Healesville Sanctuary “Beyond the Fenceline” Coranderrk e-Ride eXperience + BBQ Luncheon!
Overview:
The Healesville Sanctuary like you have never seen it before! An eXciting collaboration between Zoos Victoria & Yarra Valley X.
A bit like Willy Wonka opening up his steely gates to the Chocolate Factory, we open the gates to beyond the fence line of the Sanctuary, the Coranderrk Nature Conservation Reserve! This magical place is not open to the public….. until now! This is the definition of a truly unique eXperience! It will be offered to Zoos Victoria members first and foremost from April 2026, followed by the general public.
Nature, creeks, trails, lakes, wildlife, bush; breath in the oxygen as we e-Ride on up to 30km of untouched trails on fat tyre e-Bikes, brought to you by Yarra Valley X, the region’s e-Bike guided tours experts. Learn about animals in their natural environment, hear about the latest breeding programs being undertaken by the Sanctuary, listen to the process of maintaining the Reserve Park, all throughout 2hrs of guided nature trails with our Ride Leader and Zookeeper.
Besides the occasional worker or the Resident Ranger, Lisa, we will be the ONLY humans in the Reserve Park. On the e-Bikes, we will go further, faster and see more. The e-Bikes are fun & safe - more information on our fleet can be found here - https://www.yarravalleyx.com.au/our-fleet
At the conclusion of our riding, we will stumble upon our bush hut, situated on the Coranderrk Creek; a gorgeous setting where we will fire up the BBQ for a true blue Australian lunch.
Entertain yourself with lawn games or just relax in this peaceful setting as you get to know your fellow riders. We will also use this time to share photos taken from the e-Ride, that your ride leader would have snapped along the way.
At the conclusion of lunch, you have the opportunity to cross the fence line back into the Healesville Sanctuary with your entry ticket, and enjoy the remainder of the afternoon viewing many animals in their enclosures. You may wish to book a personal animal encounter, see the famous ‘Spirits of the Sky’ bird show at 3pm in your VIP Seats, or just wander at your own pace. The Sanctuary closes at 5pm.
Itinerary:
9.45am arrival for a 10.00am start.
10.00am - Meet & Greet, Safety Briefing.
Join your guides & fellow riders at the main entrance to the Healesville Sanctuary. Your ride leader will be standing by their e-Bike and be easy to spot. Once we assemble the group, we will walk a short distance to a car park area where we will have our safety briefing, learn about the trip ahead and how to safely operate your e-Bike.
10.30am - e-Ride the Coranderrk Nature Conservation Reserve
With our e-Bikes in tow, we will walk through the Healesville Sanctuary, much to the FOMO of Sanctuary attendees looking at you, wishing they had booked this eXperience. We will cross the border into the Reserve and begin riding, firstly a perimeter ride to familiarise ourselves with our e-Bikes, and to also get a feel for the size of the land we are eXploring. Then we will work inland via the many trails observing nature’s flora & fauna at its best. There will be a number of stops to learn more from chats with the local Ranger and/or Zookeepers.
12.30pm - Aussie BBQ Luncheon & Wine Tasting at the Coranderrk Bush Hut & Creek
A gourmet BBQ luncheon will be well earned after a few hours of riding; steaks, lamb sausages, chicken skewers, and a selection of salads. Vegetarian & vegan options or any other dietary requirements available on request.
Whilst the BBQ is cooking, a representative from Healesville’s famed ‘Boat O’Craigo Winery’ will join us, for a guided wine tasting for the adults. If wine is not your thing, we will have thirst quenching beers from Healesville’s Watts River Brewery, plus a selection of soft drinks or water. Wander the banks of creek, sit in the peaceful surroundings or partake in some lawn games. You do you!
2.00pm onwards - Afternoon of leisure in the Healesville Sanctuary
Lunch will conclude by 2pm and we will walk back into the Healesville Sanctuary with our e-Bikes, entering the Gates as members or with our pre-purchased tickets provided by Yarra Valley X. For those who self-drove, the Sanctuary closes at 5pm, so you have plenty of time to tour the bushland haven of native wildlife for the afternoon. For those who have pre-arranged transport with Yarra Valley X to the Melbourne CBD, you will depart at 3.30pm.
Public Tours: 10.00am-2.00pm EVERY day
Ages (riders): 15+
Ages (passengers): A 3yo-6yo child can ride on a ‘joey seat’ and must be accompanied by a parent/guardian that is a minimum height of 168cms, or 5 foot 6 inches. The adult must be a confident bike rider. Please see link for photos of a ‘joey seat’ in operation. Only six (6) 2yos-6yos children are available to book on each eXperience; 1 child per 2 adults.
Availability: 12 x Adults and 6 x children passengers each day
Duration: 4hrs
Pricing:
$440.00 p/hd for Participants (Adults 16+)
$110.00 p/hd for 3yo-6yo children (passengers)
$396.00 p/hd for Zoos Victoria Members Participants (Adults 16+)
$99.00 p/hd for Zoos Victoria Members 3yo-6yo children (passengers)
Please note that 7yo-15yo’s are not able to join this eXperience as they are either deemed too young to ride, or too old for a ‘joey seat’.
Tours can be booked online up until 1hr before start time (9.00am). If you are attending the Healesville Sanctuary on the day without a booking, you can always enquire at the main entrance for any availability from 9.45am onwards, but booking ahead is highly recommended.
Private Groups:
Fixed fee of $4,400 inc. GST for group sizes of 10 or less.
Maximum number bookable is 14. Each additional participant > 10 is charged at $440 p/hd.
Please send your request of date to email: hello@yarravalleyx.com.au or call 0476 188 044 for instant confirmation. Please be advised you will need to book well in advance for private groups, recommended 4 weeks.
A 10.00am start time is recommended for private groups, but feel free to contact us as start times can be flexible for private groups, where we can start at either 9.00am or 11.00am. The itinerary will need to be amended in the event a start time is altered.
Included:
✔ Entry ticket into the Healesville Sanctuary on the day of the e-Bike eXperience
✔ Ampd Bros Ace+ fat-tyre e-Bike
✔ Helmet
✔ Safety Briefing
✔ 2.0-2.5hr e-Ride
✔ Expert Zoos Victoria Tour Guide
✔ Ride Leader
✔ Boat O’Craigo Wine Tasting of up to 5 wines
✔ Aussie BBQ Luncheon at the Bush Hut in the Coranderrk Nature Conservation Reserve; including but not limited to steaks, sausages, chicken skewers, salads plus a choice of a Yarra Valley local Beer or Wine, or soft drink/water
Excluded:
❌ Additional drinks purchased at luncheon
❌ Transport. Booking with Yarra Valley X is a self-drive option. Meet at Healesville Sanctuary front gates at 10.00am. If transport is required it can be arranged, but we recommend to contact us directly before booking via email or telephone.
FAQs
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The simple answer is Yes. Although the actual riding level is easy for this ride, some experience riding a bike is a must. The e-Bikes are very easy to ride, and we conduct a 20 minute safety briefing at the start of each tour and check in individually with each participant before we depart.
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By all means, you can supply your own helmet if you prefer, but it is not necessary. We will provide each participant with a ‘one size fits all’ Ampd Bros Urban Bike Helmet, which are CE / CPSC / AS/NZ Certified. Each helmet has a large size adjustable disc so will fit all heads, big & small.
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Comfort is key. Wear comfortable clothing as if you would going for a normal bike ride. Bring a light jacket if the forecast looks a bit cool and closed toe shoes are a must. We also encourage sunglasses all year round for eye protection and suncream when applicable. We encourage you to bring a bottle of water, but one is also supplied if required.
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Absolutely not. The ride is classified easy to moderate. A reasonable level of fitness is preferred. The ride is mostly flat, with some minor inclines. Once taught how to use an e-Bike correctly, this should be a breeze.
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No. The entire ride is conducted in the Coranderrk Nature Conservation Reserve which has no public roads. You will feel like the only people in the world when riding in this beautiful untouched park.
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If you cannot leave items in your own car, you may leave any small items you do not wish to carry during the ride at the meeting point, in the company car. The Ride Leader will also have a bike pack if you wish to store anything small such as a phone. All belongings are left at your own risk.
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Yes. With your permission, our Ride Leaders will take plenty of happy snaps throughout the eXperience. If you wish, these will be shared with you at the conclusion of the riding whilst we have lunch, via Whatsapp or Airdrop.
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e-Bike eXperiences can still go ahead with forecasted rain, as long as it is not severe. Routes/times may be altered to ensure completion. In the event of severe weather (e.g. excessive rain, lightning, extreme heat, etc.) where the e-Bikes are not used at all, a credit will be given for the determined pro-rata amount of the e-Bike contribution to the Tour. A Tour, taking in same or similar site visits, along with planned hospitality lunch or dinner, will still occur to maximise enjoyment of the client.
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If a Tour is completely cancelled due to the decision of Yarra Valley X or the Healesville Sanctuary, then a full refund will be offered. If a tour is cancelled by the client, then a full refund will be offered if it is greater than 7 days from the eXperience date.
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Riding bikes carries risk with a chance or injury. Each tour will have a minimum of one ride leader who will be an AusCycling accredited to lead groups, experienced in group riding and qualified for First Aid & CPR. Yarra Valley X is insured for $20m public liability insurance under Lloyds of London. A waiver & release form will be provided to all participants at the time of booking, or before the tour begins. The provision of this document and participation on the tour is acceptance of all terms.