Penguin Parade is an event where you watch the penguins return from the sea back to their burrows. This time changes with the season, so doing a day trip to Phillip Island can easily be a long day’s itinerary. It’s also about a 2-hour drive from the city.
Penguin estimated arrival time based on the seasons (just be there 30 mins to an hour before the estimated time since actual times may vary):
| Month | Estimated Time |
|---|---|
| January | 8:45 PM |
| February | 8:30 PM |
| March | 8:00 PM |
| April | 7:00 PM DST, 6:00 PM non-DST |
| May | 5:30 PM |
| June | 5:15 PM |
| July | 5:45 PM |
| August | 6:00 PM |
| September | 6:15 PM |
| October | 6:45 PM non-DST, 7:45 PM DST |
| November | 8:15 PM |
| December | 8:30 PM |
I found a great itinerary here so you can refer to that for all the details. I’ll just summarise the places that they have visited, which you can easily trim and personalise based on your starting time, physical energy, and transport options 😛
Make sure to also just adjust your schedule based on what time you have to be at the Penguin Parade for the arrival of the penguins (based on the above table).
You can target the 3 main parks if you are getting the 3 parks pass for the day to visit Penguin Parade, Koala Conservation Reserve and Churchill Island Heritage Farm at a discounted price.
As always, we recommend:
- bring a refillable bottle of water to stay hydrated
- wear sunscreen
- bring a wind-breaker jacket or puffer jacket for when it gets windy
- wear comfortable clothes and shoes (for walking all day)
- check the weather in case it is expected to rain
- keep snacks in the car if you get hungry
| Location | Activities | Ticket Price | Opening times |
|---|---|---|---|
| Woolamai Surf Beach | Probably too cold for a sweep. Do a short stopover, take photos, enjoy the beachside scenery, take a stroll. | Free | |
| San Remo Pelican Feeding | Arrive at the beach before 11:50 AM to attend the feeding at 12 Noon. Conveniently, eat Fish and Chips for lunch at San Remo Fishermans Co-op. | Free | 12pm |
| Forrest Caves | Walk along the beach, take pics. Maybe spend about 15-20 mins here. | Free | |
| Phillip Island Wildlife Park | This 60-acre wildlife park features free-range kangaroos & wallabies, plus koalas, wombats & birds. | $23 for adults, $12 for children | 11am to 5pm |
| Pyramid Rock Lookout | Admire the view, take pics. | Free | |
| SS Speke Shipwreck | About 30 mins return, walking trail to the shipwreck. Skip if you do not like walking distances. | Free | |
| The Nobbies | Admire the view, take pics, stroll on the boardwalk. | Free | |
| Penguin Parade (included in the 3 parks pass) | Time this based on the Penguin calendar above. Watch the penguins return to land after they feed at the sea. | General Viewing: $32 adults, $16 children Penguins Plus: $80 adults, $40 children Underground viewing: $90 adults, $45 children | 5pm to 9pm |
We recommend just doing the activities you are interested in. Take it slow if you need to. The 3 Parks Pass gives up to a 20% discount and might be worth taking if you have kids.