The first thing I thought when someone mentioned Australia was kangaroo. Not the Opera House, not the beach, not even the coffee. Kangaroo.

But when I actually arrived, I had no idea where to find one. I had this vague assumption that Australia would just have kangaroos somewhere – on the roadside, in a field, visible from a bus. It turns out that’s not quite how it works. As a foreigner, navigating a country you don’t know, the question of where to actually see kangaroos in the wild felt surprisingly difficult to answer.

Most guides I found sent me to sanctuaries, zoos, or day trips that assumed I had a rental car. I didn’t. What I eventually discovered was that Melbourne – the city I was already in – had the answer all along. Westerfolds Park in Templestowe, 45 minutes by bus from the CBD, has a permanent resident population of wild Eastern Grey Kangaroos that anyone can visit for free. No car, no tour, no entry fee.

I went in the evening, found a mob resting in the shade near the picnic benches, and spent a long time just watching them. Some were grazing. Some were lounging, completely unbothered. And when one of them decided to move and took a long, slow, easy hop across the grass, I felt genuinely thrilled in a way I hadn’t expected.

This guide covers everything you need to know to see kangaroos in Melbourne without a car – how to get there by bus, where to find the kangaroos, what to expect, and the one practical warning about getting back at night.

What Is Westerfolds Park?

The welcome sign at Westerfolds Park, Templestowe – one of Melbourne’s best urban wildlife reserves.

Westerfolds Park is one of Melbourne’s great urban nature escapes – 120 hectares of bushland, grassy woodland and river parkland tucked into a sweeping horseshoe bend of the Yarra River in Templestowe, about 20 kilometres north-east of the CBD. It was saved from suburban development in the 1970s and has been managed by Parks Victoria ever since.

The park sits on the traditional lands of the Wurundjeri people, for whom the Yarra River has deep cultural significance. Ancient River Red Gums – some of them hundreds of years old – line the grassland edges and the riverbanks. The Manor House, built in 1936, sits on a hill at the park’s centre and was once the site of a gallery exhibiting Indigenous Australian art.

Today the park is best known for one thing: kangaroos. Eastern Grey Kangaroos live here as a permanent resident population, grazing freely in the open grasslands throughout the year. Unlike a wildlife sanctuary, there are no fences keeping them in or keeping you out. They are here because they choose to be, and they have been here longer than the suburb around them.

How to See Kangaroos in Melbourne Without a Car

This is the part most guides skip – the practical detail of how to see kangaroos in Melbourne without a car. Here it is, step by step.

Bus: Route 905

Catch the 905 bus heading toward Templestowe. It departs from multiple stops in the CBD including along Swanston Street and from near Southern Cross Station. The journey takes approximately 40-50 minutes depending on traffic.

Where to get off: Alight at the Fitzsimons Lane / Porter Street stop (also referred to as Fitzsimons Lane / Williamsons Road on some timetables). This is the stop closest to the park entrance.

From the bus stop: Cross the road and walk toward the park entrance. It is a short, flat walk of about 5 minutes. The park is not signposted in the most obvious way from the bus stop, but you are heading toward the Yarra River – keep walking and you will reach the entrance.

Myki: The bus is outside the Free Tram Zone – tap your Myki card when boarding. Standard Zone 1 fare applies. If you don’t have a Myki yet, the Melbourne Airport to city centre guide explains where to get one on arrival.

Return warning: The 905 bus is infrequent at night. Check the timetable before you go and know your last bus time. If you miss it, your options are limited and expensive. I cannot stress this enough – check the return timetable before you leave Melbourne, not when you’re standing at the bus stop in the dark.

By car: Westerfolds Park is approximately 30 minutes from the Melbourne CBD via the Eastern Freeway toward Templestowe. Free parking is available at multiple entry points off Fitzsimons Lane.

The Kangaroos: What to Expect

A mob of Eastern Grey Kangaroos grazing at Westerfolds Park. One animal stands alert while the others continue feeding – a typical scene in the late afternoon.

The kangaroos at Westerfolds Park are Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus) – one of the largest kangaroo species in the world. Adults can stand up to 1.5 metres tall and weigh up to 60 kilograms. In person, they are considerably larger than most visitors expect, especially the males.

Adults are bigger than you expect. This male was moving slowly – that tail and those legs make more sense in person.

They are also considerably more relaxed than most visitors expect. These kangaroos have lived alongside humans for decades. They will not run from you if you approach calmly and quietly. They graze, rest, scratch themselves, glance at you with mild curiosity, and go back to whatever they were doing. They are not tame – they are wild – but they are accustomed enough to human presence that a slow, respectful approach is perfectly possible.

Eastern Grey Kangaroos at Westerfolds Park – larger and calmer than you expect.

When they move, they move. Three kangaroos crossing the grassland at speed – the blur is the point.

And when they do move, they really move.

When to visit: Early morning and late afternoon are the best times, when the kangaroos are most active and out grazing in the open. I visited in the evening and found the mob immediately. The golden hour light on the grass, with the kangaroos resting in the shade, made for an extraordinary scene. If you want to see kangaroos in Melbourne without a car, timing your visit to the evening is the single best thing you can do.

Where to find them: The kangaroos are not distributed evenly across the park. They congregate in particular spots – typically the open grassland areas away from the main paths, often near shade trees, benches or picnic areas. Keep walking. The park is large and it may take 20-30 minutes before you find them – but you will find them. If you walk the full 4.8km Westerfolds Loop Track, you are almost guaranteed to encounter them in multiple places.

Three kangaroos grazing at dusk – look closely at the middle animal and you’ll see a joey in the pouch.

How to behave around them:

• Approach slowly and quietly – no sudden movements
• Do not feed them under any circumstances – it disrupts their natural diet and behaviour
• Stay at least a few metres away
• Do not get between a mother and her joey
• If a kangaroo stands tall, thumps its feet or moves toward you, back away calmly

Walking the Park

The open grassland area near the main entrance – this is where I found the mob on my evening visit.

Westerfolds Park has several walking options depending on how much time you have.

The Westerfolds Loop Track (4.8km, approximately 1.5 hours) is the most complete way to experience the park. It takes you through grassy woodland, past the Manor House, along sections of the Yarra River, through native shrubland, and back through the main grassland areas. The track is well-maintained with a mix of sealed and unsealed paths. This is the route most likely to give you multiple kangaroo encounters.

Shorter walks are also possible if you have less time or just want to find the kangaroos. From the main entrance off Fitzsimons Lane, follow the central path toward the picnic areas and benches – this is where I found the mob. Keep looking into the shaded areas under trees rather than out in the open sun.

The park also sits on the Main Yarra Trail, Melbourne’s famous 33km riverside path that runs all the way from the eastern suburbs to the CBD. If you’re feeling ambitious after your kangaroo encounter, you can walk sections of it along the riverbank.

The one in the middle saw me. Three kangaroos on the grassland as the light faded – this is what you find if you walk the loop track at dusk.

Other things to look for while you’re here: The Yarra River itself, with viewing platforms and a stretch of visible rapids. Ancient River Red Gums that have stood here for centuries. Kookaburras, cockatoos, rainbow lorikeets, and if you’re lucky, a kite or eagle overhead. Wombats, possums, and sugar gliders are present in the park but are largely nocturnal and rarely seen during the day.

The Sunset

I went in the evening, and I’m glad I did.

Two kangaroos crossing the grassland at golden hour, Westerfolds Park. The sunflare was a bonus.

As the afternoon light softened and the shadows lengthened across the grassland, the park took on a quality that is difficult to describe precisely but easy to recognise: that particular stillness of a natural place as the day winds down. The kangaroos were unhurried. The light was warm. There was almost no one else around.

Westerfolds Park at the end of the day. No kangaroos in this one – just the light through the gums. The evening light at Westerfolds Park does this. A large kangaroo and a smaller one crossing the open ground as the sun drops.

Caption: The golden hour at Westerfolds Park – the light, the quiet, and the kangaroos.

The sunset over the Yarra River valley from the higher ground in the park is genuinely beautiful – the kind of view that makes you think Melbourne is much more than the laneways and cafes it’s famous for. If you time your visit to arrive a couple of hours before sunset and stay through the golden hour, you will have a very good evening.

Practical Information

Address: Fitzsimons Lane, Templestowe, VIC 3106

Entry: Free, no booking required, unguarded

Getting there by bus: Route 905 from Swanston Street / Southern Cross Station. Alight at Fitzsimons Lane / Porter Street stop. Approximately 40-50 minutes from the CBD.

Return bus warning: Bus 905 runs infrequently at night. Check the timetable carefully before you go and identify your last bus home. Do not rely on finding a return bus without checking first.

Parking: Free, multiple car parks off Fitzsimons Lane

Toilets: Available in the park – I found one near the picnic area

Picnic facilities: Several picnic areas with electric and wood-fired barbecues, shelters and tables. The Westerfolds Ridge Picnic Area has barbecues, a shelter, picnic table and a nearby playground.

The main picnic shelter at Westerfolds Park – BBQs, bench tables, and a playground. Good facilities for a full afternoon out.

Dogs: Permitted on-lead in most areas of the park

Cycling: Shared pathways throughout the park

Best time to visit: Early morning or late afternoon for the most active kangaroos. Evening is beautiful but plan your bus return carefully.

What to bring: Comfortable walking shoes, sunscreen and water, a camera with a decent zoom, layers if visiting in the evening (the Yarra valley gets cool quickly after sunset)

What not to do: Feed the kangaroos

Melbourne’s Wild Animal Cluster

Westerfolds Park fits into what is becoming a genuinely impressive set of free wildlife encounters that you can do from Melbourne without a car. If you’re trying to see kangaroos in Melbourne without a car, this is your best option – but it’s far from the only one.

If you haven’t already, the wild Little Penguins at St Kilda Pier are the obvious companion experience – a colony of approximately 1,400 penguins living in the breakwater at the end of St Kilda Pier, viewable for free with advance booking. That’s penguins and kangaroos, two of Australia’s most iconic animals, within a single Melbourne trip, with no car required and no entry fee.

And if you spotted kangaroos on the Great Ocean Road and are curious about the context, here’s the full Great Ocean Road guide – including the golf course mob that appeared unexpectedly at the end of the day.

Want a Guaranteed Wildlife Experience?

Westerfolds Park is wild – meaning the kangaroos are there because they choose to be, not because anyone has arranged them for your visit. Most of the time, especially in the morning and evening, you will find them easily. But it is not a guarantee.

If you want a broader Australian wildlife experience with guaranteed encounters, Healesville Sanctuary in the Yarra Valley is the obvious next step – koalas, platypus, wombats, Tasmanian devils and much more, all in a natural bushland setting about 90 minutes from Melbourne. It can be reached by public transport via train to Lilydale then bus.

For the full kangaroo spectacle – hundreds of animals on a dedicated viewing circuit, nightly, guaranteed – the Phillip Island Wildlife Park and the broader Phillip Island day trip (which also includes the famous Penguin Parade) is the premium option.

Book a Phillip Island day trip with wildlife from Melbourne

FAQ

Can I see kangaroos in Melbourne without a car?

Yes. Westerfolds Park in Templestowe is accessible by bus (Route 905) from the Melbourne CBD and has a permanent resident population of Eastern Grey Kangaroos. Free entry, no booking required.

Is sighting guaranteed at Westerfolds Park?

Almost – but not technically. The kangaroos are wild and free-roaming. In practice, visitors who walk the full loop track and arrive in the morning or evening will almost certainly see them. I found a mob within 30 minutes of entering the park in the evening.

How do I get to Westerfolds Park by public transport?

Take bus Route 905 from Swanston Street or Southern Cross Station in Melbourne CBD. Alight at Fitzsimons Lane / Porter Street. The park entrance is about 5 minutes on foot. The journey takes approximately 40-50 minutes.

What time is best to see kangaroos at Westerfolds Park?

Early morning and late afternoon. Kangaroos are most active at dawn and dusk when they come out to graze in the open. Midday visits are still possible but you may need to look harder under shaded trees.

Is the bus back to Melbourne frequent at night?

No. Bus Route 905 runs infrequently in the evening. Check the timetable carefully before your visit and identify your last return bus. Missing it is a real possibility if you don’t plan ahead.

Is Westerfolds Park really free?

Yes. Free entry, no booking, no gate, no charge for parking. Just turn up.

What kind of kangaroos are at Westerfolds Park?

Eastern Grey Kangaroos (Macropus giganteus). Adults can stand up to 1.5 metres tall – larger than many visitors expect. They are wild but accustomed to humans and generally very calm.

Can I feed the kangaroos?

No. Do not feed the kangaroos. Human food disrupts their natural diet and behaviour, and can make them aggressive. Observe from a respectful distance.

How long does the walk take?

The full Westerfolds Loop Track is 4.8km and takes approximately 1.5 hours at a relaxed pace. Shorter routes are possible if you just want to find the kangaroos.

PS: If you’re building your Melbourne trip around free wildlife, the full picture looks like this: wild penguins at St Kilda Pier (free, advance booking required), wild kangaroos at Westerfolds Park (free, no booking), and the free City Circle Tram to see the city’s landmarks in between. Three genuinely memorable Melbourne experiences, all accessible without a car, all free to enter.

Some links in this post are affiliate links. I may earn a small commission at no extra cost to you if you book through them. This never affects what I recommend – only things I’ve actually done or would genuinely suggest.

Please visit:

Our Sponsor