Moonlit Sanctuary Moonlit Sanctuary

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This isn't news, but I'd appreciate some advice. Is it worth visiting Moonlit Sanctuary if I've already been to Healesville? Bear in mind I'll be skint, short on time, and reliant on public transport. Any thoughts?

Thanks.
 
Giant Panda said:
This isn't news, but I'd appreciate some advice. Is it worth visiting Moonlit Sanctuary if I've already been to Healesville? Bear in mind I'll be skint, short on time, and reliant on public transport. Any thoughts?

Thanks.
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Yes. Yes it is. The night tour at Moonlit is really neat, especially for the gliders and owlet-nightjars. Being short on time isn't a problem if you are going there in the evening, unless you want to do things other than just zoos for some reason.

Public transport is a little tricky because unless they changed it there's none between the nearest town and the sanctuary - it's easily walkable, but at night I think the distance might be further (i.e. the bus is different or not running? MRJ can advise on that).

If you can't do the night visit then I think Healesville will suffice because they probably have all the same diurnal animals viewable. But I always recommend the night visit at Moonlit.
 
Chlidonias said:
Yes. Yes it is. The night tour at Moonlit is really neat, especially for the gliders and owlet-nightjars. Being short on time isn't a problem if you are going there in the evening, unless you want to do things other than just zoos for some reason.

Public transport is a little tricky because unless they changed it there's none between the nearest town and the sanctuary - it's easily walkable, but at night I think the distance might be further (i.e. the bus is different or not running? MRJ can advise on that).

If you can't do the night visit then I think Healesville will suffice because they probably have all the same diurnal animals viewable. But I always recommend the night visit at Moonlit.
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Thanks Chli. I guess I'll have to fit it in then. There's a section on public transport on the website and I don't mind long walks, but it'd be helpful if MRJ could let me know whether it's possible at night.
 
something else to bear in mind is that there is a gap (I think a couple of hours?) between when the sanctuary closes for the day and then re-opens for the night tour, and it's a-ways out of town if you're on foot.

Also, in case you haven't seen it, my review here: Moonlit Sanctuary - First visit to Moonlit Sanctuary, 27 May 2014

It may not still be current (it was 2014) but MRJ can advise:
Chlidonias said:
First up though, some general information. Moonlit Sanctuary is situated just out of a little town called Pearcedale which lies south of Melbourne on the Mornington Peninsula. It is easy to reach by car, but public transport can be a little trickier. During the day is easy enough. You just take the train to Frankston, then bus number 776 from right outside the train station goes all the way to Pearcedale. This bus has a fairly limited timetable so you need to work out your travel plans in advance. From Pearcedale it is just under three kilometres to Moonlit (roughly half an hour's walk and it is a pretty direct walking route – straight along the Baxter-Tooradin Road and turn right into the Tyabb-Toorabbin Road). If you are just making a day visit to the park then no problems, but the park is also open at night (hence the name, Moonlit Sanctuary) and the last bus from Pearcedale back to Frankston is at 7pm. The only real alternatives are to arrange a pick-up/drop-off (which the park does, for an extra charge) or bike from Frankston and back (you can take a bicycle on the train but not the bus).
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Ringo the barking owl would like to wish all our friends and supporters on Zoochat a very merry Christmas and a happy New Year!
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A new animal kitchen has commenced service. The new falility is about 3 times the size of the old facility and is required to meet the needs of our growing collection. A feature will be a window whereby visitors will be able to see into the kitchen and get some idea of the complexities of animal diets. Associated with the kitchen and due to be finished in February will be a new exhibit for arid zone lizards.

Also on the reptile front a group of striped legless lizards. Not on display yet they will be shown in an exhibit which emphasises the problems of wildlife on the urban edge.
 
Is there a probability that Moonlit Sanctuary will extend in near future to include non-Australian native animals, like exotic hoofed animals, non-human primates, small felids, etc. ?
:)
 
Nikola Chavkosk said:
Is there a probability that Moonlit Sanctuary will extend in near future to include non-Australian native animals, like exotic hoofed animals, non-human primates, small felids, etc. ?
:)
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No. The reason is two-fold:

1. Moonlit Sanctuary was established specifically to work towards conservation. Australia faces an extinction crisis with its unique fauna similar to and in many ways more intense than that faced in Africa, Asia and South America. We have real, extensive and demanding work to do with our native fauna, which is something largely beyond the experience of European and North American zoos. On the other hand for a number of reasons we could do almost nothing for the conservation of overseas fauna beyond education.

2. Around half of our visitors are from overseas. I would think they would be more interested in seeing a first-rate exhibit of Australian animals they are unlikely to ever see in their home countries rather than what must by necessity be a second-rate exhibit of animals they could just as well see in their home city zoos.

That is not to say that in the future if we work on a conservation project in one of Australia's neighbouring countries we may have an exhibit that promotes that work.
 
MRJ said:
That is not to say that in the future if we work on a conservation project in one of Australia's neighbouring countries we may have an exhibit that promotes that work.
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One example could be dingiso tree kangaroo for example, or New-Guinea marsupials in general, or shining parrots/New Zealand fauna,

-Zoo with exclusively Australasian (Australia, New Zealand, New Gunea, other Oceania islands) fauna - sounds VERY VERY attractive.
 
Moonlit Sanctuary opened it's most recent exhibit yesterday, and aviary for wedge-tailed eagles. it houses a young pair, both of whom are rescue birds who cannot be released.

The aviary is 30m long x 7m wide, and has wooden sides and ends instead of wire to ensure the birds do not damage their feathers or nostrils. The roof has two layers of mesh about 30cm apart. The inner layer is knotless polypropylene, which is soft on the eagles should they brush against it. The outer layer is polypropylene knitted with stainless steel wire threaded through it. This is strong enough to resist the attentions on wild eagles, who are happy to attack captive eagles in their territory.
 
MRJ said:
Moonlit Sanctuary opened it's most recent exhibit yesterday, and aviary for wedge-tailed eagles. it houses a young pair, both of whom are rescue birds who cannot be released.
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can they fly or not any more? And are these your first eagles?
 
Chlidonias said:
can they fly or not any more? And are these your first eagles?
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They can both fly, but are both unreleasable. The male was found begging for food around farmers back yards, and was loosing weight. Most likely he was raised by humans and released when he got too big. He is totally chilled out about having people nearby and was not interested in hunting for himself. The female was involved in an accident which resulted in two talons being amputated, so she cannot hunt for herself. She was fresh out of the nest when entering care as she still had pin feathers. Given she is so young it was felt she will settle down to captive life well.

They both seem to be settling down and appear to be getting on very well, including performing beak touching behavior which seems to indicate they are developing a bond.

These are our first eagles. We have been offered eagles before however previously have felt we did not have the resources to build them a suitable enclosure.

You can look at our Facebook page for some images of them and their enclosure, and a Channel 7 video taken at the opening:
Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park
 
thanks. I can't see the Facebook stuff because they do this thing now where the site sticks a great big banner across the page saying to sign in or join up to view the page.
 
And I can't attach jpegs to postings here anymore. So we are buggered. But there is a photo on our website front page.
 
That big Facebook banner usually has a "not now" option below the join up thing that moves the banner to the bottom of the screen, so you can see the photos and videos.

Looks like a top-notch eagle exhibit. I really must get to Moonlit one of these days.
 
MRJ said:
And I can't attach jpegs to postings here anymore. So we are buggered.
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It's not just you, nobody can. But they can still be uploaded into the galleries, and links put in the thread.

:p

Hix
 
With the end of Daylight Saving, Moonlit Sanctuary will have an altered timetable for activities starting Sunday the 2nd April.

Open daily 10am to 5pm

Presentations
Keeper talks included in admission

10.30am Python
11.00 am Animal Training Session
11.30am Koala
12.00 noon Dingo
12.30pm Tasmanian Devil
1.00 pm Wombat Training
1.15 pm Koala
1.45 pm Python
2.20 pm Conservation in Action Show
3.00 pm Koala
3.30 pm Wombat

Encounters
Interact directly with the animals, extra charges apply.

Koala 11.30am, 1.15pm & 3.00pm
Python 10.30am & 1.45pm
Dingo 12.15pm & 3.30pm
Barn Owl 1.30pm
Dingo Walk 10.00am


Tours
Extra charges apply.

Behind the Scenes tour 12.00 noon
Evening Wildlife Tour 7.00pm (booking required)
 
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