Melbourne, Australia

Travel from Melbourne to Phillip Island to watch hundreds of little penguins emerge from the surf to return to their burrows for the night. Marvel at the penguins as they waddle up the beach, feed their young, and vocally interact with each other. Phillip Island has the largest little penguin colony in the world, and you get to see them in action in their natural habitat! En route to the penguin parade, drive through the affluent suburbs of Melbourne, outlying farming communities, and the quaint fishing village of San Remo.

Depart from Melbourne in the late afternoon by comfortable coach, following the Yarra River through the leafy southeastern suburbs and rural countryside, before arriving at the bridge to Phillip Island. As you travel, listen to informative commentary from your guide about the sights you pass along the way.

Drive through the fishing village of San Remo as you cross the only bridge onto Phillip Island, stopping at the excellent Phillip Island Visitor Information Centre. Browse exhibits about Phillip Island’s abundant wildlife, which includes koalas, fur seals, mutton birds and other migratory birds in addition to tonight’s star attraction, the little penguins.

Little penguins are the smallest penguin species, and the fact that the world’s largest colony of them can be easily visited at Phillip Island makes this a don’t-miss opportunity! Penguin experts estimate that as many as 32,000 little penguins live on Phillip Island. During your visit, learn about conservation issues involved in protecting Phillip Island’s wildlife. Revenue from ticket sales gets invested back into research, environmental protections, and education projects to ensure that the penguins and other wildlife flourish.

As the sun sets, head to the beach where you have a choice of the basic seating option on stands with tiered seating or choose the upgrade (details below) for prime penguin viewing. Watch hundreds of little penguins emerge from the sea and waddle along the sand to their burrows, where they feed their young with their day’s catch of anchovies and pilchards.

Be sure to bring warm clothes as the ocean air can get cold at night. At the end of the penguin viewing, your coach returns you to Melbourne (about a 90-minute drive) to end your tour, with drop off at select Melbourne hotels.

Penguin Plus Viewing Platform
Upgrade your tour to include all of the above while viewing the penguins from even closer quarters for optimal viewing, accompanied by informative commentary from an expert wildlife ranger. Wooden seating and boardwalks provide excellent sight lines, with a maximum of 150 people permitted in the area.

Please note: From the 1st of May 2015 through to the 30th of November 2015,
the Penguin Parade Viewing Platform is under construction. You will instead be offered the following:

• Meet and greet by a Phillip Island Nature Parks Ranger
• Behind the scenes tour with full Ranger Interpretation
• Reserved front row seating in the general viewing area
• Free hot drink