Yarra Valley Wine & Wildlife Tours: Wineries Plus Australian Animals

Wine and wildlife tours suit groups where not everybody wants to spend an entire day tasting wine. Pairing Yarra Valley cellar doors with Australian animals gives the day a clear change of pace.

The calendar below books the wildlife and wine day tour from Melbourne ($253, rated 4.9/5 from 50 reviews). The price includes hotel pickup in the city, entry to Healesville Sanctuary, an à la carte main-course lunch with a glass of wine at Yering Station, and a wine-and-cheese tasting at De Bortoli, across about ten hours.

Healesville Sanctuary

Healesville Sanctuary is the main wildlife stop in the region. Zoos Victoria runs it on the edge of Healesville, in the same part of the valley as many of the wineries, and it shows native Australian animals only, including koalas and kangaroos.

For an independent visit, Healesville Sanctuary general admission covers entry and the daily presentations, but not transport from Melbourne. Check the official sanctuary itineraries before you fix an arrival time, because presentation times affect how long you need there.

Who Should Choose Wine + Wildlife?

Best for:

first-time international visitors;
couples with different interests;
families with adults who want wine;
travellers with limited time in Victoria.

The Trade-Off

You cannot fit a full wildlife visit and a four-winery tour into the same day without rushing. Accept that a mixed day means fewer cellar doors: the wildlife and wine day tour above stops at two wineries, Yering Station and De Bortoli, where a wine-only day often visits four.

Example Itinerary

Option A — Wildlife first

morning at Healesville Sanctuary;
lunch;
two afternoon wineries.

This is the order the organised day tour follows: the sanctuary in the morning, lunch at Yering Station, then De Bortoli.

Option B — Wine first

morning winery;
early lunch;
afternoon sanctuary;
return to Melbourne.

Option B suits a self-drive day, with one rule: the driver skips the tastings. If you are staying over, our Yarra Valley weekend itinerary puts the sanctuary on the second day instead.

Is It Good for Serious Wine Drinkers?

Usually not as the main wine day. If wine is your priority, dedicate a separate day to wineries and keep wildlife for another date. Our guide to half-day vs full-day wine tours compares the wine-focused options.

Kangaroos and Wine Tourism

Many people searching for kangaroos and wine want two iconic Australian experiences in one day; there is no special “kangaroo wine” to look for. Several tours add a wildlife stop without the sanctuary, so read the itinerary for the word “sanctuary” before you book:

The Wine, Chandon & Food Tour with a kangaroo safari ($140, 4.9 from 360 reviews) visits Chandon and Yering Station and ends with wild kangaroos at dusk. There is no sanctuary entry, and lunch is paid on the day.
The Wine Bubbles & Kangaroos tour ($141, 4.6 from 37 reviews) combines a premium wine tasting with cheese, chocolate and a sunset bushland walk to spot wild kangaroos.
The Redwoods tour with wine or wildlife ($130, 4.5 from 27 reviews) lets you choose a winery lunch or Healesville Sanctuary entry alongside the redwood forest walk. You pick one or the other, and the listing has fewer reviews than the tours above.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can I visit Healesville Sanctuary and wineries in one day?

Yes, if you limit the winery count and plan the timings carefully. Two cellar doors after a morning at the sanctuary is a realistic day.

Are there tours from Melbourne combining both?

Yes. The wildlife and wine day tour includes sanctuary entry with two wineries, and the wildlife option of the redwoods tour includes sanctuary entry with no winery. Routes and inclusions vary, so check the current itinerary instead of assuming every kangaroo tour includes the sanctuary.

Final Thoughts

A wine-and-wildlife day gives you variety, not depth. Planned well, it shows first-time visitors two memorable sides of Victoria without turning either into a rushed photo stop.