The Bare Traveller

Exceptional animal encounters at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

The Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary is located 27 kilometres from Hobart. It is one of the greatest spots in Tasmania to watch Australian animal species. 

It is located on the outskirts of Brighton and is sure to amaze the entire family with its great educational exhibitions and cute Aussie wildlife.

Statues of animals at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

This Tasmanian and Australian Wildlife Conservation Centre gathers, treats, and re-educates animals before releasing them to the wild.

The sanctuary, which was founded in 1981 to care for wounded and orphaned wild animals, has grown to encompass a large area. 

Koalas, kangaroos, emus, wombats, and Tasmanian devils walk freely in huge outdoor cages that mimics their native environment.

Joey in the shade at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

You may meet and pet sugar gliders and echidnas during one of the sanctuary’s unique animal encounters, in addition to learning everything there is to know about the creatures, their surroundings, and their behaviour.

Touching a Baby Wombat at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

The organisation also finances endangered species animal rescue efforts, as well as breeding programmes for these species.

The facility is open to the public, and an admission fee is charged at the entrance (32 AUD for adults, 18 AUD for children. The entrance is free for infants and a visit of a family of two adults and two children is charges 93 AUD). 

This financial contribution allows the sanctuary to continue its animal rescue work.

How to get to Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary?

Bus

It’s a bit of a tricky way. You would need to take the X21 bus from City interchange #A2 to Munday St / Station St (1h journey). From there, you would walk about 20 minutes to reach the Sanctuary.

This bus runs 3 times a day each way, so I recommend you check what time is the next return bus to Hobart. It is by far the most cost saving option. 

Taxi

You could go there on an Uber or a cab, it will cost you between £30 to £45.

Driving a car

The park is located 18 miles from the city centre and is about 25-minute drive away.

 Address: 593 Briggs Rd, Brighton TAS 7030, Australia

Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary: The visit

The facility provides visitors with a bag of food that may be presented to Kangaroos at the entry. Guided tours are also offered by volunteers.

I have spent two magnificent hours at Bonorong, where I saw cute young Wombats as well as Koalas and Kangaroos. 

The Tasmanian Devil is the most popular among visitors since, unlike the Kangaroo, it is difficult to observe in the wild.

Tasmania Devil at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Hobart Tasmania

I approached the kangaroos, armed with food bags. What an amazing experience. When they noticed the bags in my hands, the kangaroos flock together. 

Some even gripped my arms to keep me from leaving, and I could see their large claws.

It’s incredible to be able to be so close to these kangaroos! Some of them even risen to reach my height, at which point I discovered the huge primary claw on their rear legs!

Female Kangaroo with her Joey at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary Hobart Tasmania

Fortunately for me, the largest kangaroos are kept in a separate area that is not accessible to people. 

Furthermore, I saw a furious battle between two Tasmania devils in the enclosure next door; I was relieved to be away from them.

Sitting in the shade with a wallaby at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

I was also relieved to see that the animals are housed in large cages that allow them to walk freely.

Tasmanian Wildlife you can encounter in this facility

Tasmania’s wildlife is diverse, with many species being endemic. The Tasmanian Devil is the island’s mascot and the only native mammal. 

Other unique species on the island include the Marsupial Cat (Quoll), the Pademelon (Thylogale), and the Tasmanian Bettongia (or Tasmanian Bettong).

The Tasmanian Devil, the Marsupial Cat, and Tasmanian Tree Frog are all on the verge of extinction. Unfortunately, the Tasmanian Tiger vanished in 1936.

Wildlife in Tasmania appears unafraid in general, and interactions are common, particularly with Pademelons, a tiny type of kangaroo, and Bennett’s Wallaby, a medium-sized kangaroo.

The Tasmanian Devil is increasingly difficult to see in its native habitat since it is afraid of humans, and the population is steadily diminishing, approaching a critical threshold.

Lizards at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

It has the appearance of a little dog, with a black coat and a white stripe at the neck. It possesses slender, blood-red ears that glow in the light (hence the name). 

He is presently afflicted with DFTD (Devil Facial Tumor Disease), a type of highly infectious facial malignancy!

I have spotted Several Pademelons (Thylogale) during my time in Tasmania. I also came across a number of Echidnas on the side of the road and on my several walks. 

With its odd physical appearance, this animal resembles a hedgehog but has a large nose.

bird at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

I was also able to see a Platypus, a type of beaver with a duck’s beak, for a few seconds.

The Opossum, Marsupial Cat, and Little Penguin are among the animals I was unable to see. The opossum, on the other hand, is highly common and easy to spot.

There’s also a wide diversity of birds. I saw Superb Fairywrens, a lovely blue-headed bird, several times.

Among the harmful species are numerous snakes that I did have the opportunity to encounter; warnings about their danger may be found at tourist information centres.

Black Tiger Snake at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

At Bonorong wildlife sanctuary, you can spot the Tiger snake, which is regarded as one of the deadliest snakes in the world.

To reassure you, animals that attack humans are quite rare in Tasmania; in fact, all of these hazardous species fled the island in general. In other words, you have very small probability of meeting one of them.

To reduce the likelihood of such an encounter, check where you put your feet, avoid frolicking in tall grass, and trek in high shoes and slacks.

Walking with a heavy stride (which creates noise and vibrations on the ground) will frighten the snakes.

Final Thoughts

The main thing to take away from this article is that you must visit the bonorong wildlife sanctuary.  The animal encounter is unique. I had the opportunity to feed kangaroos and spend as much time as I needed with them.

I also had the opportunity to see Tasmania devils. Growing up, I was a fan of Looney Tunes and the character TAZ. I also had the chance to hold a baby wombat.

Baby Wombat at Bonorong Wildlife Sanctuary

I was also impressed by how much the volunteers and staff are committed to helping the different species kept there. It was an unforgettable experience that I highly recommend if you happen to visit Tasmania!

 

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