Phillip Island Tours & Day Trips

Phillip Island tours are mostly day trips from Melbourne built around the Penguin Parade at sunset, with the Nobbies boardwalk, wildlife parks or Churchill Island added on. Boat tours leave from the island itself, and plenty of Melbourne day trips head the other way. The big call is how much of the day you want to spend on the bus.

Phillip Island penguin tours from Melbourne

The Phillip Island Express Tour is the afternoon option: pick-up from the corner of Market and Flinders Streets at 1.45pm or 2.45pm (seasonal), the Nobbies boardwalk, then standard viewing at the Penguin Parade. The Phillip Island Penguin Sunset Tour also leaves in the afternoon, from the Mail Exchange Hotel at 3pm during daylight saving and 1.30pm outside it, with general entry to the Penguin Parade included.

Want a closer look at the penguins? The Penguin Parade Tour with Premium Seating and the Penguins Plus Tour both book Penguins Plus viewing, and the Penguins Plus Tour is a full-day trip with a koala and kangaroo stop at Moonlit Sanctuary, upgraded seating on the bus and onboard Wi-Fi.

Full-day Phillip Island tours with wildlife and farm stops

A full-day Phillip Island tour trades a shorter day for more stops. The Phillip Island Penguins Day Tour adds Moonlit Sanctuary, where you can hand-feed kangaroos and wallabies, and the Brighton Beach Boxes. The Penguin Parade and Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Day Tour is built around the same sanctuary and the Nobbies.

The Penguin Parade and Churchill Island Farm Bus Tour adds a heritage working farm with traditional farming activities, plus the Nobbies boardwalk to the blowhole and a look at the fur seal colony. Wildlife lovers can also try the Healesville Sanctuary and Phillip Island Wildlife Park Bus Tour, which pairs a live birds of prey show with the Penguin Parade. Returns to Melbourne on full-day tours are late evening, so plan on a long one.

Puffing Billy and French Island combos with Phillip Island

Some tours pair Phillip Island with a day somewhere else. The Puffing Billy and Phillip Island Penguin Parade Day Tour rides the steam train through the Dandenong Ranges, walks around Emerald Lake, then finishes at Seal Rock, the Nobbies and the Penguin Parade.

For a different route, the French Island and Phillip Island Sightseeing and Wildlife Tour crosses Western Port Bay by ferry, includes a 2.5-hour guided 4WD adventure on French Island, and ends with general entry to the Penguin Parade.

Boat tours and cruises from Phillip Island

Cruises leave from the island's own jetties. The Phillip Island Seal Watching Cruise is a 2-hour trip from Cowes Jetty that runs daily at 11am, 2pm and 4.30pm, with dolphin sightings and an average of 5000+ fur seals seen up close. The Phillip Island Sunset Cruise leaves San Remo Jetty on Thursdays and Sundays from October to March, with live music, a licensed bar and a grazing box onboard, and it doesn't run in winter.

In winter, the Phillip Island whale watching cruises take over from June to August.

Frequently asked questions

How far is Phillip Island from Melbourne?

Phillip Island is a 90-minute trip from Melbourne, according to the Phillip Island 3 Park Pass listing.

Which Phillip Island tours include the Penguin Parade?

The Phillip Island Express Tour, Phillip Island Penguins Day Tour, Penguins Plus Tour and Phillip Island Penguin Sunset Tour with Melbourne Transfers all include Penguin Parade entry from Melbourne.

How long are Phillip Island day tours from Melbourne?

The Phillip Island Express Tour is a 7 to 10-hour afternoon trip and the Phillip Island Penguins Day Tour a 9 to 14-hour day, both seasonal, with returns to Melbourne between 9pm and midnight.

Can I see seals on a Phillip Island tour?

Yes. The Phillip Island Seal Watching Cruise is a 2-hour trip from Cowes Jetty that sees an average of 5000+ fur seals, and it departs daily at 11am, 2pm and 4.30pm.

Choose an afternoon tour if the penguins are the point, a full-day tour if you want the wildlife parks and the farm, or a cruise out of Cowes if you'd rather be on the water. For tickets without a tour, see the Phillip Island attractions page.