An attractive township surrounded by vineyards and low lying mountains. Healesville is a flourishing tourist resort located amidst scenic countryside at the confluence of the Watts River and Grace Burn Creek, 60 km east of Melbourne and 81 metres above sea-level.
The area around Healesville was originally occupied by the Yarra Yarra or Wurrundjeri Aboriginal people who were settled at the Coranderrk Aboriginal Reservation on Badger Creek, 5 km south of the town, from 1863.
In recent times the area to the west of the town has seen a proliferation of vineyards and the town itself is famous for its widely publicised Healesville Sanctuary. The current population of Healesville is 5,500, plus another 1,400 at Badger Creek.
Healesville Sanctuary is one of Australia's most popular tourist attractions. World renown for holding the world's largest collection of Australian wildlife blending into a spacious and tranquil Australian bush setting, it is set within 31 hectares of natural bush.
