Phillip Island Tour: Experience Koalas and Penguin Parade Day-Trip from Melbourne

Experience the magic of Phillip Island Tour, where you can meet adorable koalas and witness the breathtaking Penguin Parade. Don’t miss this must-visit attraction in Victoria!

Duration: 9 hours, 30 minutes
Cancellation: 24 hours
Highlights
  • Melbourne - The journey begins in Melbourne City, heading southeast for about 1 hour and 45 minutes. The first destination is the Koala Conservation Reserve on Phillip Island.
  • Phillip Island Nature Parks - Koala Reserve - At the Koala Conservation Centre on Phillip Island, visitors have 45 minutes to explore the lush environment and walk…
What's Included
  • Air-conditioned new midi-coach travel
  • Experienced local driver guide assistance
  • Live commentary in a social atmosphere
  • Admission to Koala Conservation Reserve
  • Admission to Nature Park with Penguin Parade
What's Not Included
  • Meals not included, guests will have an opportunity to support locals and buy lunch along the way.
  • Hotel transfers pre/post tour itinerary to a nominated pickup point.
  • Travel insurance is highly recommended
  • Personal expenses
Additional Information

Experience the remarkable Penguin Parade on Phillip Island as you observe a settlement of Little Penguins traversing the beach from the sea. Our journey to the Penguin Parade begins with a stop at a Koala Reserve, giving us the opportunity to interact with some quintessential Australian animals. Embark on a tour and have an intimate experience with our…

Location
Immigration Museum (Museums Victoria)
Flinders Street
Our main meeting point for this tour is Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders St corner of Market St, Melbourne @ 11:45am (winter) and 13:45pm (summer).
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(641 Ratings)
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189antoniaw
Sep 28, 2025
A wonderful trip to Phillip Island! - A fantastic trip to the Koala conservation sanctuary and the Penguin Parade! It was magical to see so many penguins waddling onto the beach. The guide was helpful, friendly, and very knowledgeable about Australian history and wildlife. Thank you for an unforgettable trip!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sheryl
Sep 27, 2025
Such an amazing, unique experience to see Australian animals, flora and fauna. - I was in Melbourne for business and found myself looking for a fun excursion. This was the ticket! Not only did I get to see Koala at the conservatory, I saw echidna, wallaby, a plethora of birds, flora and fauna once I got away from chatty people! The highlight were the penguins though, and I had a great seat. Upgrade IS worth the additional $. Right in front of me was a burrow and out popped a baby waiting to be fed! I was extremely disappointed in how many people ignored the request for no picture taking. So disrespectful and harmful to the penguins. They provided me with wonderful, professional photos to share and I got to enjoy such a unique experience, electronics free. Highly recommend
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Debra
Sep 25, 2025
Joe is the guide to get for the penguin parade! - Joe was a great guide! Very knowledgeable and fun! The penguin parade was fascinating. A bit crowded, but worth seeing. The koala reserve was less impressive but we still saw a few and I’m comparing it to the Lone Pine Sanctuary in Brisbane that was amazing. It’s a 2 hour drive out, lunch stop, koala reserve, a stop at the Nobbies and then the penguins. Would have been ok skipping lunch stop and just starting later. Joe gave great viewing tips throughout the day. He made the trip
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Hannahf193
Sep 25, 2025
Fantastic Day Trip to Phillip Island - We had a wonderful day tour with Joe as our tour guide. He kept us engaged with his sense of humor and knowledge of the area and the animals and was super friendly! We really appreciate that our schedule was clearly articulated so that we stayed on schedule and maximized our time at each stop. We loved seeing the koalas and watching the penguins waddle on the beach, even if the weather was a little chilly! Would highly recommend adding this tour into a trip to Melbourne!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Caseycq8308qa
Sep 23, 2025
Fiona’s Penguin and Koala Bus - Fiona was an incredible host who made us feel extremely taken care of all day. Providing great advise on the best ways to experience the day. Would book again!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Linda_b
Sep 22, 2025
Beyond Penguins! - The coastal scenery and koalas enhanced the penguin parade experience, which we loved. Our driver Craig was a knowledgeable and fun guide!
Review provided by Viator
Julie_d
Sep 20, 2025
A must do! - Great day! Up close viewing with koalas at the reserve. Beautiful rock out croppings along the shores of WestPort Bay, and the Adorable penguin parade! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND you upgrade to penguin premium if you want to see these fantastic little birds come out of the sea and make their way to their nesting grounds. Honestly general seating is far away.
Review provided by Viator
Wendy_g
Sep 19, 2025
Lovely day! - Paul was our guide and he was fantastic - patient, efficient and incredibly knowledgable having spent much time on the island growing up and as an adult. The sights were spectacular. We did regret not upgrading to Penguins Plus at the viewing - much less activity in the general seating area - but Paul told us where to go to make the most of it. The penguin experience was quite fun but the entire day was just lovely - highly recommend!
Review provided by Viator
Juliedh877hq
Sep 19, 2025
Great day out!! - Anthony was FABULOUS as our guide! He made sure to explain all about the Koala’s at the sanctuary/reserve. The sanctuary was an up close and personal experience to view the koalas in their natural environment, They are adorable! We made a stop at “Nobbies””. The worn down black lava left from the volcanos. The Grand Finally was the Little Penguin Parade!!! Those little cuties came marching in large groups out of the ocean and waddled their way all the way up the hill. They were absolutely 100% adorable. I highly highly suggest premium penguin viewing. An absolute must in Melbourne.!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Chs8851vf
Sep 19, 2025
Amazing - Amazing experience, Antony the driver and guide was exceptional really passionate in what he does and really cares,koala sanctuary was a nice wee side part before the main event would 100% recommend this trip and for the money i recommend upgrading to the penguin plus package
Review provided by Tripadvisor
From $116
up to 15 guests
1 - Adult
Cancellation: Free cancellation up to 24 hours before the start of your experience (local time).