Puffing Billy And Phillip Island Penguin Parade Bus Tour
Description
After being picked up from a convenient central Melbourne CBD location in air-conditioned comfort on this full-day tour, your first stop will be the picturesque Emerald Lake in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges where you will have the opportunity to purchase your own lunch and enjoy a leisurely walk around the Lake. Then it's all aboard the world-famous Puffing Billy Steam Train. The train winds through the hills and finishes at Belgrave. Then it's off on a scenic drive to the next stop The Nobbies to take in the vista of this iconic lookout. Next it's time to visit the Phillip Island Wildlife Animal Park where you can purchase dinner before watching the adorable penguins emerge from the rolling waves and make their way home into their burrows.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Puffing Billy and Lunch Ride Puffing Billy Emerald Lake Park to Belgrave. Enjoy this iconic steam train ride through the glorious Dandenong Ranges. One of the most popular tourist destinations in Victoria. You will have the opportunity to purchase your own lunch at the picturesque Emerald Lake. Time spent here includes travel time from pick up, Puffing Billy Train ride, time for you to purchase and eat lunch and enjoy a walk around Emerald Lake.
After taking the scenic route through the Dandenong ranges you will arrive at the Nobbies Tourist Information Centre: Here you will be able to find out all you need to know about the Nobbies Blowhole and Seal Rock precinct. Time spent here includes travelling to The Nobbies and time spent at the information centre
Nobbies Lookout And Boardwalk. Nobbies Lookout And Boardwalk: Take on the glorious views of the Nobbies and Seal Rock region from this spectacular lookout. Then walk the boardwalk with ocean views to the Nobbies blowhole and Seal Rock and enjoy the stunning surrounds. Time spent here is to explore the boardwalk and take in the views.
Phillip Island Penguin Parade And Dinner. In the Winter season you can purchase your dinner at Phillip Island Nature Park. In the Summer season you can purchase your dinner in the historic township of Cowes and enjoy a walk around this seaside town. After dinner you will be ready to witness the world-famous Penguin Parade. Watch the penguins emerge from the rolling waves and make their way across the sand to their burrows. Time spent here includes time to purchase and eat dinner, time to watch the Penguin Parade and travel time back to Melbourne CBD.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up from: Hotel Windsor, 111 Spring St, Melbourne.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please note: ALL babies/toddlers/children up to age 15 must purchase a CHILD ticket.
- During peak periods larger vehicles may be used
Reviews(384)
The guide was friendly, informative, and well organized throughout the tour. The itinerary was enjoyable, with enough time at each stop to explore and take photos. Everything ran smoothly, and it was definitely time well spent. I would happily recommend this tour to others visiting Melbourne.
We recently joined the Puffing Billy and Penguin Parade tour departing from Hotel Windsor in Melbourne CBD and had a very enjoyable experience overall. A special mention to Terry, who was highly organised from the start. He efficiently checked passengers in, assigned seats, and ensured a smooth departure. Throughout the day, he carefully conducted head counts before leaving each stop, helping everyone feel well looked after. One area for improvement is the amount of commentary during the coach journey. Terry was clearly knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and the information he shared was interesting and informative. However, the commentary began soon after departure and continued for much of the trip with only brief pauses. As the drive from Melbourne CBD to the first stop is over an hour, some passengers may appreciate longer breaks from the microphone to relax, enjoy the scenery, chat with others, or simply rest. At times, it was difficult to hold conversations, and even passengers wearing headphones could still hear the commentary. While I appreciate Terry’s efforts to keep guests informed and engaged, incorporating more quiet travel time between commentary segments could make the journey more comfortable for a wider range of passengers. That said, the tour was well organised, the attractions were excellent, and Terry’s closing remarks on the return journey to Melbourne were warm, engaging, and a great way to end the day. Overall, we had a positive experience and would recommend the tour to others. Thank you to Terry and the team for an enjoyable day.
Long drive Small group Bit rushed, did not get time to see around the areas like the station. But fitted in 2 iconic spots in Melbourne in a day. That was nice
We had a great day on this tour. Everything was very well organised, and Matt was an excellent guide and driver. He was friendly, informative, and engaging throughout the trip. There were enough breaks and toilet stops, which were clearly communicated in advance. Matt also went above and beyond to help guests spot wildlife and get good photos of the animals and penguins at Phillip Island. Although it was a long day, the tour was relaxed, comfortable, and well paced from start to finish. We would definitely recommend this tour!
Our tour leader is Charlie. He did a great job with planning, timing, explaining and everything. I would recommend everyone to try. It is worth it.
"Our day trip was a wonderful experience and great value for money. The highlight was our driver and guide. He was amazing, knowledgeable, and very passionate about his work. He showed us so many beautiful places and shared interesting information throughout the journey. Although he is older, he has a big heart and treated everyone with kindness and respect. His driving was excellent, and he made us feel safe and comfortable at all times. We really enjoyed his company and appreciated the way he interacted with everyone. We feel very lucky to have met him. We wish him all the best for the future. He is a wonderful person, and we will always remember this trip with great happiness. Thank you for making our experience so special." 😊🌹
I didn't know how was the experience feeling about cause the trip has been cancelled by email's announcement from the GetYourGuide 1 day before the tour. The plan should be at May 29th, 2026. The announcement wrote: "Electricity BlackOut" and I only have 2 option: 1. rearrange or 2. refund. I choosed refund cause there was no available slot for me to choose anymore, I have to go back to my country on May 31st, 2026. What a Bad Luck I have.
Worst experience..waited so long around 3 hours no one showed up and had to cancel the trip… Wanting refund..
Well planned and executed. Very good guides. Overall great experience. For Penguin parade pls go with additional layer of warm clothes in winters.
Matt had great insights and suggestions, he was the best guide we could ask for, kept us prepared for everything.. A highly recommended day tour... Just follow what the guide says and you will have a good time... We had enough time for everything and spotted all the animals we set off to spot... watching the penguins in their natural habitat going about their business was a great feeling.. A must do! Lucky for us, the weather was good too, it was a perfect day trip :)
