Penguins! Who doesn’t love them? Other than the trippy one on Billy Madison, I’m all about the flightless birds. And guess what? There’s a no-joke PENGUIN PARADE that happens on Victoria’s Phillip Island. A lil’ sunset parade. Every damn day! I’m so there it’s insane.
Just a two-hour drive from Melbourne CBD, Phillip Island has 101kms of gorg coastline that offers plenty to see and do. Top of my list is obvi the Penguin Parade, but the chance to spot a fur seal, tuck into a pristine walking track or just chill by the beach (and read The Subtle Art Of Not Giving A F**k for the 15th time) also makes the destination a serious contender for your next vacay.
In fact, Summerland Peninsula (on the Western End of Phillip Island) was even named by New York Times as one of the 52 best places to visit. That’s saying something! But back to the penguins – Phillip Island is home to the largest penguin colony in the whole wide world.
Basically, you can watch lil’ penguins strut their stuff at dusk as part of Phillip Island Nature Parks’ Penguin Parade. Why do they do it? They’re journeying from the ocean to their burrows, and after dark, you’ll see them in the colony and hanging out with their partners and chicks (stop it, so cute) while on the boardwalks. I only dream of being this cute going about my day-to-day.
You might even spot Swamp Wallabies, Eastern Barred Bandicoots, Cape Barren Geese and Short-tailed Shearwaters (seabirds – dw, I didn’t know either) before, during and after the Penguin Parade.
You can book a ticket for $27.70 for an adult should you want to support Phillip Island Nature Parks‘ research, education and conservation projects. Remember to pre-purchase online, or you’ll miss out on the once-in-a-lifetime wildlife experience.
Check out all the other stunning (literally) things you can do in Phillip Island HERE.
Looking for other bucket list travel destinations? We’ve got you, boo. 100 hidden gems are waiting for you right here.
