Australia, New Zealand & the South Pacific - Phillip Island Tours

Phillip Island, home to the Penguin tour, is high on our to do list in Melbourne, but we're torn between getting an organized day tour, or doing it alone.

Has anyone toured Phillip Island and able to offer some tips based on experience?

Phillip Island, home to the Penguin tour, is high on our to do list in Melbourne, but we're torn between getting an organized day tour, or doing it alone.

Has anyone toured Phillip Island and able to offer some tips based on experience?Do a self tour by rental car

I did the self tour and was happy. The evening penguin show was quite a production. :)

Haven't seen the penguin parade (even though its in my backyard :o), but I believe its in the evening. If you have the time it may be worth staying overnight on Phillip Island. Unsure which side of the road you are used to driving on, but if its the right, you may not be all that comfortable (or conversely it may not bother you at all) with the ~90-120 minute drive back at night after the parade (assuming you decide to drive, that is).

There's the Nobbies, and Seal Rocks, as well as a winery with quite a good rep. Few other bits and pieces but I've really only been there to stay at friends' houses, so sorry, I can't offer too much from a tourist perspective.

You could try here (http://www.phillipisland.net.au/) as a good starting point.

Enjoy your trip!

If possible do it yourself. The tour companies have a set time to leave and once the crowds go there is still a bit to see. On the board walks you can see the penguins up close and it is a much better experience.

I have a friend, who when she was here (studying) went on several tours and when we went as a group in my car she realised just how much she hadn't seen.

We took an all day tour http://www.aptouring.com.au/content.asp?Document_ID=42015 from Melbourne and it was a big time saver. In addition to seeing the Little Penguins waddle ashore, they also took us to the Koala Conservation Centre and to Warrook Cattle Farm where we were able to hand feed kangaroos. It was especially nice having them drive us back at night without dealing with directions in the darkness.

Yes, we would have had more freedom driving ourselves, but this APT tour saved us a lot of time and made the trip hassle-free.

Having done a self drive in January - I can confirm that the flexability and the dreaded drive back at night weighed in on my decision. However, i think that the deal breaker was that the majority (if not all) of the tour packages i looked into didn't give you access to the variety of penguin viewing options. Having opted for the "ultimate" experience - i don't know why anyone would choose any of the other options.

With only ten people on the beach (which is on the opposite side of the island from the grandstands) you actually feel a better connection to nature as the little guys waddle up right past you. Plus, on the walk back you come face to face with the penguins playing inside and outside their nests and are able to see other amazing wildlife as well - including wallaby.

My take away - whatever option you take - do the ultimate tour.

Has anyone done this in late June (mid-winter?)

I will add one thing to the self-tour. We drove and when we arrived there was only 1 other car in the parking lot.

They offer guided tours with one of the research scientists and we signed up (it was AU$10 at the time). The two of us were the only ones on the tour! It was our very own private guided tour and he took us places they don't take others because of the size of the group. We were able to ask questions that we wanted the answers to. It was wonderful. He drove us around in the electric cart from place to place. At the end he told us where to stand for the best viewing. The tour lasted about 1.5 hours.

The drive back at night was challenging to say the least--easier if there were taillights to follow, but difficult for my brain to accept driving on the left when there wasn't someone to follow.

We went in late May.

I'm thinking of going there myself. I only have a little over 24 hours in Melb, and as I've seen the city many times, it's time to venture out a bit.

Regardless, I've been reading the web site. While I understand there will be no photography, it does say there are areas that I can take photos, but the site doesn't elaborate on it. Anyone know?

Also, someone told me that the penguins only visit during winter. Is that true?

I'm thinking of going there myself. I only have a little over 24 hours in Melb, and as I've seen the city many times, it's time to venture out a bit.

Regardless, I've been reading the web site. While I understand there will be no photography, it does say there are areas that I can take photos, but the site doesn't elaborate on it. Anyone know?

Yes, that is the official policy. Our APT tour driver reminded us of this but then said something like "If I don't see you do it, then there is nothing to worry about." I did get some pictures of the little penguins in their burrows and all of us were very careful not to get too close of otherwise scare them.

We took an all day tour http://www.aptouring.com.au/content.asp?Document_ID=42015 from Melbourne and it was a big time saver.

Yes, we would have had more freedom driving ourselves, but this APT tour saved us a lot of time and made the trip hassle-free.

Just curious, how was it a time saver? Is it because you would have spent more time trying to find unfamiliar places if you did the trip yourself? It seems to me that a self tour could be just as efficient as a guided tour, if not more so.

Just curious, how was it a time saver? Is it because you would have spent more time trying to find unfamiliar places if you did the trip yourself? It seems to me that a self tour could be just as efficient as a guided tour, if not more so.

Pat89339 said it very well, "The drive back at night was challenging to say the least--easier if there were taillights to follow, but difficult for my brain to accept driving on the left when there wasn't someone to follow."

Just remember, when the Penguin Parade is over, it is completely dark. If I had to determine directions, late at night, over unfamiliar roads and possibly no places to ask directions if I got lost, I could easily see the 1½-2 hours (what a professional bus driver took) stretching out to far longer. This does not even factor in the aggravation of something that is supposed to be an enjoyable experience.

Just as an alternative to self-drive or land-based tours, there used to be a few companies based at Essendon Airport offering penguin tours to Phillip Island. They might be still doing it. You fly in there on light aircraft and fly back after seeing the penguin parade.

We are back and had a great time at Philip Island. Rented a car in downtown MEL; navigating the first mile to the freeway was the most challenging part of the drive. I got to try a few hook turns, which went fine. Fortunately I had been warned about them and the tour bus driver the day before demonstrated one after I asked.

Navigating to PI is easy, and the signage is good so it's almost impossible to get lost. Our first stop was at Maru Wildlife Park where we saw koala, roos, wallaby, Tasmian Devil, dingos, etc. An hour was enough time for a good visit. Then to PI; after you cross the bridge stop at the Visitor Info Center on the left. A chocolate factory is a km farther along on the right.

We are motorsports fans and a visit to the PI Circuit was mandatory. There's a small but interesting museum, and the cafe had excellent food for that type of place.

We had been to Maru and aren't into petting zoos so we didn't get the "3-park Pass". We went to The Nobbies where you can view seals at a long distance. They have telescopes and electronic "seal cams". We are from coastal California so the area wasn't too interesting to us. The scenery was nice and we saw several wallaby near the visitor center.

Last stop was of course the penguins. The Penguins Plus tickets were a good choice in retrospect. All our souvenir shopping was done before the parade. A flotilla of tourbuses showed up and herded people into lines...it was a "People Parade"!

Crowds at Penguins Plus were smaller than the regular ticket area. The naturalist talked about the penguins, sea conditions that evening, and what to expect. He emphasized several times that cameras were strictly prohibited and anyone using a camera would be escorted out. He apologized but there were too many people taking photos anyway and deliberately or accidentally using flash.

Penguins came ashore in 3 or 4 groups about 15 minutes apart. It was an amazing thing to see and hear. They estimated there were several thousand that night; the numbers can fluctuate a lot from night to night (previous night was less than 400).

After the penguins are on the beach they waddle up to their burrows. The more senior birds have the prime beachfront while others go way up on the bluffs or as much as 1km inland. There are even signs in the parking lot warning to check under your vehicle for penguins! The walkways from the beach allow viewing or following the pengins from only a few feet away. They seem oblivous to the crowds.

Others are correct that it's pitch black on the drive home. I personally didn't find the drive challenging at all. Our hotel in MEL had overnight parking for only $6 (normally parking in the CBD is exorbitant). We parked and used the car to go to the airport the next morning.

The nice thing about renting a car is we stayed a step ahead of the tourbuses and had venues mostly to ourselves. I'm sure we were halfway back to MEL before the buses were all loaded and on their way back. Since there are other cars leaving at the same time, just follow one of them and it will make navigating easier.

We were very lucky with weather. All the warm stuff we brought was unnecessary. A major storm front was approaching MEL and the wind was from the north and offshore. So we were sheltered by the coastal bluffs. If the wind were from the south and onshore it would have been very cold.

Hope this helps; don't be intimidated by driving issues...drive down during daylight and the return will be easy.

Thanks for the info. I also rang up the place to clarify the photography policy and what they meant on the web site. The 'photo experience' is your typical tourist trap - a green screen where your image is overlaid on top of a static picture. Boohoo.

I'm tempted to book the Ultimate option, where you get to sit on the beach... Sitting on a beach during winter doesn't sound too much fun though... :) Have you seen anyone doing that option?

I'm tempted to book the Ultimate option, where you get to sit on the beach... Sitting on a beach during winter doesn't sound too much fun though... :)

Sitting on a beach in Victorian winter does not appeal to me at all.

I drove down there last weekend and pre-booked the 3-park Ultimate option online.

Due to roadwork just outside Melbourne, the drive down took 2 hours from Melbourne CBD.

The 3-park ticket is OK as it's not much more than a ticket to only see the penguins. I wouldn't pay for them separately though. The Koala Conservation Centre is average, and not very big. You should be able to see a few sitting among the trees, occasionally scratching themselves, but mostly sleeping.

Churchill Island is a waste of time, IMHO. It's just a glorified farm.

The Nobbies (free) is more interesting and spectular. If you get big seas (which I suspect is often as it faces south), you can get some very good photos hitting the rocks and the shore. If you're lucky, you can see penguins and seals there too.

For the main event, I'm glad I took the Ultimate tour. On the evening I went, there were 22 coaches, most of them going to the General Admission part. Given the penguins are quite small, I suspect you won't be able to see very much and in any great details.

With the Ultimate tour, there's only a max of 10 people, plus a guide. My tour only had 3 people, and the guide. The guide gives you a brief history of the island and some background information of the penguins. You'll also be given a waterproof jacket and pants if necessary. You'll also have a mat/cushion, a night-vision binoculars and a torch.

You'll be led to a separate beach away from the great unwashed and sit on this beach and wait for the sunset. As that part of the island is closed to the public after dusk, you'll have the beach to yourselves. As soon as it's dark, the penguins will start to come in (you'll hear them before you see them). The peguins don't really care about you, and they were as close as 3m from where we were sitting.

It was a windy evening when I went, and it was blowing directly onshore. Given it was winter, it wasn't very pleasant, but it was worth it. If you go during winter, definitely wrap up warm (bring your own scarf, beanie and gloves).

After the beach, we walked back to the main centre, which was only 5-10 minutes away. You'll see penguins along the road and everywhere.

The whole thing took about 2.5 hours.

The drive back wasn't that bad, and it took me about 90 minutes. If you've a navigator and a map, you'll be fine. I'd a GPS, and there were no problems.

We're arriving in Melbourne 1pm Nov 16, flying out the next day. Somehow on the 16th (which is a Monday) my wife has to see the Penguins. Without renting a car (I'm not about to learn how to drive on the left side of the street for the first time... at night. I nearly kill myself as a pedestrian in London!). Figure we'll be checked into our hotel by 3pm.

Can this be done? Any recommended companies? Would especially like the more-intimate "Ultimate" experience if possible.

Secondary question- are there recommended hotels close to the Skybus city center terminal, such that you wouldn't have to xfer to the local system? I'd like to save as much time getting around as possible. Currently I'm thinking of the Mercure Welcome, but it looks like that will involve a secondary transfer.

Thanks!

We're arriving in Melbourne 1pm Nov 16, flying out the next day. Somehow on the 16th (which is a Monday) my wife has to see the Penguins. Without renting a car (I'm not about to learn how to drive on the left side of the street for the first time... at night. I nearly kill myself as a pedestrian in London!). Figure we'll be checked into our hotel by 3pm.

Can this be done? Any recommended companies? Would especially like the more-intimate "Ultimate" experience if possible.

Secondary question- are there recommended hotels close to the Skybus city center terminal, such that you wouldn't have to xfer to the local system? I'd like to save as much time getting around as possible. Currently I'm thinking of the Mercure Welcome, but it looks like that will involve a secondary transfer.

Thanks!

Considering your arrival time into Melbourne, your only option to see the penguins will likely be renting a car and driving yourself. Driving on the left side of the road it not that difficult once you start.

Considering your arrival time into Melbourne, your only option to see the penguins will likely be renting a car and driving yourself. Driving on the left side of the road it not that difficult once you start.So you're suggesting renting a car at the airport, driving directly to the Penguins, then back to the hotel? I had so much looked forward to a vacation without driving!

I had read someplace that there were Penguins-only tours that left from Melbourne around 3-4pm this time of year, which sounded like a good way to go. No hassle of renting & returning a car, no driving on the other (must resist urge to say "wrong") side of the road.

Thanks, still more to figure out I guess!

The later tours I belive only see the penguins. If you want to visit a wildlife park there won't be enough time. I'm also not sure if the "upsell" options are possible on the abbreviated schedule. Skip the seals at the Nobbies; nothing new compared to CA.

We're from Orange County and we rented a car and drove to PI. It would be almost identical to renting a car at SFO, then driving past the City and out to the Sacramento Delta area....starts out as good freeways, turns into expressway, then into 2-lane country road. More details are in my post upthread.

Driving on the left isn't a big deal; roundabouts take a bit of learning but the ones on the PI route have little traffic. There are also "hook turns" in the CBD area but either avoid the area or there's a lot of online explanations and it's fairly obvious once you have to do one. The annoying part is the control stalks are reversed; I was constantly flicking on the wipers instead of signaling a turn!

If you're a confident driver in the Bay Area a rental car in MEL will be no problem. My newly licensed teen got an hour behind the wheel at Uluru; he had no problem whatsoever.

About Skybus- I recommend them, if you've newly arrived to Oz you can buy tickets by credit card and don't need cash. Once they get to the depot you transfer to smaller buses that will go to your hotel. But I agree you should just rent at the airport and go....otherwise you will hit rush hour traffic.

We did the self-drive option from Melbourne. Driving back wasn't the most fun, but even the two lane roads are good, so it wasn't much of a problem. PI is the most amazing experience. But I have to disagree with one of the prior posters....we loved Churchill Island. The scenery and the quiet (at least when we were there) were fantastic. We had a wonderful lunch on the patio of the restaurant there, and I thought it was simply paradise. Give it a try.

I'm planning a trip to Australia late Nov / early Dec, and will be around MEL area for 5 days. Is there a best time, best day of the week to go to Phillip Island? Thanks

We arrive in Melbourne just past noon on Monday, November 16th, and leave the following morning. Not much time to see the Penguins, but my wife won't be happy if we don't. And if she's not happy...

I found a few "express" tours that leave from around 3:30pm-5pm or so. Has anyone done the Gray Lines tour (http://www.grayline.com.au/tourdetails.aspx?sys=GRAYLINE&tour=354)? Or have any other recommendations? Sure, I'd rather do something less rushed, but just don't have that option.

Thanks!

(Added after the trip-)

We ended up doing the Gray Lines Tour, although that wasn't what the brochure said; on Monday Nov 16th they combined several different tours into one, leading me to believe that Gray Line controls quite a bit of the Penguin market. ;)

Our tickets were for the standard Penguin show, which means sharing two sets of bleachers on the beach with a whole lot of noisy school kids, or at least it did on this particular night. This was a concern until we realized the best "show" was as the Penguins made their way up the hill and underneath the boardwalk, and for that spectacle, it didn't matter which option you had purchased. It's really quite a sight seeing all those little Penguins (and they are little, and yet quite obviously Penguins) making their way to their burrows, with all the little chicks that had stayed behind making quite a racket.

I am not convinced that this spectacle doesn't come without cost to the Penguins. All that crowd noise has got to make it difficult for the Penguins to find their baby chicks (I'm told they do so by sound and that each one has its own distinctive "voice"). And when you see the very first few Penguins appear, and how apprehensive they initially act, you wonder if it's due to our (human) presence. But it does appear that the Penguins pretty much ignore your presence, so perhaps our intrusion doesn't much matter. But if that truly was the case, the total ban on photography seems a bit odd.

Overall, very glad we went.