 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.