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Phillip Island: Koalas, Penguins, and Scenic Views
4.5
262 Ratings
Melbourne
Experience a day trip to Phillip Island and witness the famous Penguin Parade. Get up close with adorable koalas and explore the beautiful beaches of the island.
Experience a day trip to Phillip Island and witness the famous Penguin Parade. Get up close with adorable koalas and explore the beautiful beaches of the island.
Duration:
10 hours
Cancellation:
24 hours
Highlights
- Melbourne - Prepare for an exciting journey as the adventure is about to start! The bus is en route, so gather your belongings, embrace the thrill, and let’s embark on this journey!
- Phillip Island Nature Parks - Koala Reserve - Our wildlife adventure kicks off at the Phillip Island Koala Conservation Reserve, an ideal starting point for…
- Melbourne - Prepare for an exciting journey as the adventure is about to start! The bus is en route, so gather your belongings, embrace the thrill, and let’s embark on this journey!
- Phillip Island Nature Parks - Koala Reserve - Our wildlife adventure kicks off at the Phillip Island Koala Conservation Reserve, an ideal starting point for animal enthusiasts. Here, you can wander along scenic boardwalk trails that meander through lush natural woodlands. As you explore, keep an eye out for koalas nestled in the trees—these iconic marsupials are a must-see!
- Cape Woolamai Beach - A seasonal summer stop at Cape Woolamai Surf Beach, where extended daylight provides time to explore this striking volcanic coastline. Enjoy a refreshing beach walk, inhale the ocean breeze, and take in panoramic views toward Pyramid Rock in the distance.
- Cowes - This engaging experience not only allows you to connect with these charming animals but also supports local economies. You can purchase food and refreshments in Cowes or at the Penguin Parade, as meals are not included during the tour.
- The Nobbies Centre - Phillip Island is renowned for its breathtaking natural beauty, featuring rugged cliffs, pristine beaches, and diverse ecosystems. Our journey will lead us to the Nobbies, situated at the western end of the island. Here, you can admire the majestic rocky coastline and the dramatic sea views, all while learning about the unique flora and fauna that inhabit this area.
- Phillip Island Nature Parks - Penguin Parade - Experience the magical moment when the world’s smallest penguins, known as Little Penguins, emerge from the waves to waddle ashore. This enchanting scene, filled with the gentle sounds of nature and the sight of these adorable creatures, is sure to leave a lasting impression. Watching these little penguins make their way home after a day at sea is a heartwarming experience you won’t soon forget.
- Melbourne - As we return to your pick-up point, sit back, relax, and reminisce about the day’s magic—filled with epic sights, laughter, and unforgettable moments. What an adventure!
What's Included
- Multilingual translation app service available in several languages
- Admission to Penguin Parade (general viewing or penguins plus viewing upgrade)
- Travel comfortably in a modern, air-conditioned medium-sized coach and onboard wifi
- Experience world-class wildlife encounters up close
- Hosted by an experienced driver guide with live tour commentary…
- Multilingual translation app service available in several languages
- Admission to Penguin Parade (general viewing or penguins plus viewing upgrade)
- Travel comfortably in a modern, air-conditioned medium-sized coach and onboard wifi
- Experience world-class wildlife encounters up close
- Hosted by an experienced driver guide with live tour commentary
- Admission to Phillip Island Koala Conservation Reserve
What's Not Included
- Any meals not indicated within the itinerary - at the guest’s own expense.
- Spending money for personal items
- Gratuities
- Any meals not indicated within the itinerary - at the guest’s own expense.
- Spending money for personal items
- Gratuities
Additional Information
Begin your afternoon in the most delightful way by visiting the Phillip Island Koala Conservation Reserve. Here, elevated boardwalks meander through native bushland, offering the opportunity to observe koalas nestled in the treetops.
Next, explore the stunning natural landscapes of Phillip Island, featuring rugged coastlines, unspoiled beaches, and…
Begin your afternoon in the most delightful way by visiting the Phillip Island Koala Conservation Reserve. Here, elevated boardwalks meander through native bushland, offering the opportunity to observe koalas nestled in the treetops.
Next, explore the stunning natural landscapes of Phillip Island, featuring rugged coastlines, unspoiled beaches, and expansive ocean vistas. Head to The Nobbies, where dramatic clifftop views meet the crashing waves, and be on the lookout for penguin burrows and Australian fur seals offshore.
As the sun sets, get ready for an adorable experience at the renowned Penguin Parade. This remarkable wildlife event is home to over 32,000 Little Penguins, where hundreds—sometimes thousands—of the world’s smallest penguins emerge from the ocean and waddle up the beach to their burrows. Witness this enchanting scene at Summerland Beach and visit the interactive Visitor Centre to learn about penguin conservation before heading back to Melbourne with unforgettable memories.
- Child fare prices apply to infants and children aged from 0 to 12 years old. Children aged 0 to 17 must be accompanied by an adult or legal guardian at all times.
- While we endeavour to operate our tours as planned, there may be occasions when rain or inclement weather affects our itinerary.
- This tour is not suitable for mobility-impaired travellers, including those using wheelchairs, walkers, prams, or strollers. If you require additional support please advise at the time of booking.
Location
Immigration Museum (Museums Victoria)
Flinders Street
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). Our bus will be parked on the east side of the museum on Market St for safe boarding.
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
4.5
(262 Ratings)
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Patb912leeds
Mar 8, 2026
Excellent day out to see the koalas, wallabies and penguins - Our guide Fiona was very organised, professional, friendly and full of knowledge. Thank you Fiona for making this trip exceptional, you are a great guide. We started boarded the bus by the Immigration Museum which is so easy to find. It is quite a drive to Phillip Island but well worth it. The coach was comfortable and had free wfi. Fiona explained things on the way (unless we were on the motorway then she couldn't speak). We spent 1 hr at the Koala Conservation area. Plenty of Koalas Wallabies to see. We made a stop at Cape Woolamai Beach, gorgeous, spectactular views. Stopped off at Cowes for 1 hr for lunch, plenty of cafe's, restaurants. The Nobbies Centre is really good. Walking on the boardwalks to see the little penguins under them. Different viewing decks. After that we set off to get in position for the penguin parade. The best viewing areas are sitting on the beach. You can only use cameras until it gets dark then no cameras are allowed but you always have those who don't listen! Taking advice from Fiona, after seeing a few penguins coming up the beach head off back towards the exit, stay left on the boardwalk and you will get a great, close up view of the penguins waddling up to their burrows. It gets really busy in that area. Fantastic day out, thank you Fiona for being so organised and sharing your knowledge with us.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
W8227hainnak
Mar 7, 2026
Great experience. - We really enjoyed the trip. The driver was very nice and told a lot during the trip. The trip was well organized.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Margaret_h
Jan 31, 2026
Penguins and so much more! - A great day out from Melbourne. Late return, to work with the timing to see the penguins after sun set.
Review provided by Viator
Olivermb3697ia
Dec 23, 2025
Koalas and penguins with Fiona - Really enjoyable trip to Phillip Island to see koalas and penguins. Our guide Fiona was incredibly helpful and full of top tips about where to go
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Mackenzie_o
Mar 6, 2026
Please make note that... - Please make note that Wildlife Tours Australia and Autopia are the same company when meeting to get on the bus. I was waiting there for about 20 minutes while everyone was getting on their tour buses and I asked 2 other operators if the Wildlife Tours bus was coming and they said it should be and to just wait there. Another family also booked the same tour/company and was waiting. It wasn’t until the tour guide for Autopia started naming off our names and told us to get on those buses. Unfortunately that meant I was the last one on the bus in the back row and I get motion sickness. Sadly no one would trade with me though. Thankfully I brought snacks and water, motion sickness patches and Dramamine. I would advise the company to be more clearer for the meet up! Since I was one of the first people waiting, I could have not been in the back of the bus.
This tour was great and Phillips Island was beautiful. There weren’t too many penguins sadly. I think I would have preferred a small group of 10 rather than 39 people on one big bus. We couldn’t even hear the tour guide in the back of the bus either.
Review provided by Viator
Robert_e
Feb 18, 2026
An adventure! - Weather can be unpredictable! Be prepared with layers. The parade of penguins was less than spectacular. Since this was an end of summer event we had to wait until it was dark to watch the penguins appear. Many hundreds of people, maybe a few hundred penguins scattered along the beach. Koala sightings was were earlier in the trip. Weather rainy & cold, tour company can’t control that, we saw several Koalas. Dinner stop was in town of Cowes. Not too many choices since the town appears to close by 6:pm. Our tour guide was nice however her microphone wasn’t working properly & often what she was saying was hard to understand what she was saying. Still giving it four stars because it was an interesting adventure!
Review provided by Viator
Helleh_12
Jan 30, 2026
Great experience to see the little penguins, but for short time reserved for them and other stops on the trip - We had a great trip with a lovely and very informative guide. She definitely seemed local.
The little hick-ups we had on the trip, which means we can't give 5 stars, definitely due to the pickup. We were there 1⁄2 hour before departure, and there arrived 2 buses with large green letters Atopia. We asked if we were going with them, but we were referred to wait. There were no other suppliers so we asked 3 times, but was rejected. When departure time had passed, we were contacted by Wildlife Tours, who wanted to know if we were about to arrive. We said the bus had not arrived yet, but it turned out to be one of those buses from Atopia that had rejected us several times. It also meant that we got the worst seats in the entire bus, despite the fact that we had been there for a long time.
It would be a good idea if Wildlife tours were on the bus. The other thing was that there was too short time set off for the spec.pingvines and dinner. Good idea to start earlier and switch on some of the different stops.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Tracy_k
Mar 14, 2026
We enjoyed the bus trip,... - We enjoyed the bus trip, but unfortunately was very disappointed with the Penguin viewing. Lucky to see 20
Review provided by Viator
Theresa_a
Jan 11, 2026
The parts of the... - The parts of the tour-seeing the Koalas and the Penguin parade - was great! Spending an hour and a half for dinner in the town was not. This could have been reduced a lot or eliminated- maybe start the tour earlier. On the way back Joel - the driver - offered to drop some people at a different location. He was unwilling to drop me a half km off at my hotel. He also did a poor job on time management. We were always waiting for the same couple people to return to the bus.
Review provided by Viator
Irmina_a
Feb 20, 2026
I wasted my 12 hours for... - I wasted my 12 hours for this tour! Such a long drive and saw only less than 10 Penguins. We waited too long on the Grand stand and it wasn’t even a parade of Penguins….so frustrating. One good thing, we had a very knowledgeable Tour Guide. The Italian restaurant was really good plus the Aldi nearby for some snacks.
Review provided by Viator
