The David Fleay Wildlife Park was established by David Fleay in 1951 as a place of research and education.

David Howells Fleay was born in Ballarat in 1907 and established an interest in the Australian bush and its wildlife at an early age.
Fleay accepted a teaching position at Ballarat Grammar School and, in 1927, moved to Melbourne where he taught whilst studying for a Bachelor of Science degree and a Diploma of Education at Melbourne University.
At Melbourne University he met fellow science student, Mary Sigrid Collie, and they married in 1931, the year in which David Fleay graduated in Zoology, Botany and Education.

Between 1931 and 1934, Fleay taught at the Ballarat Church of England Grammar School and at State primary and secondary schools, while continuing his private study of native animals.
By 1934 his reputation as a "wildlife man" was sufficiently established that, when Melbourne Zoo decided to set up an Australian section as part of Melbourne's centenary celebrations, David Fleay was chosen to design and direct the section.
He worked there for three and a half years, during which time he was able to achieve some significant scientific "firsts" such as the first breeding in captivity of emus, scrub turkeys, some birds of prey, the tawny frogmouth and a variety of marsupials including the koala.
He constructed his first platypussary (a home for platypuses).
His time, however, with the Melbourne Zoo was not particularly happy as he disagreed with management on matters of principle.
Reflecting his naturalist's viewpoint rather than traditional zoologists' thinking, he insisted that native birds and animals should be fed what they would eat in the wild.
He was dismissed over this issue in 1937.

By chance, the wildlife sanctuary at Healesville, about 90 kilometres (56 mi) north-east of Melbourne, needed to replace Robert Eadie, who had been the honorary Curator since the early 1930s.
In 1937, Fleay was appointed at £7 per week, the first paid Director of the sanctuary, to develop Healesville's wildlife sanctuary on temperate rainforest on Badger Creek.
Fleay introduced 95 large tiger snakes to the sanctuary which were displayed on an island and milked for antivenene purposes.
At Healesville, Fleay recommenced his breeding and conservation programs in earnest, achieving worldwide recognition.
His greatest achievement at Healesville was breeding the first platypus is captivity in 1943.
He designed and built a new platypussary, and, in November 1943, "Corrie" the platypus was born.
Despite numerous attempts by other scientist and sanctuaries, Fleay remains the only person to have successfully bred and reared a platypus in captivity.

In 1947, David and Sigrid Fleay travelled with three platypuses to New York's Bronx Zoo.
The platypuses were accommodated in a new platypussary at the zoo, designed to Fleay's specifications.
During the Fleay's stay in the United States, Fleay inspected the modern methods of housing and feeding animals at a number of zoos including the New York Zoological Park, Staten Island Zoo, National Zoological Park in Washington and the Golden Gate Zoo in San Francisco.
It is not known whether he brought back with him from the United States any ideas which he intended to implement in Australia.

David Fleay returned to Healesville on 13 October 1947 to discover that the Board had fired him during his absence, for the alleged unauthorised donation of other sanctuary animals to the Americans.
Whilst the accusation was false, this did not diminish the Board's hostility toward Fleay.
After much public outcry, Fleay continued in a lesser role at Healesville as a consultant.
Fleay continued to maintain his private fauna collection until 1951 when the Victorian Government banned private individuals from asking for and accepting admission fees from members of the public wishing to view personal collections of native fauna.
This situation prompted Fleay to find a more suitable location which would enable him to carry out his research into the life and habits of native birds, animals and reptiles, and consequen
The David Fleay Wildlife Park was established by David Fleay in 1951 as a place of research and education.
David Howells Fleay was born in Ballarat in 1907 and established an interest in the Australian bush and its wildlife at an early age. Fleay accepted a teaching position at Ballarat Grammar School and, in 1927, moved to Melbourne where he taught whilst studying for a Bachelor of Science degree and a Diploma of Education at Melbourne University. At Melbourne University he met fellow science student, Mary Sigrid Collie, and they married in 1931, the year in which David Fleay graduated in Zoology, Botany and Education.
Between 1931 and 1934, Fleay taught at the Ballarat Church of England Grammar School and at State primary and secondary schools, while continuing his private study of native animals. By 1934 his reputation as a "wildlife man" was sufficiently established that, when Melbourne Zoo decided to set up an Australian section as part of Melbourne's centenary celebrations, David Fleay was chosen to design and direct the section. He worked there for three and a half years, during which time he was able to achieve some significant scientific "firsts" such as the first breeding in captivity of emus, scrub turkeys, some birds of prey, the tawny frogmouth and a variety of marsupials including the koala. He constructed his first platypussary (a home for platypuses). His time, however, with the Melbourne Zoo was not particularly happy as he disagreed with management on matters of principle. Reflecting his naturalist's viewpoint rather than traditional zoologists' thinking, he insisted that native birds and animals should be fed what they would eat in the wild. He was dismissed over this issue in 1937.
By chance, the wildlife sanctuary at Healesville, about 90 kilometres (56 mi) north-east of Melbourne, needed to replace Robert Eadie, who had been the honorary Curator since the early 1930s. In 1937, Fleay was appointed at £7 per week, the first paid Director of the sanctuary, to develop Healesville's wildlife sanctuary on temperate rainforest on Badger Creek. Fleay introduced 95 large tiger snakes to the sanctuary which were displayed on an island and milked for antivenene purposes. At Healesville, Fleay recommenced his breeding and conservation programs in earnest, achieving worldwide recognition. His greatest achievement at Healesville was breeding the first platypus is captivity in 1943. He designed and built a new platypussary, and, in November 1943, "Corrie" the platypus was born. Despite numerous attempts by other scientist and sanctuaries, Fleay remains the only person to have successfully bred and reared a platypus in captivity.
In 1947, David and Sigrid Fleay travelled with three platypuses to New York's Bronx Zoo. The platypuses were accommodated in a new platypussary at the zoo, designed to Fleay's specifications. During the Fleay's stay in the United States, Fleay inspected the modern methods of housing and feeding animals at a number of zoos including the New York Zoological Park, Staten Island Zoo, National Zoological Park in Washington and the Golden Gate Zoo in San Francisco. It is not known whether he brought back with him from the United States any ideas which he intended to implement in Australia.
David Fleay returned to Healesville on 13 October 1947 to discover that the Board had fired him during his absence, for the alleged unauthorised donation of other sanctuary animals to the Americans. Whilst the accusation was false, this did not diminish the Board's hostility toward Fleay. After much public outcry, Fleay continued in a lesser role at Healesville as a consultant. Fleay continued to maintain his private fauna collection until 1951 when the Victorian Government banned private individuals from asking for and accepting admission fees from members of the public wishing to view personal collections of native fauna. This situation prompted Fleay to find a more suitable location which would enable him to carry out his research into the life and habits of native birds, animals and reptiles, and consequen
David Fleay Wildlife Park