Phillip Island & Penguin Parade Afternoon Eco Tour from Melbourne
5
LIKELY TO SELL OUT*
Phillip Island & Penguin Parade Afternoon Eco Tour from Melbourne
By Go West Tours
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About
Embark on an enchanting express tour and immerse yourself in the wonders of nature. Explore the breathtaking beauty of the Nobbies and Seal Rocks, with stunning views of Phillip Island's wild south coast from the clifftop boardwalk.
Prepare to be captivated by the nightly Penguin Parade, as Victoria's largest colony of little penguins emerges from the water and makes their adorable journey across the beach to their burrows. Witness their fascinating rituals of feeding, mating, caring for their young, and moulting.
Join us for this unforgettable experience and have the unique opportunity to observe these charming creatures in their natural habitat.
Lowest price guaranteeReserve now & pay laterFree cancellation
Ages 0-99, max of 24 per group
Duration: 9h
Start time: Check availability
Mobile ticket
Meets animal welfare guidelines
Live guide: English
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Audio guide: Arabic, German, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, Italian, French, Spanish
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Written guide: Arabic, German, Chinese, Russian, Portuguese, Korean, Japanese, Italian, French, Spanish
Print or digital reading material such as a guide, map, brochure, etc.
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- Entry fees for Phillip Island Penguin Parade
- Professional, Friendly & Informative Tour Guide
- Air-conditioned vehicle
- All Fees and Taxes
- WiFi on board
- Combo: Puffing Billy + Penguin option is 2 half-day tours joined together & taken on the same day
- English Speaking Tour Guide
- 100% Satisfaction Guarantee
- Entry/Admission - Phillip Island Nature Parks Penguin Parade
What's not included- Gratuities
- Food & Drink
- Start:
- Flinders Street & Market Street, Flinders St & Market St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaPlease wait at the corner of Flinders & Market Streets, next to the Immigration Museum. **Please do not wait at the front entry of the Museum** - Pickup is at 1:45pm if travelling during non-daylight savings months, AEST - Pickup is at 2:45pm if travelling during daylight savings months, AEDT
End:This activity ends back at the meeting point. - Infant seats available
- Service animals allowed
- Near public transportation
- Not wheelchair accessible
If you have questions about accessibility, we’d be happy to help. Just call the number below and reference the product code: 3181P16- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Most travellers can participate
- 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
- Combo: Puffing Billy + Penguin option: This package includes our Puffing Billy Half-day tour & our Phillip Island Penguin Parade Afternoon tour
- Combo: Puffing Billy + Penguin option: Please note that when booking this package you will participate in both tours on the same day, Puffing Billy in the morning & Penguin Parade in the afternoon. You will have a lunch break in Melbourne between the tours
- Combo: Puffing Billy + Penguin option: If joining this option your return time to Melbourne will be between 9pm-midnight depending on the season
- This experience requires good weather. If it’s cancelled due to poor weather, you’ll be offered a different date or a full refund
- This experience requires a minimum number of travellers. If it’s cancelled because the minimum isn’t met, you’ll be offered a different date/experience or a full refund
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 24 travellers
- 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: 3181P16
From
AU$149.00
per adult
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Itinerary
- Flinders St & Market St, Melbourne VIC 3000, AustraliaPlease wait at the corner of Flinders & Market Streets, next to the Immigration Museum. **Please do not wait at the front entry of the Museum** - Pickup is at 1:45pm if travelling during non-daylight savings months, AEST - Pickup is at 2:45pm if travelling during daylight savings months, AEDT
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About the operator
Don’t take it from us – here’s what people have to say about this operator:
- KevinB19930 contributionsGreat day on the great ocean roadLucy was so informative/knowledgeable and great fun, she told us all about the wildlife. Tour was very action packed from start to finish. It's definitely worth the early startWritten 12 February 2025
- darrylp6590 contributionsLovely tour with LucyHad an amazing tour with Lucy from Go West. The Great Ocean Road is beautiful and the small group tour is a great way to do it as a solo traveller. I got to ride in a helicopter (paid extra), went on a rainforest walk, and saw beautiful rock formations. Defo recommend!Written 12 February 2025
- Exploration5375150 contributionsLovely dayThis was a really great tour! We saw so many beautiful sights along the way. I especially loved the walk through the rainforest. Lucy was an excellent guide!Written 12 February 2025
- Robert C0 contributionsWonderful tour and tour giuldWe have a highly energetic tour guild Lucy who made our trip exceptionally worthwhile. She has abundance knowledge about wildlife and she is very helpful.Written 12 February 2025
- jeanetterJ7354TK0 contributionsBest tour and tour guide!We love the trip! So worth the day and we love our tour guide Lucy! She is very lively and informative! First tour that i learned so much from! Very much recommend.Written 12 February 2025
- dizari850 contributionsAmazing tour to see Melbourne HighlightsBluey and Jaimes were amazing!! They really are “aussies” ☺️ We enjoyed a lot this tour. Great attitude and knowledge. Good plan to start my visit in Melbourne. I bought this plan because they have facilities with other languages so it was good and the have complementary stories in the app. Highly recommended.Written 12 February 2025
- fionamW6849VH0 contributionsFantastic trip - worth every penny 😊This was an excellent mini bus tour round the sights of Melbourne. Bluey & Jaimes were great guides, mixing great humour with lots of interesting information. Its a fantastic way to get a taster of what Melbourne has to offer in just over 3 hours. Standouts were the incredible Shrine of Remembrance and the Conservatory, the Cook house and the beautiful Fitzroy Gardens. I would definitely recommend this trip as a must. Big thanks to the guys for a brilliant tour.Written 12 February 2025
- db9010 contributionsA very good tour.....Camille was an excellent tour leader. She has the important ability of knowing when to speak and advise and when to just be quiet and let people enjoy. Serious kudos for that!!! The tour takes you to several interesting and visually appealing places in a timely manner and on a schedule where one is always moving but never feeling rushed. A delicate balance perfectly achieved. The Brighton stop offered a nice look at the beach boxes but also a different view of Melbourne's skyline from a distance. The Moonlit Sanctuary stop might not seem great when reading about it before going, but being able to get up close and personal with a variety of animals in a safe and healthy setting was really nice. I felt like all of my fellow tour members really enjoyed stopping there as well. Visiting several different sites on Philip Island gave one a much better sense of the overall place. The stop at the Nobbies was fantastic and one got to appreciate the ocean and coastline and also catch an early view of some of the penguins in their burrows not far from the boardwalk there. The nature drive before dinner was also very nice and being able to see more animals in their wild setting but just outside the vehicle windows was very, very nice. We had a great dinner break with several eating options to choose from and plenty of time to have a nice meal. The Penguin Parade was nice and the tour's arrangements ahead of time made for a very easy time getting to and from. Almost everyone was asleep on the drive back to Melbourne as this is a tour that starts mid-day and gets you back to town very late. But it is worth the time and effort and Camille helped that a great deal with her knowledge, directions and skills.Written 12 February 2025
- Lori K0 contributionsGreat way to see the Great Ocean RoadFantastic trip to see the Great Ocean Road, made all the more special by our tour guide Bree. It’s a long day, but there are lots of stops and bathroom breaks and Bree provided us a boatload of information and entertainment along the way. If I had any criticism it would be that the seats were slightly old and uncomfortable for such a long day. However the A/C worked well as did the WiFi on the bus. We would definitely recommend this tour.Written 12 February 2025
- Inspire002306263500 contributionsFabulous day on the Great Ocean RoadOur tour of the Great Ocean Road with Bree was the best tour we have been on in our many travels. Bree, our tour guide, was cheerful and upbeat, organized but easy going, and informative. She kept us on schedule while giving us enough time at each stop. Bree seemed to be having as much fun as we were which made the long day easier. We enjoyed the surf coast and beautiful beaches, loved the temperate rainforest and of course were awestruck by the 11 apostles. We even saw Koalas! Highly recommend this tour as a way to get out and truly appreciate the beauty of Victoria!Written 12 February 2025
- karimarim20250 contributionsGreat locations and knowledgeable guide!Very nice day out! Enjoyed all the trip elements, fantastic views along the Ocean road. Our guide James C was great. Lots of stories and facts along the way. James made an extra effort to help us spot animals through the tour. The sleeping koalas in the trees were our favorit!Written 11 February 2025
- John A0 contributions12 apostle via Great Ocean Road. Did 15k steps with a lot of opportunities to walk around and site-seeVery friendly tour guide, James C. Air-conditioned minibus with wifi. Plenty of opportunities to walk around. Finally saw koalas in the wild.Written 11 February 2025
- T870DKsunnyk0 contributionsExceptionalAmazing trip with Bree!! She’s very cheerful, wonderful guide, never a dull moment, great stories a long different parts of the trip! Highly recommend!Written 11 February 2025
- sarahtF8245RB0 contributionsWonderful experience!I enojoyed so much! Thank you Terry 😁 he was so funny and friendly, all was good, i recommend this tour, it will be a day packed of wonderful things to see!Written 11 February 2025
- lucasgZ338CF0 contributionsAwesome tripMel was a great guide, she knows everything about the region. We had a great time and learned a lot ! The sceneries were all spectacular, I travel a lot and but that was so unique. 100% recommend !Written 11 February 2025
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.
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5.0
241 reviews
Excellent
228
Very good
11
Average
1
Poor
0
Terrible
1
Giulia G
3 contributions
Dec 2024 • Solo
I took the "Full day Phillip Island and Penguin Parade" tour with Monique. The tour was just fantastic and Monique was terrific! We first visited the iconic Brighton Beach boxes, and the Moonlit Sanctuary, where we could see the cutest Australian animals such as koalas, kangaroos, wallabies and wombats. Then we moved on to Phillip Island where, after a stop in the beautiful and windy Cape Woolamai and the Nobbies, we reached our final destination to see the Penguin Parade. The Parade was one of the most incredible experiences in my life and the penguins were super sweet and funny. Monique was an amazing tour guide, throughout the day she provided us with lots of historical and cultural information, she entertained us for more than 12 hours and was always enthusiastic, passionate and nice. Even on a day with some heavy traffic, she adjusted the programme of the tour to make sure we would not miss the penguin parade. She also offered recommendations of other things to do and places to visit in Melbourne. 10/10 would recommend!!!
Written 10 January 2025
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.
Thanks a lot for your amazing review, Giulia G! We’re so pleased to hear you had such a fantastic day on the Phillip Island Penguin Parade tour, and that Monique made your experience truly unforgettable. From the beautiful stops at Brighton Beach and the Moonlit Sanctuary to the incredible Penguin Parade, it sounds like you had an adventure full of wonderful moments. We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Monique – her dedication and enthusiasm really do make the day special for everyone. We hope to have the pleasure of welcoming you on another tour soon, whether it's to the Great Ocean Road, Yarra Valley, or the Grampians National Park! Best wishes for your future travels!
Written 11 January 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Jenna
Hong Kong, China3 contributions
Sept 2024 • Couples
On September 20, 2024, I joined the Phillip Island Tour from Melbourne with GoWest, led by the charismatic Bluey. Bluey's humor, sharp wit and evident passion for his job added a special charm to the tour. His engaging, entertaining and informative narratives to each stop, along with fun quizzes and surprise treats for the group showcased his dedication and deep affection for Melbourne and its wildlife. The tour included visits to must-see iconic locations such as the colorful Brighton Bathing Boxes, Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park, The Nobbies, and the enchanting Penguin Parade, making it a well-rounded exploration of the area.
p.s. Bluey really looks like Ed Sheeran haha.
p.s. Bluey really looks like Ed Sheeran haha.
Written 20 January 2025
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.
Hey Jenna, thank you so much for sharing your wonderful review! It’s fantastic to hear that you had such a great time on the Phillip Island tour with Bluey. We’re glad that his humor, engaging storytelling, and fun surprises made the day even more enjoyable. From the Brighton Bathing Boxes to the Penguin Parade, we’re so happy you got to experience these iconic locations with us! We’ll be sure to pass along your fun Ed Sheeran comparison to Bluey — he’ll love it! Thanks again for your kind words, and we hope you’ll join us on another tour in the future!
Written 22 January 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Tom G
Bristol, UK1 contribution
Feb 2024 • Couples
Louie was our tour guide on our trip to Phillip Island. He was very informative throughout and ensured everyone had a wonderful experience. I would certainly recommend people to book the penguins plus package as you are ideally situated to see the penguins close-up as they return to feed their young.
Written 15 February 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.
Ashley S
4 contributions
Graeme is a personable tour guide. That’s really the only positive of this tour. The bus is not the advertised air conditioned vehicle. On a day with an extreme heat warning, the tour made the unethical decision to proceed despite having full knowledge prior to the start that this bus had a malfunctioning a/c system. (Read other reviews. It is a known issue.) Within minutes of starting, it was entirely apparent that the bus was a stifling hot box with zero ventilation. We could not open windows and the a/c was not working at all. It became so unbearable to the point of passing out that someone finally told the driver to please stop at the nearest gas station and call the company to troubleshoot climate control. It was dangerous to proceed under these conditions. The driver did so, but it still was not fixed when we started again. We spent the majority of the drive in absolute misery. We made an uneventful stop at a beach that really was unnecessary. And then we went to a town where we went our own way to grab food at your own expense. We then proceeded to the penguin parade facility where the guide dropped us off and stayed in the vehicle. There was no real guidance from here. We entered into the chaos of hundreds of people packed into a room with ambiguous lines and pockets of people. No one seemed to know how to navigate the space. Then a park ranger announced that they were canceling the parade due to the weather conditions. I strongly believe that a tour company specializing in this tour could do its due diligence to review the weather forecast on the island and make an informed decision to reschedule the tour based on historical knowledge. It’s understandable that they cannot control the weather itself, but they can control mitigating these factors through staying proactively informed. They should have issued an opportunity to redo this experience or only charged for the gas/mileage/labor evenly spilt amongst all guests. They should not be turning a profit on an experience that was far from what was advertised. They gave us back 25 AUD for the park fee, but the remaining amount is far more than the gas/mileage/minimal guidance. Again, Graeme is a sweet man. But this was not what was advertised from a perspective of what they could control and then responding to the aspects they couldn’t control.
Written 2 February 2025
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.
Thank you for taking the time to share your experience. We are truly sorry to hear that your tour did not meet your expectations, and we sincerely regret the discomfort and disappointment you faced.
Regarding the air conditioning issue, we completely understand how frustrating and uncomfortable this must have been, particularly on such a hot day. We would never knowingly send a vehicle with a malfunctioning system, and we can assure you that the air-con was tested & found to be functioning prior to the vehicle's departure from our depot. We regret that this problem arose during your tour. While our team and driver did their best to troubleshoot, it’s clear that the experience was not what it should have been, and we take full responsibility for that.
As for the cancellation of the Penguin Parade due to "weather conditions" this was due to nearby lightning, not something we - or any of the other tour operators attending on the evening - could possibly have predicted. We recognise how disappointing it must have been to miss such a key part of the tour. While the decision to cancel is made by Phillip Island Nature Parks for the safety of visitors, we acknowledge that not being able enter the viewing areas would have been very frustrating for you, as it was for us.
We strive to provide exceptional experiences for our guests, and it’s clear that we fell short in this instance. We appreciate your feedback and will be reviewing our policies to avoid similar issues arising in the future.
Thank you again for your feedback, and we sincerely hope to have the chance to welcome you on a better experience in the future.
Written 3 February 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Rachel H
2 contributions
Jan 2024 • Friends
Great stop offs on the way to and on Philip island, including some lovely view points. Appreciated time to grab food and explore at Cowes town. The wildlife reserve was a great addition to see the kangaroos, koalas and other Australian animals! The finale of the penguins was really interesting to see (would recommend bringing layers as gets chilly when it gets dark). Our guide Janey was amazing - really informative and enthusiastic, and clearly wanted us to have a good experience. Overall great day!
Written 14 January 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.
Victoria Behar J
4 contributions
Jan 2024 • Family
Outstanding tour and good value. We felt that we saw a variety of beautiful and worthwhile sights with a knowledgeable, kind, and very capable guide Felix gave just the right amount of info and was a very good driver on a long trip that ended well into the night. He was also great about giving us tips on the best way to make the most of each place where we stopped. The only place for improvement is that the bus could have been a bit roomier - was kind of a tight fit for a 12 hour tour. But overall, was really an excellent tour.
Written 30 January 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.
Nupur S
1 contribution
July 2024 • Family
The tour was very well organized and gave just the right amount of time to enjoy the stops. Our tour guide, Frank was amazing. He gave great information, played soothing Aussie music and had a great sense of humor. Overall, the tour was very enjoyable. Highly recommend!
Written 18 July 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.
serena L
2 contributions
Dec 2024 • Family
I Really enjoyed the time with Jools. She is probably one of the best guides I had ever experienced. She is so patient with any tourist with any questions of request. She will try to make you see as much as possible and explain everything in a humorous way. My family really enjoyed the trip for the CNY. She even played the Chinese Going Xi fa cai song to celebrate our lunar year. Thank you so much Jools. From your Chinese friend Serena and her family.
Written 29 January 2025
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 Serena, thank you so much for your wonderful review! We’re thrilled to hear that you and your family had such a great time on the Phillip Island Penguin Parade tour, and we’re so glad that Jools made your experience truly special. It’s amazing to hear that she was able to share the celebration of the Lunar New Year with you in such a thoughtful and fun way! We’ll be sure to pass along your kind words to Jools – she’ll be so happy to hear how much you appreciated her guidance. We hope you’ll join us again soon for another adventure, whether it's exploring more of Melbourne or discovering new sights with us. Thanks again for sharing your experience, and we wish you and your family a wonderful year ahead!
Written 30 January 2025
This response is the subjective opinion of the management representative and not of Tripadvisor LLC.
Burcu GY
Dubai, United Arab Emirates4 contributions
Dec 2024 • Family
After 20 years I visited Philip Island and the penguins again, this time with my kids. The trip was good and our guide Simon shared a lot of insider tips. He was a great driver as well as a funny DJ with alternative Christmas songs :) I could wish a larger bus to drive all day around, but at the end it was a great day!
Written 18 December 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.
smileyfacegrace
Toronto167 contributions
Nov 2023 • Couples
We went with Graeme to Phillip Island and he was an excellent tour guide, very helpful and knowledgeable. GO West is a bit more expensive than the other tour, but it was a smaller group (a minibus for 24 people) versus a large coach bus, which I thought was quite nice.
Graeme brought us to the town of Cowes for dinner so we had lots of good options for food. He also knew the good spots to sit, so we all had great views of the penguins. He also pointed out wildlife that we would see along the way so overall it was a great experience!
The Express tour was nice, since we were touring Australia, and we were already going to visit other animal parks. This allowed us to spend the day exploring Melbourne and doing our own thing before jumping on the bus in the afternoon.
I would highly recommend doing this activity and going with GO West!
Graeme brought us to the town of Cowes for dinner so we had lots of good options for food. He also knew the good spots to sit, so we all had great views of the penguins. He also pointed out wildlife that we would see along the way so overall it was a great experience!
The Express tour was nice, since we were touring Australia, and we were already going to visit other animal parks. This allowed us to spend the day exploring Melbourne and doing our own thing before jumping on the bus in the afternoon.
I would highly recommend doing this activity and going with GO West!
Written 30 November 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.
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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.