Phillip Island Small-Group Penguins & Wine Tour from Melbourne
Description
The perfect Phillip Island tour for those wanting more than just the Penguin Parade, as we also indulge in local food and wine, spot native wildlife, and take in the breath-taking views of the hidden side of the Island. Your day begins at the Melbourne Arts Centre, where you’ll meet your local guide and settle into our premium midi-coach. We travel in small groups of no more than 15 guests. Our first stop is the coastal haven of San Remo, the gateway to Phillip Island. Then, enjoy a cellar door wine tasting and grazing experience at the award-winning Phillip Island Winery, followed by a shared-plate lunch by the bay. Next, explore charming Cowes at your own pace, with time to wander beaches and boutiques, or choose to spot Koalas at the conversation reserve. We continue to The Nobbies for golden hour, with sweeping ocean views and wildlife, paired with a glass of sparkling wine. The day finishes at the world-famous Penguin Parade, with general viewing entry included.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Begin your Phillip Island adventure with a complimentary Melbourne barista coffee from the Arts Centre. Board your luxury midi-coach and join fellow travellers for a personalised small-group experience through Victoria's spectacular coastal region to Phillip Island.
Welcome to San Remo, where the iconic Phillip Island Bridge welcomes you to Bass Coast. Stretch your legs along the foreshore, watch resident Australian pelicans, and capture your first coastal photographs of this famous Victorian fishing village.
Welcome to Phillip Island, home to a small population of 15,000 which swells well beyond this number during busy holiday seasons.
Arrive at boutique Phillip Island Winery for premium cellar-door wine tasting featuring award-winning Gippsland wines. Enjoy guided tasting of six local wines, accompanied by generous grazing boards of Victorian meats, cheeses and artisan breads, followed by wood-fired pizza feast with sea-salt fries and gourmet salads. Note: On select days, meals are served at our partner Phillip Island seaside restaurant with an identical high-quality menu.
Pass by one of Phillip Island's three main settlements as we make our way to Cowes.
Explore Phillip Island's main township with beaches, local shops, and relaxed coastal streetscape. Your guide highlights local Cowes favorites before free exploration time.
Stop at this pristine Phillip Island beach for golden Bass Strait sands, crystal-clear waters, and fresh Victorian sea air.
Arrive at The Nobbies' clifftop boardwalks during golden hour. Spot seabirds, wallabies, and Australian fur seals from spectacular Bass Strait views while enjoying a glass of celebratory sparkling wine as day turns to dusk over Phillip Island.
Experience the world-famous Phillip Island Penguin Parade with general viewing tickets. Explore the interactive Visitor Centre, enjoy dinner from the onsite cafe if you wish, then take your place to witness thousands of Little Penguins return from Bass Strait at sunset, with guided commentary as they waddle through. Australia's most popular wildlife attraction.
Return back to Melbourne after a fulfilling day of nature, wildlife observation, and wine. We Dropoff back at the Melbourne Arts Centre or city center hotels on request.
Highlights
What's included
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Service animals allowed
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants are required to sit on an adult’s lap
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Reviews(210)
Sue was an exceptional tour guide. Views were great and the penguins were SUPER cute! The pizza and wine was also amazing!
G'Day! Thanks so much for your review. We're glad you enjoyed yourself!
A great day of different experiences traveling from Melbourne to Phillip Island. Our guide, Sue, was very knowledgeable and friendly. The time at the winery was especially enjoyable with great wines, delicious food and conversation with our fellow travelers. We ended the evening with the penguin parade where we were able to see many little penguins make the journey from the ocean to their burrows. We are very glad we chose this day trip!
Thank you so much for your kind review! We're happy to hear you enjoyed yourself with Sue while exploring the beautiful Phillip Island
Sadly our trip was canceled the day prior due to low bookings. At that point it was too late to schedule another tour - I had booked this several weeks in advance. Disappointing!
Hey, thanks for your feedback, and I’m genuinely sorry to hear you were disappointed by your experience with us. As a small business, we always do our best to deliver a great experience for every guest. Unfortunately during the quieter season there are occasional times when a tour may not be able to operate due to low passenger numbers. As you had booked this through a travel agent, we had no other recourse in which to work with you either. In this case, we provided three days’ notice of the cancellation and also offered assistance in rebooking you onto another Phillip Island tour operating that same day, as we wanted to make sure you still had the opportunity to visit the island during your time in Melbourne. There definitely was time and availability for this. We completely understand cancellations can be frustrating, especially when travelling, and we do appreciate your understanding.
Great scenery, cute koalas, a parade of penguins, and a fantastic guide. Thank you Ned for a lovely day!
Thank you for your kind words and review! We are glad you had a great time with Ned to Phillip Island!
We enjoyed our coffee, lunch, and stops at the koala center, Phillip Island winery, the nobbies, and the penguin parade. The group was small (4 from Melbourne), but Yuri was enthusiastic and made sure we enjoyed our time at each stop. Best for a variety of things to do on the island if you want an all-day experience.
Thank you for your lovely review! We’re glad the small group size allowed for a relaxed and personalised experience, and that you enjoyed the full-day itinerary showcasing so many different sides of Phillip Island. It’s wonderful to know Yuri helped make the day enjoyable with his enthusiasm and care throughout the tour. Thank you again for travelling with us and for your recommendation!
This is a great tour! It had it all wildlife, scenery, wine and cheese!!! Ned was a fantastic guide friendly and knowledgeable, he offered snippets of information about history, flora and fauna.
Thanks so much for your great review! We love hearing about the fantastic times on tour with us!
Excellent The vineyard was fantastic, the food was fantastic, the penguins were adorable and great experience, the coach was lovely, and the host/ tour guide Mike was fabulous. Highly recommend
G’day! Thank you for your review! We are glad you had a good time with Mike on Phillip Island
The tour was guided by Mike, who was young yet impressively kind, knowledgeable, and flexible. His professionalism and warm attitude made the experience feel very well organized and enjoyable. The schedule included wine tasting and a late lunch, timed between lunch and dinner—perhaps to avoid crowds. The tasting was at a small winery, offering 5–6 varieties of wine. While the condiments were simple, they were local and delicious. Lunch of pizza, salad, and fries was tasty, with reasonable portions, and the restaurant had a beautiful view of the sea. Although only a few penguins appeared due to the late sunset, the evening was memorable thanks to the stunning starry sky and the clear view of the Southern Cross. It was also pleasantly warm, so waiting for the parade was comfortable despite the late hour. Joining as a solo traveler, I appreciated the small group setting, which felt relaxed and stress‑free. For those traveling alone, the chance to sample wines and share food is especially valuable. Considering the content, the tour felt very reasonably priced and highly worthwhile.
Thanks so much for sharing this. We’re really glad you enjoyed the relaxed small-group atmosphere and had such a memorable day with Mike. It’s great to hear the wine tasting, lunch, and evening out all came together so well, and that you still had a special experience under the night sky.
This tour was a big day, but included lots of interesting stops. Mike was friendly and down to earth and provided lots of tips and tricks in relation to sighting wildlife and penguins. The tastings at the winery included some really good wines and an awesome charcuterie board. Lunch was amazing.
Thanks so much for your lovely feedback! We’re really glad you enjoyed the variety of stops and the food and wine along the way. We’ll be sure to pass your kind words on to Mike.
Absolutely amazing experience. Yuli our tour guide was very welcoming. Great shopping, coastal drive, great cafes and restaurant's. It was a beautiful experience seeing wildlife in their natural habitat.
G’day! We are so happy to hear you had fun. Thanks for being on our tour :)
