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Photo: fir0002 flagstaffotos [at] gmail.com Canon 5D II + Canon 400mm f/5.6 L, GFDL 1.2 via Wikimedia Commons
This peaceful sanctuary is abundant with native Australian wildlife amongst its grassy woodlands and wetlands. There are a number of walks which offer close encounters with wild kangaroos, emus and variety of magnificent bird species. A free map and guide is available for download on the Parks Victoria website.
Serendip Sanctuary is a 250 ha protected area in Victoria, Australia, near the You Yangs and the town of Lara, some 22 km (14 mi) north of Geelong and 60 km (37 mi) south-west of Melbourne. Originally used for farming and other purposes, it was purchased in 1959 by the State Government of Victoria for wildlife research and the captive management and breeding of species threatened in Victoria, such as the brolga, magpie goose, Australian bustard, and bush stone-curlew. The sanctuary contains many different types of wetland and is home to many plant species as well, such as river red gums, tall spikerush, and tussock grass. Serendip now focuses more on environmental education about the flora and fauna of the wetlands and open grassy woodlands of the Volcanic Western Plains of Victoria. It was opened to the public in 1991 and is now managed by Parks Victoria.
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A small historical museum run by locals. It is housed in one of the town's oldest buildings, the former Lake Bank Hotel, built by a Scottish immigrant in the 19th century.
The You Yangs is a regional park in Lara, named after an Aboriginal word meaning mountain or hill, with a mountain chain of 4 mountains, the tallest being Point Flinders. Some things that you can do around the area is a walk to the top of the highest peak and see the view of Lara and half of Geelong, or around Point Flinders.