Phillip Island et French Island Wildlife Expedition

We were picked up in downtown Melbourne near Her Majesty's Theater which was just a block away from our hotel. Our driver and guide, Lucky, was on time and very friendly! It was a really windy and chilly day for this tour and Lucky told us that potentially the ferry to French Island might not be running due to the wind. Fortunately when we arrived in Mornington the weather cooperated and we went to French Island with our guides Scott and Nathan. As Scott drove us around the island looking for wildlife he explained the unique aspects of French Island and its residents as well as some of its history. We were able to stop and photograph some echindnas and koalas! After a couple hours we stopped at Mandalay Estate for lunch that consisted of potatoes, beef "sloppy joe", cole slaw, and bread. It was delicious! We even had a glass of wine with our food! There was a resident peacock that wanted to come in and eat with us... One of the proprieters, Lee, took us on a tour of the property to see some resident koalas in oak trees. Weird that they weren't in eucalyptus right? We also saw some Capr Barren Geese and even a Kuckaburra! We left from there to catch the ferry over to Phillip Island. At Phillip Island we met back up with Lucky where we took a little tour of Cowes before we drove into the country for the Penguin Parade. In the country we saw wallabies and the volcanic rock formations called Nobbies. What a beautiful area! We saw more Cape Barren Geese and wallabies before heading to the penguin parade. We had seats in the Penguin Plus area for the sunset parade of penguins returning from the sea to feed their young in hillside burrows. It was certainly a grand parade to observe and it totally made our trip to Australia! One thing to note is that there is NO PHOTOGRAPHY or VIDEO after sunset so as not to confuse the penguins on their way to their homes in the hills. All in all this was an OUTSTANDING experience! I can't say enough about our guide Lucky. He was very knowledgeable and friendly as well as so much fun to be around!

This was a great trip. Matt (our main guide for the day) was very friendly and clearly wanted to give us all a great trip. He was very knowledgeable of the area and pointed out all the spots! Going to French Island was really cool too, we saw koalas and had lunch with the locals!

Its was supernice to see a wilder side of Melbourne. French island is wonderful and full of cute coalas. The host where we ate lunch was supernice and showed us more birds and koalas on the property. The Nobbies is a wondeful surprise. Very nice to come there during the golden hour and get nice photos of the roaring sea and rocks. No photos during the penguine parade. But you can get closer and get pictures later when they are closer to the nest. You can hear them sing. We also saw some nocturnal animals like the possum and bandicout. Just need to be silent. recommend strongly

Daisy was a Top Guide ! Extremely knowledgeable on the Wildlife, Fauna & Geology. + A Great driver too , highly recommended

It was too long, no need to leave Melbourne at 12:30 if you can drive yourself. French island was interesting we had a great guide however the van they drove us in was really hard to see out of not what is pictured in brochure, but overall trip 2-3 hours too long.penguins don’t come out until dusk but you get to the park 1 hour early which is far too much time. Our guide was nice, we saw a lot of koalas on French island and wallabies on Phillip island but loaded with tour buses. The penguin parade is really worth seeing but you need to buy the extra ticket to be up close or won’t be worth it. I would drive on hour own for sure. Overall I’d say both islands worth seeing if you want to see koalas in the wild and the penguins coming out of water at dusk but not on a tour that takes 12 hours.

Tour was changed without contacting me by phone, even though the booking requires phone number so they can contact you. Was placed on a tour I had no interest in and only became aware of it when what the tour guide was talking about didn’t marry up with what I had booked and paid for. Further to this, the original booking included a meal, which the changes booking did not, so we had to make unplanned alternative arrangements. Very disappointing.

Phillip Island and French Island Wildlife Expedition You just can't beat the experience. We signed up for this trip and couldn't have been happier. The tour was well organised, all pickups and transfers were clearly explained and went off without an issue. Matt was the ultimate tour guide and driver. He made everything fun and kept us all in good spirits. The king of Dad jokes also had a resume, which allowed him to give us great insight into the area, its history, flora, and fauna. 15 years as a tour guide, and the history of research in this field meant he could tell you anything you wanted to know. Don't be mistaken people there is brains behind the beauty. The trip to French Island was fantastic. Our guide was Scott, who served with Vic Parks for 20 or 30 years, and much of this was involved with ecological projects on the island. Eradication of invasive species, koala population management, and many more. We also visited a farmhouse with a local who shared her experiences living in a community that is totally off the grid. You'll also see all the koalas you could hope for. Finally, on to Phillip Island! The Penguin viewing, which was like a dream. The facilities are first class, the staff are friendly and very interactive, and the penguins are the star of the night. You can't ask for a better time. Big thank you to Explore Australia Tours - no hesitation with giving this tour 5 stars.

My son and I had such a great time on our tour. Our guide Gina was terrific - she was both knowledgeable and kind. I really appreciated how she took her time to make sure we got to see as many animals as possible. We took the French Island extension and upgraded to the underground penguin viewing. The highlight of French Island for us was the farm visit. Our host was delightful and lunch was really delicious. And getting up close and personal with the penguins was definitely worth the extra cost. Thanks for a great day!

Wonderful trip. The view is stunning and impressive, and our guide, Matt, is pretty awesome as well. I expect to go back again.

The view is breathtaking that I take lots of photos. Matt (tour guide) is funny and full of knowledge. He gave us a great memory during the whole trip. I indulge myself the whole time so much!