Melbourne Animal Experiences & Encounters

Animal experiences from Melbourne centre on Phillip Island, where little penguins waddle ashore at sunset, and on wildlife sanctuaries in the hills. Most tours here include return transport from the city, and several add koalas, a seal cruise or a Puffing Billy ride.

Phillip Island Penguin Parade tours from Melbourne

Penguin Parade tours leave Melbourne for Phillip Island and time the day around the little penguins coming ashore at dusk. The Phillip Island Penguin Sunset Tour keeps it simple. It leaves from the Mail Exchange Hotel on Bourke Street in the afternoon, with a stop at The Nobbies boardwalks, and includes National Park fees and general entry to the Penguin Parade.

The Phillip Island Penguin and Koala Encounter Day Tour meets at the Immigration Museum on Flinders Street and adds admission to the Koala Conservation Reserve plus an exclusive viewing entry to the Penguin Parade.

For more marine life, the Phillip Island Day Tour with Seal Cruise and Penguin Parade from Local Way Tours starts at Arts Centre Melbourne with barista-made coffee, then cruises to Seal Rocks to see fur seals on a 2-hour seal-watching cruise. The day ends with a glass of sparkling wine at The Nobbies and the Penguin Parade at sunset.

Penguin day tours with wildlife parks and Puffing Billy

Some tours stack a second animal stop on top of the penguins. The Phillip Island Penguins Day Tour with Go West Tours includes entry to Moonlit Sanctuary, where you can hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies, and stops at the Brighton Beach Boxes on the way.

The Dandenong Ranges version swaps the sanctuary for a steam train. The Puffing Billy Train and Penguins Day Tour includes a 1-hour Puffing Billy ride, a stroll along The Nobbies boardwalks and the Penguin Parade at sunset. Go West Tours runs its own Puffing Billy and Phillip Island Penguin Parade tour, a 17-hour day with an audio guide in 16 languages.

If you'd rather stay on the mainland, the Puffing Billy and Wildlife Tour pairs the steam train between Belgrave and Lakeside with entry to Healesville Sanctuary on an 8-hour tour.

Watching the penguins with your own transport

If you're driving to Phillip Island, the Phillip Island Premium Penguins Experience is a 2-hour premium viewing at Summerlands Beach, on a beachfront stand that seats up to 90 guests with an uninterrupted view across Bass Strait. It also gives access to the boardwalk and visitor centre, and the operator recommends arriving an hour before the penguins do. No transport is included.

Choosing an animal tour from Melbourne

Time is the main thing that separates these trips. The sunset tour with transfers is the shortest way to see the Penguin Parade, while the seal cruise and Go West Tours day tours are 12-hour days or longer. Go West lists a return to Melbourne between 9pm and midnight, and the times shift with the season.

Pick a koala or sanctuary tour if wildlife is the whole point of the trip. Pick a seal cruise for the ocean side of Phillip Island. Dolphin and seal swims sit on the Melbourne water sports page, and indoor penguin encounters are on zoos and aquariums.

Frequently asked questions

Where can you see penguins near Melbourne?

The Penguin Parade at Phillip Island's Summerlands Beach is the main place to see little penguins near Melbourne, and several day tours with Melbourne transfers include general admission. The Phillip Island Premium Penguins Experience is a 2-hour premium viewing for guests who are driving themselves.

How long is a Phillip Island penguin tour from Melbourne?

Phillip Island penguin tours from Melbourne are long days because they wait for sunset. The Phillip Island Day Tour with Seal Cruise and Penguin Parade is a 12-hour day, and the Puffing Billy and Phillip Island Penguin Parade tour is a 17-hour day.

Can you see koalas on a Phillip Island tour from Melbourne?

Yes. The Phillip Island Penguin and Koala Encounter Day Tour includes admission to the Koala Conservation Reserve, and the Phillip Island Day Tour with Seal Cruise and Penguin Parade includes the option to meet koalas.

What should I bring to see the Phillip Island Penguin Parade?

Bring warm, comfortable clothing suited to the weather, plus your booking confirmation. The viewing is outdoors, and a camera is useful along the coast and The Nobbies boardwalks.

Pick the tour that matches the animals you want to see, and book your wildlife day out from Melbourne online.