The Best Wildlife Sanctuaries in Tasmania
As locals, we might be biased in saying we think Tasmania is one of the best destinations in Australia for wildlife lovers. It’s hard to argue that the island state is a special place to see native animals, some of which are difficult (or impossible) to encounter elsewhere in the wild.
From iconic Tasmanian devils and wombats to echidnas, quolls and native birds, Tasmania is home to an extraordinary collection of species.
While seeing wildlife in the wild is always a highlight, that doesn’t mean you shouldn’t add one of Tasmania's wildlife sanctuaries to your itinerary. Not only do they provide up-close encounters with animals that are tricky to see in the wild (such as Tasmanian devils and quolls), but they are highly educational and heavily involved in conservation breeding, rescue and rehabilitation work.
So whether you're visiting the Apple Isle for the first time, travelling with children or specifically planning a wildlife-focused road trip, these are some of the best Tasmanian sanctuaries and wildlife parks to consider.
For each, we’ll explain what you can see and do, and how they are best incorporated into a Tasmania itinerary.
All of the wildlife sanctuaries on this list uphold high animal welfare standards and in some cases, your entrance fee is supporting rescue, rehabilitation and conservation work.
1. Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Brighton (30 minutes’ drive from Hobart)
If you're visiting Hobart during your Tasmania trip, Bonorong is one of the easiest wildlife experiences to add to your itinerary. It's located about 30 minutes north of Hobart (we run a shuttle there for travellers without a car) and is home to many of Tasmania's best-known native animals.
At Bonorong, you can get up close to everything from wombats to echidnas, eastern and spotted-tailed quolls, as well as a variety of native birdlife. One of our favourite things to do is always hand-feeding the forester kangaroos that range freely on the grassy slopes.
What makes Bonorong particularly special is that is runs a wildlife rescue service that operates around the clock, with a focus on rehabilitating injured wildlife. Where possible, its team returns healthy animals to the wild. Your entry fees help fund this work.
Bonorong offers daily tours that are highly-educational, as well as a range of animal encounters and night tours. Plant-based meals and drinks are available at The Burrow cafe.
Location: Gunns Plains (40 minutes’ drive from Devonport)
Wings Wildlife Park is located in Tasmania's north-west, around the Gunns Plains area. It’s one of our favourite places to take cruise ship guests arriving into Burnie. Wings is also a great option if you’re based in Devonport or travelling to/from Cradle Mountain.
At Wings Wildlife Park, you can see a wide variety of native animals, including kangaroos, wombats and quolls. Wildlife presentations are held throughout the day, highlighting the park’s resident koalas, meerkats and Tasmanian devils. There’s also a farm walk for getting up close to alpacas, donkeys and camels - it’s a hit with young kids!
If you’re travelling around Tasmania in a campervan, you can overnight at Wings Wildlife Park’s riverside camping ground. Non campers can bunk down at “The Stables”, which offers 13 rooms and access to shared kitchen facilities. Relaxed dining is available throughout the day at the 80 Acres Café.
3. Trowunna Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Mole Creek
Trowunna is one of Tasmania's longest-established wildlife sanctuaries, having operated since 1979. It sprawls across 70 acres of natural habitat and is home to free-ranging kangaroos, wombats, quolls, Tasmanian devils, reptiles and native birdlife.
Located in the Mole Creek region of northern Tasmania, Trowunna is family-owned and focuses on wildlife care, rehabilitation and education. In our opinion, it’s a great place to learn about the conservation challenges facing Tasmania's native species.
Three interactive guided tours are held throughout the day (these are included in the entrance price) and these are most definitely worth coinciding your visit with. Aside from making friends with the resident wombats, the tours include a frenzied Tasmanian devil feeding session.
Location: Cradle Mountain
If the Tasmanian devil is at the top of your wildlife wish list, Devils@Cradle deserves a place on your itinerary. It’s conveniently located on the edge of Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, just beyond the Cradle Mountain Visitor Centre. Check out our transfers and tours to Cradle Mountain if you’re visiting without a car.
The sanctuary specialises in Tasmania's threatened carnivorous marsupials: Tasmanian devils, eastern quolls and spotted-tailed quolls. All of these are found in Cradle Mountain-Lake St Clair National Park, but they’re incredibly difficult to see in the wild due to their nocturnal lifestyle.
Devils@Cradle operates breeding and conservation programs, as well as the rescue, raising and release of orphaned or injured wildlife. Our hot tip is to coincide your visit with the After Dark Feeding Tour (just after sunset) when the Tasmanian devils are most active.
Location: Taranna, Tasman Peninsula
This unconventional wildlife park is the perfect addition to a Tasman Peninsula itinerary and can easily be visited en route to the Port Arthur Historic Site. The "unzoo" concept is designed around a more natural approach to wildlife viewing, although we think most of Tasmania’s sanctuaries do a good job of this.
It’s worth noting that the Unzoo has been actively involved in Tasmanian devil conservation since the threat of Devil Facial Tumour Disease (DFTD) emerged and this is a great cause to support!
Aside from its resident devils, which can be seen in several different habitat areas, the Tasmanian Devil Unzoo is also home to wallabies, kangaroos and pademelons. The property has recorded almost 100 bird species, and one of our favourite things to do is pick up a bird and plant checklist to identify species while wandering the native garden.
Location: Bicheno
If you’re travelling up the east coast of Tasmania, Natureworld is a wildlife stop to consider. It’s predominantly home to native animals that have been rehabilitated and can’t be released into the wild. Located just north of Bicheno, it can easily be combined with a visit to Coles Bay and Freycinet National Park.
Forester kangaroos, Bennett's wallabies, white wallabies and pademelons graze on the 150 acres of natural bushland, together with echidnas and quolls. There’s also a small collection of Tasmanian reptiles and birds to discover.
A highlight of visiting East Coast Natureworld is the Devils in the Dark experience, where you can watch a pandemonium (the collective term for Tasmanian devils) devour a whole carcass!
Location: St Helens
If reptiles are more your thing (and you’re interested in reptile conservation), the Serpentarium Wildlife Park should be high on your list. It’s also on the east coast, but around an hour north of Bicheno in the seaside town of St Helens.
At the park, you’ll find a heated indoor exhibit and a museum that showcases captive bred reptiles from around the globe. Highlights for us include the green anaconda, the reticulated python and the ever-so-cute Indian star tortoises.
Interpretive keeper presentations are held daily at noon and we’d recommend coinciding your visit with these. Be aware that the Serpentarium Wildlife Park has short opening hours (11-3 each day), so plan your arrival accordingly. Light meals and drinks are available at Rio’s Cafe.
Location: Kettering
Raptor Refuge is a little different from other wildlife sanctuaries on this list as it specialises in rescuing, rehabilitating and releasing injured birds of prey. It’s located in Kettering, the departure point of the Bruny Island ferry, and can easily be visited on a scenic drive through the Channel and Huon Valley regions.
When visiting Raptor Refuge, you can view several different aviaries through one-way glass viewing windows that are fitted with acoustic grade insulation. This means you can observe the current feathered residents without causing them disturbance.
If you’re a bird enthusiast, we highly recommend upgrading to the Walk & Talk experience, which offers special encounters with several different species of eagles, hawks, falcons and owls.
9. Chauncy Vale Wildlife Sanctuary
Location: Bagdad
Chauncy Vale is also a bit of an outlier on this list as it’s not a wildlife sanctuary with guaranteed sightings. It occupies a large tract of native bushland in the town of Bagdad (yes, like the Iraqi capital) and can easily be visited if you’re driving up the Midlands Highway to Launceston.
Chauncy Vale was established in 1946 and was once home to the multi award-winning children’s author, Nan Chauncy. Today, you can wander through the home (“Day Dawn”) that she shared with her husband and discover their sustainable lifestyle in rural Tasmania.
The surrounding bushland inspired her work and is home to free-roaming native wildlife. It’s worth noting that most of the animals here are less active during the day than they are at night. But it’s still fun spotting their droppings and tracks amongst the educational panels.
Wildlife Sanctuaries vs Seeing Animals in the Wild
Seeing native animals in the wild is definitely special and there are lots of places in Tasmania where you can do just that. In fact, many species make regular appearances in our national parks, as well as along roadsides in rural areas and in urban vegetable gardens.
That said, some native Tasmanian species are very difficult to see in the wild, particularly nocturnal animals like devils and quolls. It’s encounters with these species that make visiting a wildlife sanctuary in Tasmania a worthy addition to your itinerary.
Not only that, many sanctuaries offer up-close encounters with other species that you might only see fleetingly or from a distance in the wild. Several of the sanctuaries run keeper talks where you can learn about animal behaviour and conservation challenges, while others are home to species that aren’t native to Tasmania (or even Australia).
That’s why we think a wildlife sanctuary visit should complement (not replace) the experience of seeing Tasmania's animals in their natural environment. And trust us when we say that won’t take away from the undeniable pleasure of spotting animals unexpectedly in the wild. If anything, it only enhances it!