Yes, absolutely! It is Victoria’s No. 1 wildlife and eco-tourism attraction. Close to 1 million people come visit it every year. They are drawn by the chance to see a natural phenomenon that has been occurring every night for thousands of years – the nightly return of the Little (or Fairy) Penguins to their burrows. Watching these adorable creatures emerge from the ocean just after sunset, then waddle across the beach and up the sand dunes searching for their homes and their mates is just an unforgettable natural spectacle, the likes of which is unmatched anywhere else in the world.

The world-famous Penguin Parade on Phillip Island is a nightly event where hundreds or even thousands of Little Penguins ‘parade’ across the beach and up the sand dunes to return to their burrows after fishing at sea. This unique natural phenomenon has been occurring for thousands of years and we are lucky in Victoria to be able to witness it in all its wonder. Nothing can prepare you for the wondrous sight of these adorable little creatures waddling across the sand and up the slopes as they seek out their mates and their homes. It is called a ‘parade’ because that is exactly what the Penguins do – they parade on their way home.

Yes the penguins are completely wild. They have grown accustomed to all the infrastructure around their nests and seem unperturbed by it, going about their daily cycle without much concern about the humans who come to watch them. They are not captive or domesticated in any way. We are simply lucky to be able to watch them engaging in wild, natural behaviour as they have been doing for thousands of years.

Yes, absolutely. We believe a private tour is well worth it. You don’t have to share your experience with a large group of strangers and have to wait for up to 60 people to get on and off the bus at every stop. With a private tour, you can adjust the itinerary on the way down to the Penguin Parade to take in other wildlife attractions or customise your visit to give you exactly the experiences you want. You can opt to upgrade to a VIP luxury vehicle for more comfort and you will be taken care of by a friendly, knowledgeable tour guide/driver who will do everything they can to enhance the experience for you.

With a private tour, you travel in your own small group, with only your friends or family to accompany you. Your vehicle is more like your own private car or VIP vehicle. On a coach tour, you travel with up to 50 or more strangers, in a large, sometimes uncomfortable coach. You may not be able to see out the window properly and at every stop you have to wait for the whole bus to unload and load up again. Large coaches also might not be able to access all stops that smaller mini-buses and VIP vehicles can along the journey.

Yes, that’s the key benefit of a private tour. You are not stuck with a set schedule and itinerary. If you take in the full day tour to the Penguin Parade you can have time to schedule in a visit to a wildlife sanctuary to see Koalas up close. Perhaps a visit to an old working farm on Churchill Island. A walk along a surf beach. Stop to take a photo on a wave outside a surf shop. Visit the quaint town of Cowes and wander around the shops then have dinner of fish and chips on the beach, the pier or the park. Visit the Nobbies and Seal Rocks for a spectacular sunset view. Any or all of these experiences can be part of your personalised itinerary when you book a private tour with Melbourne Touring Company.

Apart from the Penguin Parade there are many other wonderful things to do on Phillip Island. The Nobbies and Seal Rocks offer a fantastic view out over the ocean and there is a great boardwalk you can walk along that sits among penguin nests and takes you down to the blowhole. There is an old working farm on Churchill Island with whip-cracking and sheep shearing displays. You can walk along a surf beach. And visit the quaint town of Cowes and wander around the shops then have dinner of fish and chips on the beach, the pier or the park. There are also wineries, a fabulous chocolate factory, a go-kart track at the Grand Prix circuit and so much more.

The best time of the year to visit the Penguin Parade is generally considered to be October to January. This is the summer time and includes the peak breeding season so you will see many more penguins. The ‘sweet spot’ is considered spring – October – November where the viewing time is around 8pm, not too late. If you come in winter, you will miss the crowds and the earlier viewing time is popular for a lot of people as the penguins start coming in around 5.30-6.00pm. It depends on your choice.

Yes a very popular combination of event is to do the Puffing Billy railway up in the Dandenongs in the late morning and then head down to Phillip Island in the afternoon