Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Penguins in Melbourne

I had hoped to stay overnight on Phillips Island, and have breakfast with the penguins. That tour is no longer offered. Here are two alternatives I've found:

www.penguinwaters.com.au (http://www.penguinwaters.com.au)

www.melbournetours.com.au/penguin_express.html (http://www.melbournetours.com.au/penguin_express.html)

Please compare and contrast and/or suggest alternatives.

Sylvia

We saw fairy penguins on the beach in front of Donovan's Restaurant just minutes from the Melbourne CBD.

My partner really wants to see the penguins at Phillip island. I told her the experience isn't going to be as good as at Punta Tomba, Argentina. Does anyone have recent experience with the penguin parade? Also, do the birds stay at sea when they are not nesting (we'll be there early September).

We were there last year and it was quite nice. You get very close to them when they come back from a hard days worth of work in the ocean. They have different packages and some get you closer than others. It might be worth spending the money.
We were there at Easter so I can't comment about the September situation.

We went there last year in August and me and my wife thought it was a great experience. We spent the night back in Melbourne CBD and drove the 1 1/2 - 2 hrs back soon after the penguins arrived just after dusk. I think the second link you posted is on Phillip Island and a bit more "natural" than the first link.

If you have the chance, you can see penguins on King Island - you can sit right in the middle of the parade.

Requires a trip to King Island, of course, but it's a lovely place to visit.

Audrey

After reading this thread, I want to go see some penguins! :D

I went in Dec 2006. It was still pretty cold and it was quite windy. Suggest you take warm clothes/layers.

I think I had the normal ticket, although there are plenty of options available:
http://www.penguins.org.au/content.asp?pg=63 (basic price)
http://www.penguins.org.au/content.asp?pg=60 (additional offers)

There are also arranged tours available from Melbourne if that's your thing rather than driving.

I enjoyed it, but found it to be very commercial. Parking also can get a bit tight if you don't arrive early.

After reading this thread, I want to go see some penguins! :D

Then come on down ;)

I enjoyed it, but found it to be very commercial. Parking also can get a bit tight if you don't arrive early.

Similar to Aus_Mal, I found it to be very commercial - felt more like being at Disneyland than in the wilds of nature. Having said that, I still found myself enjoying it immensely once they started coming ashore.

Wouldn't do it twice, but I was glad I did it once...

Apparently if you went last night you could have seen the rare Flying Penguins (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/portal/ttv/arts.jhtml?bcpid=1358314062&bclid=1363192294&bctid=1482436596). Be sure to click the link and see the documentary starring Terry Jones. The UK Telegraph covered this story, at this link (http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2008/04/01/npenguin101.xml).

We went to Phillip Island in August 2006, and absolutely loved it. It is gorgeous there -- we did have wonderful weather, and we saw a number of penguins. I would also recommend taking in Churchill Island, which is the site of a lovely old Australian house. Churchill Ilsand is accessible directly from Phillip Island. It's a very short drive. It is just beautiful, and the history of the settlement of the Island is interesting. Would recommend the restaurant at the Churchill Island visitor center. We had a marvelous meal there overlooking the water. Memorable! The drive back to Melbourne at night was the only downside...