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Phillip Island Penguin Parade: A One-Day Wildlife Tour from Melbourne
4.7
166 Ratings
Melbourne
Experience the thrill of the Phillip Island Penguin Parade and explore the stunning Nobbies and Seal Rocks. Witness little penguins waddling across the beach and enjoy breathtaking views of the wild south coast.
Experience the thrill of the Phillip Island Penguin Parade and explore the stunning Nobbies and Seal Rocks. Witness little penguins waddling across the beach and enjoy breathtaking views of the wild south coast.
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- The Nobbies - Views of Phillip Island’s rugged south coast and home to Australia’s largest fur seal colony.
- Phillip Island Nature Parks - Penguin Parade - World famous Penguin Parade. Enjoy the brand new visitors centre and learn about the daily lives of the Little Penguins. Take a stroll along the paths and boardwalks trying to spot a…
- The Nobbies - Views of Phillip Island’s rugged south coast and home to Australia’s largest fur seal colony.
- Phillip Island Nature Parks - Penguin Parade - World famous Penguin Parade. Enjoy the brand new visitors centre and learn about the daily lives of the Little Penguins. Take a stroll along the paths and boardwalks trying to spot a Penguin who may have stayed behind from the days fishing and is snuggled up in their burrow. As dusk falls, watch as bands of Penguins come ashore and waddle up Summerland Beach.
What's Included
- General viewing entry fees at the Penguin Parade
- Park Entry Fees
- On-board WiFi
- Friendly & informative tour guide
- In-vehicle air conditioning
- General viewing entry fees at the Penguin Parade
- Park Entry Fees
- On-board WiFi
- Friendly & informative tour guide
- In-vehicle air conditioning
What's Not Included
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Spend an exceptional day visiting two of the prime wildlife points of interest in Victoria: the Nobbies and Seal Rocks, which houses one of Australia’s most populous fur seal colonies; and the evening Penguin Parade, an event where tiny penguins emerge from the water and amble along the beach, working their way to their burrows.
At the Nobbies and Seal…
Spend an exceptional day visiting two of the prime wildlife points of interest in Victoria: the Nobbies and Seal Rocks, which houses one of Australia’s most populous fur seal colonies; and the evening Penguin Parade, an event where tiny penguins emerge from the water and amble along the beach, working their way to their burrows.
At the Nobbies and Seal Rocks, the cliffside boardwalk provides panoramic views of Phillip Island’s rugged southern coastline, and there are additional viewing areas within unique bird gardens that show off vibrant floral displays in the spring season.
Next, observe Victoria’s biggest group of little penguins at the Penguin Parade each evening. As twilight descends, hundreds of tiny penguins surge out of the ocean onto the beach, migrating to their burrows. They forage at sea and return to their burrows for mating, parenting and moulting activities.
- Photography and video are NOT PERMITTED at the Penguin Parade
- Large bags, strollers, prams, baby capsules, luggage & walkers cannot be brought on board
- This tour returns to Melbourne at approximately 9pm-12am depending on the season
Location
Flinders Street & Market Street
Please wait at the corner of Flinders & Market Streets, next to the Immigration Museum. **Please do not wait at the front entry of the Museum**
- Pickup is at 1:45pm if travelling during non-daylight savings times, AEST.
- Pickup is at 2:45pm if travelling during daylight savings time, AEDT.
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
4.7
(166 Ratings)
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Barriotravelers
Jun 28, 2025
Great tour, a ton of fun, penguins did not disappoint - This was one of the highlights of our two weeks in Australia. Our guide, driver and DJ was Cloe. What a great person she is. Cloe made the two-hour drive fun and educational. We learned a ton about Melbourne and of course, the penguins, from her. She schooled us on what to expect and how to get the most of our experience. Cloe literally walked our group into the area and helped us get the best seats, right on the beach for optimum viewing. You'll sit on bleachers that have been built at strategic spots near the water. Seeing the little penguins coming out of the surf is truly magical. But most of the up-close viewing happens away from the beach, on walkways built next to paths taken by the penguins as they climb the bluff beyond the beach on their way to their burrows. It's too bad many visitors don't adhere to the rules and turn off their cell-phone cameras. It's not allowed as it hurts the penguins' eyes, the lights/flash that is. Many disregard this order as there's not enough staff members to get everyone to comply. This tour is worth doing, especially if you get someone as personable and fun as Cloe. We even started talking astronomy as we got ready to depart the area, she pointed out the Milky Way, which looked amazing on this clear night. Since we were raised and still live in a large metropolitan area in Southern California with lots of lights, we had never seen it. An unexpected highlight for sure.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Rene_c
Jun 17, 2025
memorable - it's exciting to see those little penguins walk towards their habitat, they are all cute, it's a memorable experience
Review provided by Viator
David_h
Jun 7, 2025
Penguins and more! - Our guide/driver Sophia is the best. Entertaining and informative, with an encyclopedic knowledge of her city and state, including its eateries. She saved the best for last: the Phillip Island Penguin Parade. A long day, but a perfect one.
Review provided by Viator
Annjolinee
May 22, 2025
Great day trip! - The guide Aleks made this trip a great experience. She knew a lot about Melbourne and Phillp Island and answered everyones questions. She made me feel comfortable. On top the penguine parade and the stop beforehand are amazing. With lots of layers to warm yourself you can enjoy this great afternoon trip the best.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Wanderer34873476935
May 22, 2025
Beautiful Penguin parade experience - Aleks was a great tour guide. Fun and informative and gave us a lot of historical information on not only Philip island but also Melbourne and other things on the way! Loved the overall experience
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ljrapp16
May 12, 2025
A must do in Melbourne - We had so much fun on this tour. David was a great tour guide and made us all feel so welcome. We saw where seals live and had a great ride to an amazing zoo. At the zoo we had a great time playing with kangaroos and koalas. Looking at Dingos and Owls and other birds. We saw a great animal show and had lunch. Now onto the best part, the penguin parade. What a sight to behold!! There is nothing in the world like this. I highly recommend doing the VIP plus. It is so worth it!! This tour made our trip to Melbourne. Thank you David for the great day!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
A2837ztcrystala
Apr 27, 2025
Short and sweet tour! - If you only have a solo purpose and are after something not too full-on, this express tour is for you. I was 29-week pregnant and this trip is just perfect for me in term of amount of activity.
James was amazing! He kept us entertained by telling histroy about Australia and Melbourne. And he really is an expert on the topic of penguins! I love his enthusiasm. He also shared useful tips so that we could make the most out of the parade. Thank you GoWest, thank you James :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Amruta_p
Apr 25, 2025
Great experience! - Excellent experience!
We loved seeing the little penguins. The weather was terrible, but everything else totally made up for it.
Special shoutout to our incredible tour guide and driver James C! We were traveling with our whole family with kids and grandma- he took very good care of us. We liked all the stories about Australia, Philip island and the food recommendations. He was also very kind to drop us off very close to our hotel to make our journey very very comfortable.
10/10 would recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Tammyjewel628
Apr 15, 2025
The Penquin Parade is a must see and the tour was great...no worries about driving~ - This is a great tour. Easy to find at the Bus station:We followed instructions. They were in constant contact. Our Tour Guide Justin was the best. He was fairly new, but he grew up there, so he knew all the history. It's a 2 hour bus ride there and 2 hours back, but the bus had a bathroom. Seats comfy, but some noise in the back where we were (maybe take a look at this), but I had earplugs so...We went to several other places besides the Penguin Parade. We ate and shopped at Cowes, then on to Parade site. We went past there to see the Wallabies and we saw quite a few. We even saw a few penguins. Then the Penguin Parade. So worth it ~ There are several shops and a restaurant there, but I'd recommend eating at Cowes, so you can just shop and then get on to get a good seat to see the Penguins. It's a bit of a walk but I did ok, so it's doable. They did take some people down on a golf cart, so that's obviously an option.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Maomaow2017
Apr 21, 2025
Cute penguins parade - The overall trip was wonderful, and seeing the penguins as promised was a true highlight. The location itself was stunning, and the unique opportunity to observe these amazing creatures up close was unforgettable.
However, the experience was unfortunately marred by the behavior of the tour guide. He left us waiting in the rain, showing a lack of consideration for our comfort. When I asked a simple question to clarify whether this was the location for the penguin parade, his response was shockingly rude and unprofessional. Rather than patiently answering, he condescendingly lectured me, questioning if I had been listening or just playing with my phone. His unwillingness to repeat or explain the information left me feeling disrespected and frustrated.
While the penguins were spectacular, the poor attitude of the guide diminished the enjoyment of the tour. I hope the organization considers training their staff to be more respectful and accommodating to guests in the future. It’s such a shame to pair a great experience with such irresponsible and dismissive behavior.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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