Phillip Island Penguin and Koala Highlights Day-Trip from Melbourne
Description
Take in the spectacular Phillip Island Penguin Parade as you watch the colony of Little Penguins crosses the shoreline from the ocean. Heading out to Penguin Parade, we begin our day at a Koala Reserve to meet some furry Australian favourites. Take a tour and get up close and personal with our native Australian wildlife. Travel to Phillip Island Nature Parks, known for its natural beauty, sandy beaches, rugged cliffs and unique wildlife experiences. The island is home to a colony of around 32,000 little penguins. Phillip Island Tour is one of the popular and must-watch tourist attractions in Victoria.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Our coach will depart from Melbourne City and head southeast for approximately 1 hour and 45 minutes, with our first stop being the Koala Conservation Reserve on Phillip Island.
At the Koala Conservation Centre on Phillip Island, guests will have 45 minutes to explore the lush surroundings and stroll along the elevated boardwalks that wind through the treetops. Here, you’ll have the chance to get up close to koalas in their natural habitat, spotting these iconic creatures as they rest in the eucalyptus trees. The knowledgeable staff will provide fascinating insights into the conservation efforts that protect these beloved animals. It's a peaceful and educational experience, offering fantastic photo opportunities and a chance to immerse yourself in the beauty of Australia's wildlife.
Phillip Island boasts a population of approximately 15,000 which is boosted during the busy tourist seasons. There are three main settlements being Cape Woolamai, New Haven & Cowes. Our stop at Cape Woolamai beach is seasonal subject to weather permitting and mostly visited during summer season.
During summer time we often make time to wander through the coastal township of Cowes. Sheltered alongside the calm Westernport Bay this township was named after Cowes on the Isle of White. Beautiful seaside scenery, unique stores to peak into and many nice restaurants to purchase food. This stop is only due to timing restrictions in winter as there are less hours of day light.
Next, we arrive at the Nobbies Rocks where you can take a walk down the boardwalks to see the rocky coast and spot Penguins nesting in their burrows. Then we travel along the Phillip Island backroads through Phillip Island Penguin Habitat. Enjoy incredible views of the coastal cliffs on your way to the Phillip Island Penguin Parade.
The main attraction of Phillip Island tour has always been the Little Penguins doing their daily ritual of penguin parade. These little friends are the smallest of its kind in the world. Enjoy sunset at the Visitor Information Centre and choose the right seat to have a great view of the main spectacles of the day — the Penguin Parade!
After the Penguin Parade, we will begin our journey back to Melbourne, with the return time varying depending on the penguins' arrival time. As the penguins make their way back to their burrows, we’ll allow time to fully enjoy the experience before heading home. Please note, the timings for the day trip may vary to maximise the sunset experience, particularly in line with the time of year and daylight savings.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Service animals allowed
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- No photography or filming is permitted at the Penguin Parade. Penguins have sensitive eyes and a bright, sudden flash or unusual light can frighten or disorientate a penguin.
- Child and infant fare prices apply from 0 to 12 years old. Child protective seats are free of charge, subject to availability and must be requested at time of booking.
- Limited storage space on our vehicle, baggage kept to 1 x 5-7kg day bag per person. Our vehicles are not wheelchair, prams or child stroller accessible please refrain from bring on tour.
- Please ensure you have checked the average temperatures for the time of year you are travelling and have packed adequate clothing.
Reviews(893)
Jo was a great guide and driver for nth trip. Absolutely loved The little penguins coming ashore in darkness amazing!! I saw lots of excited couples meeting up and mating (penguins!). Def book penguin plus in advance. Cant video / take photos so as to not upset penguins so have amazing memories of rh sight and sounds of them !!
Joe was a phenomenal guide - clear and concise, funny and educational and above all extremely kind! I would highly rate his tour - it was incredible value for money and such an enjoyable day out with lots of wildlife and sights to see!
This tour was absolutely fantastic and a true highlight of our trip to Australia! The excursion is incredibly well-organized, with all the stops perfectly structured, providing more than enough time at each location, and the guide was always available and helpful.We spent a wonderful afternoon getting close to the native wildlife, seeing koalas resting in the trees, and interacting with dozens of friendly wallabies. I highly appreciated that there were different options along the way to buy lunch. Also, the restaurant at the penguin visitor center was excellent for a hot dinner.The big finale was the Penguin Parade at sunset. It gets extremely cold and windy on the coast, but we were perfectly prepared by layering a plastic raincoat over a warm jacket, which completely blocked the freezing wind. Watching the world's smallest penguins emerge from the ocean was pure magic. We even witnessed a deeply moving moment when the park rangers rescued a little penguin with an injured leg—it was incredible to see how they care for the wildlife. A perfect 10/10 experience!
Chris “Kiwi” is an amazing guide! This is a must-do when in Melbourne. Safe driving, so knowledgeable, and saw so many animals. Definitely book this!!
The tour guide Kiwi is very passionate and helpful.
Our guide, Anthony, aka Ant-Man, was fantastic. Very knowledgeable with a great sense of humor. Fun day, all around.
The penguin experience was amazing. The guide was really nice and the koalas part was really surprising. All the tour was amazing. I will repeat it for sure
Great trip to Phillips Island to see koalas (@ Koala Conservation site) & Penguin Park. Pick-up spot was easy to locate and tour bus arrived on time. Hosted by Joel, the trip was informative and fun. We stopped for lunch - trying sausage rolls and several types of pies, plus fancy donuts. The Koala Conservation Center had elevated boardwalks that meandered through the canopy where we spotted 8 koalas, getting very close to several (nice photo op). tour stopped at the Nobbies at the tip of Phillip Island - windy with dramatic views of the coast line and we also spotted several penguin burrows. Last stop was the Penguin Park - dinner and boardwalk through the hills leading to the water. Penguins leave the water after sundown. Seating gave us a reasonable view, although some folks around us had trouble remembering to sit down. Walking back along the boardwalk we spotted multiple groups of penguins walking through the vegetation on the way to their burrows.
Thank you for sharing such a detailed and vivid account of your trip to Phillip Island! It sounds like a wonderful day filled with wildlife encounters, scenic views, and delicious food. I'm glad Joel made the experience informative and enjoyable, and that you had great opportunities to see koalas and penguins up close. Your description captures the essence of the adventure perfectly-thank you for recommending this tour!
Really enjoyable tour to go and see the penguins on Philip Island. Joel was our tour guide and was really informative and personable with a great mix of facts about the local area but also some time for quiet reflection/viewing the scenery. Plenty of upfront information on when and where we'd stop, the food options and facilities available, and clear notice on when to come back to the bus to head onwards. We loved the koala conservation sanctuary and seeing the Nobbies (and a few bonus penguins there!) before heading onto the penguin parade. Again, clear communication on when to come back to a lovely warm bus and back to Melbourne. Would absolutely recommend, it's been one of the highlights of our holiday.
Thank you for sharing such a detailed and glowing review! We're delighted to hear that you thoroughly enjoyed your tour to Philip Island and that Joel’s personable and informative approach enhanced your experience. It’s wonderful that you appreciated the balance of facts, scenic viewing, and quiet reflection. We're glad the logistics, food options, and clear communication made the trip smooth and enjoyable. It’s fantastic that you loved the Koala Conservation Sanctuary, Nobbies, and the penguin parade - sounds like a true highlight of your holiday! We appreciate your recommendation and hope to host you again for more memorable adventures.
Penguins are very cute. The natural scenery was beautiful, and seeing koalas and penguins up close was an unforgettable experience. I’d never seen them that close before.
Thank you for sharing your experience! We're delighted to hear that you found penguins and koalas adorable, and that the natural scenery added to the beauty of the moment. Seeing these incredible animals up close is truly unforgettable. We're glad you had such a memorable encounter!
