- 1 DAY
- PRICE $ 129 AUD
- DEPARTS 11:45 WINTER / 13:45 SUMMER
- RETURNS 21:45 WINTER / 23:45 SUMMER
Phillip Island Penguins Tour Highlights
- See the amazing Phillip Island Penguin Parade.
- Explore the Phillip Island Koala Conservation Reserve and take a walk along the boardwalks to observe koalas.
- Explore Phillip Island.
- Venture off the main path along the dirt roads by the coastal cliffs of Phillip Island to spot wallabies and birds of prey.
- Walk the coastal boardwalks at the Nobbies and Seal Rocks.
- Visit the Phillip Island Penguin Centre to learn more.
Tour Reviews
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Highly recommend! Had an amazing time with Fiona! She was an amazing guide. Wildlife was spectacular. Really exceeded expectations. Saw koalas. Wallabies. Kookaburras. And so many penguins!
read moreread lesstripgirl1235/19/2026Memorable Philip Island tour ever! Joel aka Marlon our tour guide was awesome and took good care of the 11 passenger tour. I learned a lot from him and the tour itself. The tour tp see not only the Little Penguins but the Koala conservatory plus the Novvir coastal drive was memorable! I give Joel a 5++
read moreread lessCris R5/17/2026Genialer Tagesausflug Wir hatten einen super Tagesausflug. Unser Reiseleiter Joel (Marlin-J) war so unterhaltsam, informativ und lustig. Wir würden diesen Ausflug sofort wieder buchen. Die Koalaauffangstatiom war sehr interessant die Fahrt der Küste entlang wunderschön und das Beste zum Schluss, die Pinguinparade. Danke
read moreread lesskely675/17/2026 -
A great outing made better with a great guide Had a great day out with our Driver and Guide, Fiona. Expert and safe driver who showed a true enthusiasm to give information, ensure we all had a great time, she was accessible, personable, informative, and truly wanted us all to enjoy ourselves as much as possible. She was a delight to spend time with, and I would recommend her to anyone. We had a great time at the koala reserve and at thepenguin parade, despite a brief downpour of rain. Everything went great and her ability to get us all back to our best drop- off in rainy weather was very much appreciated. My photos do not include any of the penguin parade as photos are not allowed in order to observe the penguins privacy and natural behavior
read moreread lessBarbara S5/06/2026 -
Highly recommended Watching the koalas and penguines was an amazing exlerjence- Fiona's cheerful helpful character and her knowledgeable experience made first time tourists like us feel very comfortable and at ease. Great job, Fiona! And a big thank you!
read moreread lesssam4/30/2026Phillip Island penguin Plus Excellent experience!!! Recommend the penguin plus. Row F puts you inches away!! Anthony was a great driver and tour guide.
read moreread lessCruiser571086994684/30/2026Highlight of Australia Fiona was a fabulous guide and we absolutely loved the koalas in a very natural habitat. Her enthusiasm was infectious and her organisation was excellent. Timings were clear and we had the right length of time at each place. Her local knowledge was excellent and brought the trip to life. Penguins were an absolute highlight of the tour and also our lives! Highly recommend this trip and Fiona in particular
read moreread lessIsabel H4/23/2026 -
Great tour, definitely recommend Great tour, would thoroughly recommend to anyone considering. Didn't feel too rushed and got great tips form our guide Fiona throughout (especially on how to get the best view of the penguins). Make sure to spend enough time on the "happy penguin highway".
read moreread lessJurgens O4/22/2026Penguin parade!! koalas!!! Phillip Island!! Our Phillip island day trip was just simply amazing! We were on Fiona’s bus. She was on time, informative and super helpful! Highly recommend! Even though we came for the Penguin parade, the Koala’s were the highlight too! Fiona was able to point many other local wildlife on the way! We loved our day! Opt for penguin plus- totally worth the extra bucks!! Highly recommend!!!
read moreread lessMansi N4/21/2026 -
Phillip Island Anthony was a great tour guide! He was friendly, laid back, and shared great information about Phillip Island. He also helped us see a penguin in one of the burrows during the day! The koala sanctuary was nice. We were also able to see many wild wallabies.
read moreread lessabby b4/16/2026 -
Very nice! The tour was very nice, we saw koalas, wallabies, echidnas and the penguin parade. Our guide Anthony was great! We could’ve used a bit more time at the koala sanctuary, but overall everything was as expected.
read moreread lessaurora4/16/2026What a great day on Fiona’s bus! Seeing koalas and little blue penguins was incredible! We upgraded our penguin viewing platform and didn’t regret it for one second!
read moreread lessAlain G4/13/2026Unforgettable penguin experience with a fantastic guide. The penguin tour was an absolutely amazing experience. Our guide Fiona was fantastic – friendly, helpful, and explained everything really well. Thanks to her, we truly enjoyed the whole trip. The penguins were wonderful, and it was unforgettable to watch them coming out of the sea.
read moreread lessKarin K4/13/2026 -
Very enjoyable! We were surprised by how close we were able to see the koalas. One above our heads! Could have used a bit more time. I would’ve skipped Cowes because most things were closed. The penguin experience was magical. So unlike anything I’ve seen.
read moreread lessKathleen4/12/2026Once In A Lifetime Opportunity. Joel was excellent. Tour as described. Could have used more time at koala refuge and skip Town of Cowe or more at penguin experience. Believe plus admission is worth it but recommend getting to viewing area immediately upon arrival.
read moreread lessKeith B4/12/2026The best day! Amazing day! Anthony was a great guide and gave us time in each location to enjoy each experience and was extremely knowledgeable and friendly. The koala sanctuary was amazing but the highlight was definitely the penguin parade, I would 100% help recommend ☺️
read moreread lessBethanKelly4/09/2026 -
A nice holiday in Melbourne 😃 It was very fun to be able to be so close with the little penguins and to see them coming home. It was raining pretty heavily so bring an umbrella and maybe check the weather forecast before packing for the trip.The koala reserve was also a nice place to see the koalas up in the trees.
read moreread lessMobile636517144754/09/2026 -
Penguin Plus made for a great vacation centerpiece Had a great experience! Seeing the little penguins coming out of the sea and making their way inland was an amazing sight. Fiona was an amazing guide, full of all kinds of interesting information and insider advice. She really helped make this an extra special event for my family and I. The Penguin Plus was really worth it, but you have to get to the stand quickly to get a good view.
read moreread lessalnsmith4/08/2026Worth every penny The trip was really well planned - not too much waiting in between but still enough time to walk around, take photos and eat. Guide Fiona gave excellent tips how to best see the pinguins at Pinguin Parade and we were able to see them just 1 meter away!
read moreread lessTaru R4/06/2026Fun Experience - Long Day - Enjoy if it's your thing! This was a long day, for some fairly brief experiences with koalas and penguins. The tour absolutely delivered all that was promised. We drove some distance out of Melbourne, explored a koala conservation park that hosts about a dozen koalas, stopped on Phillip Island in a community with some restaurant options for dinner, then drove out to the Penguin Parade site. We arrived probably 90 minutes prior to the start of sunset, you were encouraged to find your seat about an hour prior, and then wait until penguins come up. We were there during molting season, so the population was a bit more limited; we definitely were treated to a fun parade. Viewers are allowed to watch for about 40 minutes, and then the lights are shut off so as not to disrupt the penguins any further. We were offered a last minute upgrade (at our own expense) to the premium seating and I would HIGHLY RECOMMEND that. You get much better seats in a much better location. These sell out way in advance, the weather was crummy, so we were advised that it's rare for them to be available. Then it was a 2 hour ride back into Melbourne. It's a long day (1:30 PM pick up to 11:30 PM return) for 60 minutes at a koala park and 45 minutes of penguin viewing. Definitely a tour to do once, probably would not look to repeat. Tour guide was upbeat, positive, and well organized.
read moreread lessFrymet Hare4/05/2026 -
Well organised trip with lots of wildlife Great day out. Tour guide/ driver was excellent telling us lots, giving tips and pointing out animals. It’s a late return so much better to be driven! Koala sanctuary was lovely , dinner was scheduled with tips on where to eat and the penguin experience was great. We upgraded to premium which gave a great view of the penguins as they came on
read moreread lessann W4/05/2026
Full Itinerary
Why Visit Phillip Island
Join Phillip Island Penguin Tours and get amongst the Aussie animals! Head south of Melbourne to Phillip Island and enjoy a guided ranger tour at the Phillip Island Koala Reserve, walk the wild surf beaches, see kangaroos and wallabies in the wild and finish the day with the Penguin Parade.
Itinerary
Phillip Island’s Koala Reserve
1 hour 45 minutes drive to Phillip Island. Once you arrive, a Ranger from Phillip Island Nature Parks will take you on a walk through the Koala Reserve. You will receive a talk about koalas, the history of the reserve and the last remaining natural bush on the island.
You will receive an informative talk about koalas, the reserve’s history and the last remaining natural woodland on the island.
Learn about the History and Aboriginal Culture of Phillip Island
The Nobbies Phillip Island Nature Park
As you enter Summerlands, there is no housing; this is all National Park. Here, you will see small wooden burrows where Little Penguins that haven’t gone out to fish are hiding. We’ll walk along the boardwalks at ‘The Nobbies’ and see if we can spot any Little Penguins in their homes. Continue along the pathways to ‘The Blowhole’, where the waves crash against the dark volcanic rock. The rugged caves and formations of this peninsula are great for photos, especially against the backdrop of Seal Rocks. On a clear day, you might even see the Australian colony of Fur Seals basking in the sun. If you don’t want to walk the boardwalks, the Nobbies Information Centre is a nice place to rest. Here, you can browse the gift shop, have a hot drink or explore the ‘Antarctic Journey’. Entry to the Antarctic Journey is $18 per person and gives you an insight into the marine life of the Southern Hemisphere. As a WWF attraction your admission fee goes directly towards the conservation of these amazing creatures of the deep Southern Ocean.
Off-Road Wildlife Coastal Drive
The Phillip Island Tour Penguin Parade
Additional information
Pricing options
Fare prices: $ 165 Adult (13+) / $ 125 Children (0-12)
To organise your private tour of Phillip Island, contact our charters team at [email protected]. Follow our itinerary or customise your own it’s up to you. Enjoy the convenience of a pickup and drop-off at your address and relax exploring new places with loved ones.
Pickup times and locations
Please arrive at your designated pickup location 5–10 minutes before the scheduled time to ensure the tour proceeds smoothly and on time. Here are the pickup times and locations:
- 11:05 or 13:05 : Pegasus Apartments Hotel, located at 206 A'Beckett Street in Melbourne
- 11:10 or 13:10 : Melbourne Marriott Hotel, situated at the corner of Exhibition Street and Lonsdale Street in Melbourne
- 11:15 or 13:15 : Space Hotel, found at 380 Russell Street in Melbourne
- 11:20 or 13:20 : Grand Hyatt Melbourne, Russell Street entrance in Melbourne
- 11:30 or 13:30 : Adina Apartment Hotel, located at 189 Queen Street in Melbourne
- 11:35 or 13:35 : The Savoy Hotel, situated at 630 Little Collins Street in Melbourne
- 11:45 or 13:45 : Immigration Museum, located at 400 Flinders Street, on the corner of Market Street in Melbourne
- 11:50 or 13:50 – Crown Towers - 8 Whiteman St Queens Bridge St, Southbank
Inclusions
- Penguin Parade entry
- Inner city pick-up and drop-off
- Experienced driver/guide and tour commentary
- Koala Reserve Entry Fees
What to Pack
- Water Bottle - 2L
- Hiking shoes (recommended)
- Hat, sunscreen, sunglasses
- Prescribed medications
- Camera
- All-weather clothing
- A sense of adventure!
- Binoculars for bird watching
Important Notes
- The itinerary may be subject to change due to cultural reasons, seasonal weather changes, operational logistics and accessibility.
- The minimum age requirements for this tour is 6 years old. This trip is not suitable for children under 6 years of age.
- Please email our Reservations Team ([email protected]) at least 48 hours prior to departure to confirm pick-up location and time.
- Travel Insurance is highly recommended.
- Remember to double-check your exciting tour plans with the tour operator! Just ring them at 03 9393 1300 within seven days of your departure.
- Before you embark on your adventure, let the tour perform the operator's pre-existing medical conditions.
Check Availability & Book
FAQ
When should I visit Phillip Island for the Penguin Parade?
The Penguin Parade is on all year round but the best time to visit is during summer (December to February) when it’s warm and daylight hours are longer. Autumn (March to May) and spring (September to November) are also nice weather with fewer visitors.
How long does the ‘Penguins of Phillip Island’ tour last?
The Phillip Island tour is a full day tour, approximately 12 hours including travel time from Melbourne. The itinerary includes wildlife viewing, nature walks and the Penguin Parade.
Are the tours suitable for children and families?
Yes, the tours are family-friendly and suitable for children. The Penguin Parade and visits to the Koala Reserve and Nobbies Centre are designed to be fun and educational for all ages.
What to wear and what to bring?
Wear comfortable walking shoes and a jacket as the weather can be quite changeable. Bring a hat, sunscreen and a refillable water bottle. Binoculars and a camera (note: no flash at the Penguin Parade) will also come in handy.
Is food included or should I bring my own?
Some tours may include lunch or snacks, but please check with the tour operator in advance. Bring some snacks and water, especially for the kids. There are also cafes and food outlets at the various stops during the tour where you can buy meals and snacks.

















































