Creatures of the Night School Holiday Special: Fireside Hot Chocolates

Set within a landscape of hollow-bearing trees, fallen logs and dense native undergrowth, and protected from introduced predators, Mt Rothwell provides vital habitat for a range of threatened species. Through years of dedicated land management and regeneration, as well as jscience-led species monitoring and management, Mt Rothwell Safe Haven has become a refuge where native wildlife is actively recovering and thriving.

On this special school holiday edition of Creatures of the Night, families are invited to experience the bush after dark with a cosy seasonal twist. Begin the evening gathered around a campfire with a warm hot chocolate in hand, before heading out into the woodland as dusk settles and the night comes alive.

Keep watch for eastern barred bandicoots, southern brown bandicoots, rufous bettongs, eastern bettongs, and the occasional eastern quoll scurrying through the woodland edges. In the granite rocky outcrops, you're also likely to encounter the critically endangered southern brush-tailed rock-wallaby, one of Victoria’s most vulnerable mammals.

This relaxed school holiday experience blends wildlife discovery with fireside warmth, the perfect winter adventure for families and young explorers.

Event details

Explore the safe haven after dark as native wildlife emerges across the woodlands and granite rocky outcrops Duration: 1.5-2 hours, depending on the wildlife encountered Commences at sunset (seasonally adjusted start times) Includes campfire gathering with hot chocolate (school holiday special feature) What to bring

Water bottle Weather-appropriate clothing and sturdy enclosed footwear Torch or headlamp (optional) and cameras welcome A sense of adventure (and room for hot chocolate!) Tickets (inc. GST, + booking fee)

Adults: $66 5-17: $44 Under 5s: Free Family (2A2C): $198 If your preferred tickets are not available, please get in touch with us at info@mtrothwell.com.au and we'll see what we can do!

Please note

No smoking permitted during the experience Walking occurs on uneven ground in low light conditions Tours at Mt Rothwell Safe Haven are run rain, hail or shine. However, we reserve the right to cancel a tour at short notice due to severe weather conditions for public safety reasons (e.g. dangerous winds, predicted lightning strikes). We will endeavor to give you as much notice as possible (at least 24 hours) and will reschedule the walk at the next available and suitable time for you and/or your group. Please leave your phone number next to your name when purchasing tickets. We may need to contact you if the tour is cancelled. Directions

There are multiple Mt Rothwell Roads in Little River and navigation apps can be unreliable. Please enter 5 Mt Rothwell Road, Little River (not 5 Rothwell Road, Little River) and confirm it directs you to the dirt road off Little River–Ripley Road. You can also search directions for Mt Rothwell Safe Haven.

Access

On arrival you will pass through two gates. The first gate will be c