins Plus viewing area.

You can download a free Penguins App which provides interesting insights into the penguins, statistics on their return from the ocean, pictures and a game. 

Koala Conservation Centre

At the  Koala Conservation Centre you can wander along an elevated boardwalk and see these amazing furry mammals in their natural habitat. You can get fairly close and sometimes you may be lucky if one climbs down the trees and settles very close (like the one in this picture). 

You may also see  koalas with a joey (its baby) clinging to its mother. Rangers wander the board walks during the day providing you with an opportunity to ask questions about the koalas and their habitat.

The Visitor Centre is interactive and you can learn all about the koala and purchase gifts from the gift shop.

The Nobbies 

The Nobbies Centre showcases Australian fur seals and the marine life of the Southern Oceans.  From the centre and board walks you can look across to Seal Rocks; a breeding ground for over 20,000 Australian Fur Seals.  

There are binoculars set at strategic points where you can get a closer view across to the Rocks. 

If you want to see the Seals up close its a good idea to organise a boat tour of Seal Rocks from a range of operators. 

Entry to the Nobbies is free and there is a large cafe. information centre and gift shop.

Churchill Island Heritage Farm

Churchill Island Heritage Farm provides insights into what life was like living on a farm in the early 1900’s.  The 57 heactare Island was originally inhabited by the Bunurong people with the first European inhabitants finding remains of canoes and fires.

European settlement started when Lieutenant James Grant sailed the Lady Nelson to the island in 1801. He planted seeds he'd been provided, felled trees and built a hut making this the first European agricultral pursuit in Victoria.

The farmhouse has been beautifully restored and furnished with antiques. There are also a range of interesting outbuildings that give the impression that you’ve travelled back through time. 

You can see a range of farm animals and experience some of the farm activities like shearing, whip cracking and wagon rides.

There are also beautiful views across to the mainland. For more information see our blog on Churchill Island Heritage Farm

1 day private tour of Phillip Island