HEALESVILLE Healesville is encounted when traveling from Melbourne to Alexandra (or vice versa). Healesville is nearly a dormitory suburb of Melbourne. Lilydale has succumbed and soon Healesville also will be suburbia. But not yet. The creation of a railway to the more distant goldfields in the 1860s resulted in a settlement forming on the Watts River and its survey as a town in 1864. It was named after Richard Heales, the Premier of Victoria from 1860–1861. The post office opened on 1 May 1865.[2] The town became a setting off point for the goldfields with the construction of the Yarra Track in the 1870s. Healesville is well known for the Healesville Sanctuary, a nature park with hundreds of native Australian animals displayed in a semi-open natural setting and an active platypus The Healesville Township is certainly a heritage conscious environment and clearly the old buildings are now protected. Both the main street Hotels are classics. When visiting allow plenty of time to visit and enjoy. The Healesville War Memorial is surprisingly a low key cenotaph. The Museum is the railway conversion and upgrade. This museum is really well done. The Healesville congregational churches are all different vintages. The Catholic the most grand. The Anglican a wooden survivor and the United with a main street presence. A visit to the Healesville Sanctuary is a must. When visiting Healesville allow a minimum of two days.