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Puffing Billy & Penguin Parade: Scenic Adventure
5.0
27 Ratings
Belgrave
Embark on a scenic Puffing Billy train ride and witness the enchanting Penguin Parade on Phillip Island. Book your unforgettable Melbourne adventure today.
Embark on a scenic Puffing Billy train ride and witness the enchanting Penguin Parade on Phillip Island. Book your unforgettable Melbourne adventure today.
Duration:
17 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Puffing Billy Railway - Upon reaching Belgrave, visitors will step into a piece of living history by boarding the iconic Puffing Billy steam train. Originating from the early 1900s, this renowned heritage railway provides a unique experience with its open-sided carriages, allowing passengers to enjoy the fresh air and immerse themselves in the…
- Puffing Billy Railway - Upon reaching Belgrave, visitors will step into a piece of living history by boarding the iconic Puffing Billy steam train. Originating from the early 1900s, this renowned heritage railway provides a unique experience with its open-sided carriages, allowing passengers to enjoy the fresh air and immerse themselves in the stunning surroundings.
- Dandenong Ranges National Park - As Puffing Billy travels through the enchanting Dandenong Ranges, passengers will be treated to breathtaking views of lush forests, towering trees, and vibrant fern gullies. The journey includes crossing the iconic Monbulk Creek Trestle Bridge, offering spectacular vistas of the tranquil landscape.
- Puffing Billy Railway Lakeside Visitor Centre - Here, visitors can explore interactive exhibits that delve into the rich heritage of Puffing Billy and the surrounding region. They can also enjoy a meal at the cafe or venture out to Emerald Lake Park.
- Emerald Lake Park - This picturesque park invites exploration of its scenic walking trails, where visitors can enjoy serene views of the lake and lush greenery. Alternatively, they can spend more time at the Visitors Centre capturing iconic photos!
- Melbourne - Enjoy a lunch break in Melbourne’s city centre before heading to the Immigration Museum to join the Phillip Island Afternoon tour.
- Phillip Island - Embark on an afternoon adventure to Phillip Island for the spectacular Penguin Parade!
- Cape Woolamai Beach - Visit this stunning surf beach at Cape Woolamai, a stop made only during the summer.
- Cowes - Enjoy a dinner stop in Cowes, offering a variety of dining options, available only during the summer.
- The Nobbies Centre - Experience beautiful ocean views while spotting the local seal colony.
- Phillip Island Nature Parks - Penguin Parade - Witness the nightly spectacle as adorable little penguins waddle ashore to their nesting grounds.
What's Included
- Transportation by air-conditioned coach with upgraded seating
- One-way journey on Puffing Billy Steam Train
- Pickup from Selected Hotels
- On-board WiFi
- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
- General admission to the Penguin Parade
- All Fees and Taxes
- Puffing Billy half-day morning tour
- Phillip Island afternoon tour
- Passionate & professional live guide (English)
- Transportation by air-conditioned coach with upgraded seating
- One-way journey on Puffing Billy Steam Train
- Pickup from Selected Hotels
- On-board WiFi
- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
- General admission to the Penguin Parade
- All Fees and Taxes
- Puffing Billy half-day morning tour
- Phillip Island afternoon tour
- Passionate & professional live guide (English)
What's Not Included
- Food & Drink
- Gratuities
- Food & Drink
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Embark on an exhilarating journey that combines the Puffing Billy steam train with the renowned Phillip Island Penguin Parade.
Travel aboard the Puffing Billy steam train on a picturesque route through the stunning Dandenong Ranges, traversing the iconic Monbulk Creek Trestle Bridge. Enjoy the unique experience of dangling your legs over the open-sided…
Embark on an exhilarating journey that combines the Puffing Billy steam train with the renowned Phillip Island Penguin Parade.
Travel aboard the Puffing Billy steam train on a picturesque route through the stunning Dandenong Ranges, traversing the iconic Monbulk Creek Trestle Bridge. Enjoy the unique experience of dangling your legs over the open-sided carriages while admiring the breathtaking views of fern gullies and towering mountain ash trees. At Lakeside, take the opportunity to explore the tranquil walking trails at Emerald Lake Park, unwind by the lake, or enjoy a coffee at the café.
Following some leisure time in Melbourne, join the afternoon tour to Phillip Island. Marvel at the spectacular views from the Nobbies clifftop boardwalk before the Penguin Parade commences. Witness the charming little penguins as they come ashore and waddle across the beach to their burrows, observing them as they feed and interact.
This tour provides an enjoyable and educational experience with knowledgeable guides, accommodating small groups of up to 24 guests.
- Photography of any kind is not permitted at the Phillip Island Penguin Parade
- Large bags, strollers, prams, baby capsules, luggage & walkers cannot be brought on board
- Your Puffing Billy tour will run in the morning. You will then have free time in Melbourne city centre before meeting for your Phillip Island Express Tour the same afternoon at the Immigration Museum
Location
Puffing Billy Railway
1 Old Monbulk Road,
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Customer Ratings
5.0
(27 Ratings)
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1 star
Seniorlions
Mar 4, 2026
Fantastic experiences and Go West Tours have brilliant guides - but a couple notes... - What an absolutely fantastic experience held by Go West Tours. Our guide "Red" was a proper highlight, especially for the long drives from Melb to Phillip Island. Made it fun & had a lot of knowledge.
Puffing Billy is a lot of fun & definitely recommend it if you have a few days in Melb. Just note that the actual train you take may NOT have the Puffing Billy steam engine up at front, but a more typical diesel engine. If you want to go specifically for the experience of being pulled by Puffing Billy then I would take the trip separately, arrive at the station and ask what time PB will be next departing. Personally we still had a lot of fun riding the railway through the forest, which was really interesting.
The penguin parade - again is something you must experience. A few notes of preparation. You absolutely cannot take photos or videos. There's a no flash policy which is expected but that also applies to having your phone or camera out, regardless if it has a flash. So just enjoy the experience for what it is. Depending on when you go, don't expect a flood of penguins coming out of the water - you will see most near their burrows along the broadwalk, with only a handful coming out out the water.
Be mentally prepared for certain tourists to ignore the rules, make a lot of noise, take photos and generally overstep their mark when it comes to this natural occurrence. For some it may be a downer. If you really want the best possible experience, purchase Penguin Plus upgrade as the general seating is pretty average, and we found better views standing up at the back along the broad walk.
These are minor issues to just acknowledge before going in, and it didn't take away from the absolutely great time we had on both tours.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Daydream11044571558
Feb 20, 2026
Fun time - Our guide is very enthusiastic and fun and kind. We have encountered many wild animals. It was a fun time!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Sharon_d
Jan 26, 2026
Well worth the trip.... - Well worth the trip. Puffing Billy was a great experience. The penguins was well worth the trip. We highly recommend.
Review provided by Viator
Toniwill32
Jan 21, 2026
Amazing adventure. - We had so much fun. Hanging out the window on the train was fun and the entire train ride was amazing. Met some really neat people. The penguin parade was so interesting. We were able to see not only penguins but wallaby’s and different birds. Mike and Tim were both very knowledgeable and entertaining.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Linahl753nx
Jan 16, 2026
It was awesome experience - I really enjoyed the puffing Billy train. It was great to have Alisha as a guide tour. Overall, had a great experience with Alisha and go West and definitely this isn’t last time with Go West
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Matthew_h
Dec 31, 2025
Puffing and Penguins - Long day but really worthwhile. Experienced Guides were excellent. Steam train good but Penguins undoubtedly the highlight. Amazing experience. Don’t forget to take warm clothes and or coats as it gets very cold waiting for the penguins.
Review provided by Viator
Jodi
Dec 19, 2025
Unique experience - This was such a great family activity. We really enjoyed ourselves. The train ride was so pretty. I love that the company takes pictures for you as you cross the bridge. It was fun to learn about the history of the train. Michael our tour guide did a great job- super friendly!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Andy_c
Dec 14, 2025
*Puffing Billy*... - *Puffing Billy*
We had a smooth pickup and a timely return to the city, enjoying a fun ride on the train with plenty of time to explore the scenic Emerald Lake afterward. Our guide, Jono, was very knowledgeable and even took us to another scenic spot for a short nature walk before Puffing Billy. He was friendly and helpful throughout, and when my daughter left her AirPods on the bus, he kindly took the time to help her retrieve them, which we truly appreciated.
*Philip Island*
Our guide, Jools, was incredibly friendly and knowledgeable, making the entire experience even more enjoyable. She brought us to several beautiful scenic spots before taking us to the visitor centre to watch the penguins, giving us plenty of time to enjoy each stop. At the end of the trip, she even surprised us with personally handwritten gifts, which was such a thoughtful touch and made the day feel extra special.
Review provided by Viator
Smita_p
Dec 10, 2025
Puffing Billy and Penguin Parade - This was a whole day trip cut into two parts.
In the morning Jess drove us to the Puffing Billy station. She was great, really upbeat and took loads of pictures for us.
On the penguin parade we were accompanied by Alex’s, she was so funny and kept us up to date looking at out of our coach for wallabys.
She had great banter and gave us the best recommendations for places to eat. But most importantly where we should look out for the penguins and to take the lower boardwalk, so that we were able to see hundreds of little penguins climbing up the banks to their burrows.
I would recommend this trip !!!
Review provided by Viator
Chinb00nl
Dec 4, 2025
Great experience!!! - Tour guides for puffing billy were jono and jazz, and our tour guide For penguin parade was jools! they were really friendly throughout, even before the tour officily started. They were also very helpful and made us feel Comfortable! Especially For penguin parade, jools’ experience and tips ensured that we could see the penguins clearly and allowed us to have a great experience! Overall, our tour guides made us feel that Go west tour guides’ are very genuine and professional, with lots of wisdom to share! Would recommend :)
Review provided by Tripadvisor
