Why you should visit the amazing Phillip Island Penguin Parade (Victoria, Australia)
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Phillip Island is home to approximately 40,000 breeding adult Little Penguins with several thousand of these visible at the nightly Penguin Parade. These cuties are only 33cm tall, and weigh around 1kg making them the smallest of all penguin species.
But despite their small stature these penguins sure know how to move! They jump over rocks and waddle up steep cliffs, all while making a weird high-pitched chirping noise. These little legends show sheer determination and perseverance to get back to their burrows which can be over 1km away. That’s a long way for little legs!
Ready to see these fantastic penguins? Well, Phillip Island is only 2 hours drive from Melbourne with the parade open every night.
What to expect at the Penguin Parade
There is strictly NO PHOTOGRAPHY at the Phillip Island Penguin Parade. All photos of penguins in this blog post are courtesy of the Phillip Island Penguin Parade website which has an image library if you wish to see more photos.
Visitor Centre, boardwalk and viewing area
Back in the 1920s the interest in the penguins started with people sitting on the beach by torchlight waiting for the nightly return of the penguins. Understandably the popularity grew and so did the infrastructure. Thankfully, the level of protection placed on the area grew too.
Your journey starts at the Visitor Centre which includes an Information Centre, food outlets and gift shops. From there, a series of boardwalks takes you down the hillside to the beach area. There are two large seating areas for general viewing with lovely views of the bay.
Informative talks are provided by Rangers before the penguins come in.
While the penguins are coming in from the ocean you need to remain seated. After around 20 minutes you can walk around the boardwalk to see the penguins up close. There is no access to the beach unless you have paid for one of the tours.
The Penguin Parade is fully accessible and is a sensory inclusive site.
Penguins, penguins everywhere!
Attractions based on wild animals can be hit-and-miss as to whether you will see anything. But you will definitely see Little Penguins at the Phillip Island Penguin Parade!
The Little Penguins come back from the ocean each night at the same location making viewing guaranteed. Around 2,000 Little Penguins are recorded per evening but this varies over the year.
Depending on the time of year the experience will be different. Penguins might be breeding, or feeding young, or just sitting around thinking about breeding!
LEARN | The Penguin Foundation website has information on Little Penguins and other wonderful animals that can be seen at Phillip Island.
SUPPORT | Can’t make it to the Penguin Parade but want to support these amazing creatures? Consider a Donation or Adopt a Penguin!
More than penguins
Whilst the main attraction is no doubt the Little Penguins, the boardwalks offer a wonderful opportunity to spot wallabies, birds and echidna. If you are lucky you might even see an Eastern Barred Bandicoot although they are very shy.
Take your time along the boardwalk and enjoy the surrounds.
When do the Little Penguins arrive?
The Little Penguins return from ocean feeding at sunset but won’t leave the water until they feel it is dark enough to do so safely. Even a full moon can provide unfavourable light conditions and scare the Little Penguins from waddling up the beach!
Arrival times are available on the Penguin Parade website, but generally during the summer months the penguins won’t be visible until around 8.00pm and can be as late as 9.00pm. This makes it a late night with small children, or those who don’t enjoy late nights.
In late autumn and winter, the Little Penguins arrive around 5.30 pm – 6.00 pm making it an earlier night which might suit you better.
READ | Visiting the Phillip Island Penguin Parade in winter post.
Cost
Costs for general viewing start at AUD $32 for adults. There are options to purchase tickets for the Penguin Plus or Underground Viewing. However, once the Penguins have come up from the water you can walk around and view them in so many places that I don’t feel you need to spend the extra money.
Want to take a formal tour? The Phillip Island Penguin Parade also offer guided tours with details on the website.
Pre-purchase tickets directly through their website to avoid disappointment. You definitely need to prebook tickets during peak season as they regularly sell out.
PLAN | If you plan on also visiting the Koala Sanctuary and Churchill Island then consider the 3 Parks Pass as it is cheaper than buying separate entrance tickets to each attraction.
Getting there
The Phillip Island Penguin Parade is towards the west end of Phillip Island, around 2 hours from Melbourne.
Self drive
Self-drive or renting a car is the most convenient option so you can explore more of the wonderful Phillip Island.
Public Transport
V/Line operates buses to Phillip Island but they do not go to the Penguin Parade. The services are not very frequent so preplanning will be needed.
Taxi services are available on Phillip Island.
Tour Services
Tour options are available for Phillip Island Penguin Parade through information centres or online.
INSPIRE | Looking for more Gippsland inspiration? There are a range of posts on the Australia – Gippsland destination page.
How long to stay
I suggest arriving 1.5 hours before the penguin arrival time to ensure you have time to explore the visitor centre or grab a bite to eat. This also allows enough time to slowly stroll the boardwalks and do some wallaby spotting.
From the first penguins coming ashore you get just under an hour to view the penguins. This might not sound like long, but it is plenty of time to enjoy these wonderful blue feathered friends.
Tips for visiting
Here are my top 5 tips for visiting the Phillip Island Penguin Parade:
Prebook tickets and arrive early
Avoid disappointment and book tickets for the penguin parade. Arrive early to allow time to explore the visitor centre and take your time along the boardwalk. The suggested arrival time will be on your tickets.
Bring something to sit on
You are not allowed to stand in the seating area, so even if the seats are totally saturated you will have to sit. Which means a very wet and cold bottom! Bringing something to sit on will also be more comfortable, as the seats are very hard.
Rug up
The temperature drops quickly at Phillip Island once the sun goes down so bring warm clothes.
Strollers/pushers
You can’t bring a stroller/pusher down into the seating area, they have to stay at the top. You can either leave the stroller and bring bubs with you to sit down, or stand with the stroller and still have a view of the beach.
Walk around
At the start, you sit in the seating area and watch the Little Penguins make the dash from the water to the safety of the sand dunes. This is really cute, but the best way to see the Little Penguins is to walk around the boardwalks and see them scurrying through the vegetation and hanging out near the burrow entrances.
Some of these awesome creatures waddle up the hill back towards the visitor centre. The penguin track is right next to the main footpath so you can wander along at a penguin pace and see how far they go!
When to visit
Spring and summer are the peak periods for the Phillip Island Penguin Parade (along with school holiday and public holidays), but the number of visitors drops in autumn and winter.
The arrival time of the penguins will also influence when you go. Visiting in autumn and winter might suit families with young children as the penguins arrive earlier. But then you have to factor in potentially cold and wet weather. If you are thinking of going in the colder months please read this separate post for tips and advice.
Honestly, we went on a sold-out night and it was very busy and a tad unenjoyable compared to our previous trips in winter. Try and go outside of the peak periods to have a more relaxed visit. But, if you can only go in peak season then still do it! Just be prepared to share the penguins with lots of other people.
PLAN | Best time to visit Victoria for planning advice.
What to bring
Wear comfortable clothes and check the weather before you go. The beach area gets cold quickly once the sun goes down so a jacket is advisable. If the weather has been wet then bring something to sit on such as a picnic blanket.
Leave the camera gear at home – there is no photography allowed at the penguin parade after sunset. So that means no photos of penguins are permitted.
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Where to stay
Phillip Island has lots of accommodation options from caravan parks, bed and breakfast, hotels, holiday rentals and resorts.
Another option is to stay off the island at the beautiful San Remo.
Places to eat
The Phillip Island Penguin Parade has Chicks Café and Shearwater Restaurant open from 4.00pm.
Explore more
Phillip Island is a remarkable location with a range of activities to suit everyone.
Stay tuned for more Phillip Island blog posts!
Is it worth visiting?
The Phillip Island Penguin Parade is definitely worth visiting to witness the gorgeous Little Penguins making their nightly waddle back to their nests.
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