A NEW “bush food garden” opened at Moonlit Sanctuary last week as part of the park’s 25th anniversary celebrations.
The new garden at the Pearcedale sanctuary features native Australian plants, and explores traditional uses. The garden is dedicated to Roland and Margaret Johnson, the parents of Moonlit Sanctuary founder Michael Johnson.
Michael Johnson said the new garden “reflected the Sanctuary’s broader aim of helping people develop a deeper connection with the Australian environment.”
“When we started Moonlit Sanctuary 25 years ago, the idea was to give people a chance to experience Australian wildlife and develop an appreciation for the natural world around them,” he said. “The Bush Food Garden extends that idea beyond the animals themselves. Native plants are an incredibly important part of the story because they provide food and habitat for wildlife, as well as having a long history of use by people.
“We hope visitors will come away seeing the Australian landscape a little differently and perhaps even thinking about the native plants they have around them and the role they can play in supporting wildlife.”
As part of the park’s 25-year anniversary, a new Aquatic Fauna Conservation Facility was opened earlier this year. A major new Tasmanian Devil enclosure is scheduled to open by the end of 2026.
First published in the Frankston Times – 13 October 2026