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Phillip Island Penguin Parade Day Trip with Koala Conservation Reserve Visit
4.5

Phillip Island Penguin Parade Day Trip with Koala Conservation Reserve Visit

By Wildlife Tours Australia
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Start your day the best way, with a visit to a Koala Reserve! Learn about the furry koala and why it's so unique and loved by Australians. Enjoy stunning coastal walks and the pristine beaches of Phillip Island. Prepare for cuteness overload as we visit the home of over 32,000 Little Penguins! Each night, hundreds (sometimes thousands!) of these adorable penguins emerge from the surf and waddle up the beach at the world famous Penguin Parade. But it’s not all about them! You’ll also have the chance to make some new koala friends, as well as taking in the stunning beaches and boardwalks that Phillip Island has to offer.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation

Ages 0-99, max of 39 per group
Duration: 10h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
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Audio guide: German, Chinese, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, Italian, French, Dutch, Spanish
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  • Admission to Penguin Parade (general viewing)
  • Admission to Phillip Island Koala Reserve
  • All National Park entry fees
  • Hosted by an experienced driver guide with comprehensive local tour commentary in English
  • Select inner city Melbourne pickup and drop off
  • Air-conditioned vehicle
  • Entry/Admission - Phillip Island Nature Parks - Koala Conservation Reserve
  • Entry/Admission - The Nobbies Centre
  • Entry/Admission - Phillip Island Nature Parks Penguin Parade
What's not included
  • All Meals
  • Personal expenses


Start:
  • Immigration Museum (Museums Victoria), 400 Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
    The default meeting point for this tour will be Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders St, corner of Market St, Melbourne @ 11:45am (winter Apr - Sep) and 1:45pm (summer Oct - Mar). If you wish to change your pickup location to one of our other pick up locations, contact our team on +61 3 9393 1300
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point.

    • Not wheelchair accessible
    • Service animals allowed
    • Infant seats available
    If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6121P7

    • Confirmation will be received at time of booking
    • Most travelers can participate
    • Children must be accompanied by an adult
    • Operates in all weather conditions, please dress appropriately
    • Not wheelchair, prams or stroller accessible. Please do not bring on tour.
    • This tour/activity will have a maximum of 39 travelers

    • For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours in advance of the start date of the experience.

    If you have questions about this tour or need help making your booking, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 6121P7

    From
    $94.90
    per adult
    Select date and travelers

    Similar experiences

    Itinerary
    • 400 Flinders St, Melbourne VIC 3000, Australia
      The default meeting point for this tour will be Immigration Museum, 400 Flinders St, corner of Market St, Melbourne @ 11:45am (winter Apr - Sep) and 1:45pm (summer Oct - Mar). If you wish to change your pickup location to one of our other pick up locations, contact our team on +61 3 9393 1300
    • Pass by
      Tooradin Jetty
    • 1
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    About the operator
    Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
    • Wildlife Tours Australia
      1,306
      Australia
      Joined in March 2010
    • W1222ZMbenw
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      What a great trip!
      What a great tour! It was good to do it in reverse with the small group we had beating all the crowds, this definitely made a difference to enjoy the amazing sites. We took our kids aged 11 , 7 and they had an awesome time as well. It is kid friendly, ( but our kids are well behaved) it is a long day. Aiden was brilliant, very knowledgeable and super friendly and he made very enjoyable for us and is an asset to the team! Thank you for a great day!
      Written November 16, 2024
    • cnicolaou
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing views
      Amazing views! The differences in the Australian nature is unbelievable. The ocean, next to the forest, next to the valleys and ocean again..... Nice driver. Not that tiring even though it lasted 12 hours.
      Written November 16, 2024
    • pchauhan09
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Amazing tour with Graham
      Excellent tour doing the great ocean tour in reverse direction to avoid crowds. Because we were on time with the schedule we did a slight detour to see kolas and kangaroos. Well paced tour highly recommend.
      Written November 5, 2024
    • Mays F
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great ocean road
      A great day in the great ocean road! Highly recommend especially if ur guid in Jorden he was amazing ♥️ It cover all the important sights and we were lucky to spot Kolas and Kangaroo 🦘
      Written October 19, 2024
    • CherylM2010
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      This is a worthwhile trip
      The scenery was stunning and there were a perfect number of opportunities to get off the bus. Jacob was a great driver and gave us lots of pertinent information.
      Written October 15, 2024
    • jennifersnell
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fantastic tour
      Our driver and guide Kiwi Chris was amazing. So knowledgeable about the area. He spotted koalas for us. We had a fantastic time and would highly recommend this tour. So much to see. Worth every penny!
      Written October 13, 2024
    • 497pippap
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fantastic
      Fantastic and informative trip ! Loved every minute !!😊😊🤗🤗 Recommend this tour highly Brilliant experience A long trip but totally worth it
      Written October 12, 2024
    • AndyF430
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      A Lot of Driving & A Long Day
      The round trip we went on from Melbourne, took about 12 hours for the full round trip, and covered about 550 k. That's a lot of time driving, or spent in a passenger seat. What we saw was brilliant - the 12 Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Maits Rest Rainforest walk, Apollo Bay for lunch, Fairhaven Memorial Arch and, of course, the road itself. Lots of it runs right by the ocean, sweeping around bays and coves, with some fabulous views. Enjoyable, but tiring as a day trip.
      Written October 11, 2024
    • Madhu S
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Fabulous Craig
      Craig from eupotupia was fabulous. Services were very good. The driver cum guide Craig was fabulous. Well done Craig. Craig was superb.
      Written October 9, 2024
    • Getaway791743
      0 contributions
      4.0 of 5 bubbles
      The fantastic 3 day Melbourne to Adelaide Great Ocean Road and Grampian tour
      A fantastic experience! This was an absolutely wonderful tour made so by our guide/driver Craig. He was so incredibly knowledgeable not just on the animals, birds, plant-life and culture of the people of the area, new and old. Not only did we see the promised sights, but with efficiency and getting up a bit earlier, he took to us to many other wonderful sights as well, that improved the already great experience. Being extremely well travelled and having led tours in many parts of Australia, he was able to to give us wide perspective on how what we were seeing could be both unique and similar to other places in the world. He had an incredible sense of humour which put a smile on many of our faces. It was wonderful seeing the natural beauty of this part of the world. Our only reservation in not giving the tour 5 stars was because despite the fact that our tour was only half of the maximum number of people that the bus could take, the seats were cramped, without much leg room and there were no bins overhead to put small carry on bags into.
      Written October 3, 2024
    • joeharper
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Very enjoyable day!
      Fabulous trip with the knowledgeable Jordan. Saw lots of wildlife and beautiful flora and fauna. Jordan is very enthusiastic, entertaining and has great local insight. Highly recommend.
      Written September 27, 2024
    • davidsQ1155NM
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Great Grampian Adventure!
      A great trip! Kiwi was an affable and knowledgeable host. The falls are a sight to see and the views are stunning from the lookouts. Cafe at Halls Gap was a great place for lunch - all sorts of choices at good prices . Plenty of time to stop and see the local Roos and Emus if you want. Marvellous photo opportunities everywhere. Would highly recommend!!
      Written September 20, 2024
    • BreeTiana
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      Overdue for a gorgeous beach view
      I had a wonderful day onboard with Wildlife Tours and got so much value from the trip. The bus arrived on time for us in the morning driven by our charismatic host, Joe, who was informative and helpful across the day. We went on the Great Ocean Road & Rainforest Tour and felt that we had enough time at each location to see as much of the Great Ocean Road as possible! I hadn’t been in years and could not do the road trip because of fatigue so this trip took all of the stress off my shoulders. I would highly recommend Joe & the Wildlife Tours team for your next (and likely already overdue) adventure.
      Written September 7, 2024
    • Anita A
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      McKenzie falls
      It was a wonderful leisure trip to the mesmerising McKenzie falls . The views were spectacular. We got to see local flora and fauna. Our proactive vibrant guide and driver Mr. Kiwi was as Chrisp as he is. I would suggest you carry some energy drinks and small snacks with you as the schedule might run delayed lunch break in September due to unpredictable/potential changes to unfavorable weather conditions. Mr.Kiwi will make sure that you experience the most out of your trip. Enjoy
      Written September 5, 2024
    • natashacM7637IW
      0 contributions
      5.0 of 5 bubbles
      3 day adventure
      Great trip, we had Craig as our tour guide for the 3 day trip and he was great!! We got to see a lot of view points and did lots of walks and hikes. Saw lots of animals in the wild and had a great group of people to spend the 3 days with. He made my birthday away from home super special!! Thanksssss!!
      Written June 11, 2024
    See all 1,306 reviews
    These reviews are the subjective opinions of Tripadvisor members and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Most Recent: Reviews ordered by most recent publish date in descending order.

    Detailed Reviews: Reviews ordered by recency and descriptiveness of user-identified themes such as wait time, length of visit, general tips, and location information.

    Popular mentions

    4.5
    4.5 of 5 bubbles102 reviews
    Excellent
    75
    Very good
    14
    Average
    7
    Poor
    3
    Terrible
    3

    Robyn D
    14 contributions
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    A wasted day. Our day began behind schedule with a full bus. The driver was a very pleasant man and very entertaining so I do not blame any of this on him.
    We stopped at Maru animal park just a glorified private zoo and very expensive. You have to pay to feed the kangaroo and pay for a photo with the kolas. Not to mention a cup of tea is $4:50.
    The drive while pleasant is quite long. Next stop was Cape Woolamai beach. This was the best part of our trip. We did a Lovley 15 minute walk. Then we drove and looked at kangaroos along the way to the Nobbies marine centre which is under whelming. A snack and water will cost you a pretty penny. Then we were off to dinner in Cows a nice coastal town.
    From there we went to see the penguins. This attraction draws a huge crowd. Crowd control is poor and we were instructed to sit and to not be noisy and to not take photos. A large number of people did not obey and made it a very unpleasant experience. Many of the tour operators do not give their customers a long enough time to sit and enjoy the experience. This leads to many people rushing about making a noise and disrupting it for everyone even the dear little penguins who are being very brave as they march across the sand.
    To see the penguin is lovely and we got to enjoy it once a large number of people had left. You do need at least and hour to sit and watch. Then as you walk back to the car park you can take your time as you watch the dear little birds find the burrows along the sandy dunes. Unfortunately I think this is a money grab. Trying to get as many people in as possible. You can purchase a penguin plus ticket which takes you to a smaller group and that maybe more worthwhile. All in all we should have done something else. We were not prepared for the hullabaloo that awaited us.
    Written January 18, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi there! We are sorry to hear this tour was not for you. While we understand your observations of the tour, we'd like to draw your attention to a few positive facts about the Maru Koala Park and Penguin Parade. Maru is a wildlife shelter and helps injured animals by providing them a thorough veterinary check, and caring for them until they have recovered enough to be able to make it in the wild again. Phillip Island's Nature Park and Penguin Parade are part of the UNESCO Western Port Biosphere Reserve and encompass wildlife sanctuaries, wetlands, woodlands and coastlines which are protected and managed by world-renowned environmental and research programs. Profits generated by the main attractions, such as the Penguin Parade, are invested into conservation, research, ecotourism, environmental and educational initiatives within the Nature Parks. While this does not change your experience of the day, we hope you can appreciate their efforts for the wildlife conservation. We wish you enjoyable travels in Australia!
    Written January 19, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    HLBXX
    Rome, Italy66 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2020 • Family
    Great trip to see the penguins, we really enjoyed it. Would have been nice to have a guide with us. Now had a driver who did not know much about the sights -we stopped for example at the GO moto cycle as well as chocolate factory but would have been good to hear some history and facts about the places we visited.
    The bus was in a bad shape and worn down..really bad air inside as well as seat belts did not work properly.
    Written January 7, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi there, and thank you for taking the time to write us a review! We are sorry to hear you were not completely pleased with the tour. We will take your feedback on board and suggest you to contact us directly if you wish to discuss this matter further.
    Written January 8, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    GlobeTrotting682294
    Oakbrook Terrace, IL36 contributions
    3.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2020
    Penguins parade was wonderful and very close to watch . However the tour is too long(12 hours) and can be easily shortened. An hour at Cape Woolamai is too long when there are no swimmers in the party. Trip to Koala park is basically a trip to children’s animal zoo. The guide was wonderful and very enthusiastic. Drop off near the hotel after midnight was very much appreciated.
    Written February 11, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi there, and thank you for taking the time to write us a review! We appreciate your feedback and will take it on board when reviewing our tour itineraries :)
    Written February 12, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Don J
    12 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The stop at the Animal Sanctuary was one hour but we got to feed the wallabies and kangeroos and have a short lunch. The bus driver slowed down at spots to see various birds and animals. We then went to the city of Phillips Island for dinner and souvenir shopping. Then at 8 pm got to the spot where the Penguins come out after dark. Be prepared to have warm clothing as it was windy & cold. They said about 850 Penguins came to shore but they are so small that we only saw about 50. Still it’s a once in a lifetime view. It took over 2 hours before we got back to our Melbourne hotel but it’s a worthwhile excursion.
    Written January 13, 2020
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi there, and thank you for taking the time to leave us a review! We are glad to hear you enjoyed the day and hope to see you again!
    Written January 14, 2020
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Jean-marie
    Melbourne, Australia4 contributions
    2.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2022 • Solo
    Commercials painted on the windows prevent to see anything through it. Yet the guide comments on the nice things he sees outside the bus. Quite frustrating.
    It is correct that the Pinguins show up everyday. Mind that if they are 30 min too late, all the sun light is gone. Happened to me.
    Mind that the piguins are too far away and the light is too bad. Will be interesting only if you have a strong interes in bird watching.
    Phillip island is worth it but not the way this is operated.
    Written June 20, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Billy I
    3 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Oct 2022 • Couples
    Our tour guide was just superb! She was very energetic, excited, and approachable. Her playlist was awesome, made the 2hr drive feel cozy and chill. The only downside was the late pickup at Immigration Museum, and the domino effect it had (only 30minutes in koala sanctuary, and when we reached the Nobbies, the centre was just closing). Otherwise the trip was awesome, got to see cute fluffy koalas up close, and the (I think improvised) visit to the beach near Forrest Caves. Its a shame the penguin’s approach is a bit hard to see, but during the walk back to the bus, we saw soooo many penguins up close next to the boardwalk.
    Written October 17, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Neha V
    Dubai, United Arab Emirates10 contributions
    1.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jun 2023
    I gave them my contact info and I was at the pickup point from 11:55, which was 5 minutes late bc I was wandering around a giant casino/mall/hotel complex for 20 min looking for the pickup point. I was on a call with one of their people at the time trying to find the pickup point. At 11:55 I saw not one tour bus, I asked a valet and they tald me no one was waiting. I sent an email telling the company I was at the right place. waited at the designated location for 15 more minutes before calling them again. Their driver never bothered to contact me via text, phone, or email even though they asked me for contact info for that express purpose. Their agent claimed to have phoned me but I had no missed call or voicemail - and they knew I was there!. Why do they ask for contact info for the driver if they won’t even bother to text? This is the only time I have had an issue with a tour pickup in my over 30 years of international travel. Bc I chose this company over another one my one bucket list thing to do in Australia is now not possible. I guess theres a reason they are discounted so much more than other tours, When I called crying and upset they were more interested in my "tone" than helping me find a solution. Pick another company this one is not up to par. Yesterday I went on a day tour to great ocean drive with another company and it was excellent.
    Written June 26, 2023
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi Neha, We appreciate you taking the time to leave a review. We really do empathise with your frustration, and that your day did not go to plan. As mentioned in our internal discussions, we did everthing we could to aid you in getting to our bus on time. Unfortunately, after our driver respectfully waited an extra ten minutes, we could not delay the beginning of the tour any longer. We kindly stayed on the phone with you for quite a while following this tour's departure, and did offer you some options so you could join the tour later on, or perhaps travel on another day. Our reservations team are trained to stay friendly and composed in high stress situations. Please respect our team members' choice to attempt to keep the conversation calm. I wish you the best of luck for the remainder of your travels :) Kind regards, Tayla
    Written June 28, 2023
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Ian S
    Penzance, UK21 contributions
    4.0 of 5 bubbles
    Nov 2022 • Couples
    Had a fantastic day and evening seeing the Koalas, and the Penguin parade in the evening was just, astonishing. Being able to follow the little penguins up their path was amazing.
    The only down side was;
    1. The cafe only accepted card payments only, no cash.
    2. Why be underhanded in charging and extra $3 for a jumper that the toy penguin was already wearing!!! I'd already paid $23.99 for the Penguin! If the shop had just put an extra $3 on the price, I'd still have paid the extra for the Penguin as, conservation for these animals, is paramount. Just don't be sneaky about it!
    Written November 12, 2022
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.

    Elizabeth R
    25 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    The day was a bit cold and rainy but the Penguin Parade was awesome! So worth doing to see the penguins come from the surf and band together talking and chattering as they made their way back to their burrows.
    Just so you know…no cameras after dark, the light is disrupting and since they don’t come out until dark…Photos are available through the park service.
    Written April 24, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi There, Thank you for sharing your experience with us! We're delighted to hear that you enjoyed the Penguin Parade despite the cold and rainy weather. It's truly a magical sight to see the penguins returning to their burrows and interacting with each other after a day in the surf. We appreciate you mentioning the camera policy after dark. Preserving the natural environment and ensuring the comfort of the penguins is crucial, and we fully support the park service's efforts to minimize disruptions during this sensitive time. We hope you have wonderful memories of your visit to the Penguin Parade, and thank you for choosing to experience this unique and special event with us. Kind Regards, Wildlife Tours
    Written May 15, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

    Paula R
    Saskatoon, Canada6 contributions
    5.0 of 5 bubbles
    Jan 2024 • Family
    Amazing scenery throughout the bus tour. We had just enough time at each stop. The koala sanctuary was peaceful. The stop at Nobbie’s resulted in dozens of beautiful pictures, even saw some wild animals like echidnas and wallabies. The penguin parade was different than expected, but definitely worthwhile. The penguins come out slowly. Dress warm, even in the summer. Thankfully we had towels to sit on the beach and sweaters but it was windy and cool enough for blankets and heavier jackets. Highly recommend!
    Written January 29, 2024
    This review is the subjective opinion of a Tripadvisor member and not of Tripadvisor LLC. Tripadvisor performs checks on reviews as part of our industry-leading trust & safety standards. Read our transparency report to learn more.
    Hi There, Thank you for the glowing 5-star review! We're delighted that you had a wonderful time on our tour. Your positive feedback means a lot to us. Shania :)
    Written January 30, 2024
    This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.

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    *Likely to sell out: Based on Viator’s booking data and information from the provider from the past 30 days, it seems likely this experience will sell out through Viator, a Tripadvisor company.

    Phillip Island Penguin Parade Day Trip with Koala Conservation Reserve Visit provided by Wildlife Tours Australia

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