Small-Group Phillip Island Afternoon Day Trip from Melbourne
Recommended by 97% of travelers
Badge of Excellence
Melbourne, Australia
- 8 hours (approx.)
- Pickup offered
- Mobile ticket
- Offered in: English
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Overview
Get up close to Australia’s native wildlife on this memorable full-day tour of Phillip Island from Melbourne, including a handy hotel pick-up. See adorable koalas and wallabies at the Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park on the Mornington Peninsula, spot Australia’s largest colony of fur seals at the Nobbies, and watch the sunset penguin parade along Phillip Island's coast. This small-group tour limits numbers to ensure a personalized experience.
- Get up close to koalas and wallabies in their natural habitat
- Witness adorable penguins as they march back to their nests
- Learn about wildlife conservation on Phillip Island
- An easy way to get out of Melbourne city for the day
What's Included
- Selected City Centre Hotel pickup and drop-off
- Transport by air-conditioned minivan
- Live commentary on board
- Moonlit Sanctuary
- Nobbies and Seal Rock
- Food and drinks
- Gratuities
Meeting and Pickup
You can head directly to the meeting point, or request pickup
Itinerary
1
Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park
1 hour • Admission Ticket Included
2
The Nobbies
20 minutes • Admission Ticket Free
3
Phillip Island Nature Parks Penguin Parade
1 hour 30 minutes • Admission Ticket Included
Additional Info
- Confirmation will be received at time of booking
- Not wheelchair accessible
- Near public transportation
- Most travelers can participate
- Children 3 and under not catered for. Booster seat available for children 4 to 7 available.
- Tour not normally suitable for cruise ship passengers. Tour starts between 1 and 2 pm depending on time of year from city centre and finishes between 8:30 PM and 11:45 PM. It is your responsibility to check you can make it on time to avoid missing out on tour and cancellation fees.
- This tour/activity will have a maximum of 11 travelers
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Cancellation Policy
You can cancel up to 24 hours in advance of the experience for a full refund.
Traveler Photos
Featured review
Helene_H
Very family friendly tour with a very friendly guide . Fun , beautiful views and pleasant drive. Pinguin Plus was a good choice, but don’t wait too long to find your seats to get the best views from the beginning. . Eating in the cafeteria was a hassle and we would choose a nice picnic basket if we should do it again. Remember warm clothes.
Reviews
4.8
based on 720 reviews
Caren_B, Mar 2026
Enjoyed an terrific 10-hour day exploring Moonlit Sanctuary, the Phillip Island Penguin Parade & a few other stops along the way— everything was seamless from start to finish! Josh was an outstanding guide — knowledgeable + engaging— making the experience both fun and memorable.
Greg_W, Feb 2026
Our tour guide Travis was outstanding; great local knowledge & clear caring for wildlife. He gave great advice on the best way to see the penguins as they were making their way to their nests. We had a range of ages on our tour & he made sure that everyone on the tour had a good time.
Michele_K, Feb 2026
We enjoyed exploring this special part of Australia. Enjoyed the wildlife center. Could have skipped the beach. Unexpectedly wowed by Nobbies. And the penguins were adorable. Took one star off because our guide talked a bit too much - sometimes he was a little annoying to me talking about things unrelated to what we were seeing. And though it was advertised as 8 hours in duration, it was actually 11 hours. The description should really say that you will return to Melbourne 3-4 hours after sunset. All that said, it was worth the trip for sure.
Deborah_L, Jan 2026
Had a great time with a friendly driver, lots of information and great sights. The Penguin Parade is a highlight of course and seeing wallabies bounce around the hillside while waiting for their arrival is also a treat. It is a very long day (we were gone for 11 hrs) and was cold and windy…not sure that is always the case but it certainly was on our tour date. It doesn't take away from the experience, just be prepared with the right clothes!
Cheryl_D, Jan 2026
What a great day! We enjoyed non-stop wildlife - wallabies, kangaroos, shy koalas, a feisty Tasmanian devil, and lots of cool birds. Our tour guide Travis was an expert at spotting them all. Our evening highlight was the penguin parade. We saw hundreds of adorable little penguins marching home from the sea to feed their penguin chicks. The chicks put on quite a show, ambushing the adult penguins for food. It was like we were watching Animal Planet! The sights, sounds, and smells were amazing. Be sure to sign up for the Penguin Plus experience for better viewing and be prepared for chilly weather (even in the summer) and for a long day.
Nirosha_F, Dec 2025
The weather was not in our favor, and unfortunately it rained throughout the day, which significantly affected the overall experience. I would strongly recommend checking the weather forecast before booking this tour.
The mini bus was also not very comfortable for long drives. By the time we returned to Melbourne city, we were experiencing back pain due to the seating and ride comfort.
On a positive note, the guide was very helpful and did his best to accommodate everyone. He explained everything clearly, kept guests informed at all times, and handled the situation professionally. Well done to him.
Overall, it was not a very great experience, mainly due to two factors: the weather conditions and the lack of comfort during the long drive. We were also hoping to see more penguins, but there were very few that day, possibly due to the rain, though I am not certain.
Camille_A, Dec 2025
This tour had it all! Travis was such a wonderful guide and his love and passion for the animals was contagious! The penguin experience is a must! They are so adorable 🥰
ZhannaHorn, Dec 2025
Exclusively well organised your with the fantastic guide Través, who was not only knowledgeable and explained all wild live in the nature , but also very attentive, took permanent care of us and protected from all dangers which could appear on way.
Helene_H, Dec 2025
Very family friendly tour with a very friendly guide . Fun , beautiful views and pleasant drive. Pinguin Plus was a good choice, but don’t wait too long to find your seats to get the best views from the beginning. . Eating in the cafeteria was a hassle and we would choose a nice picnic basket if we should do it again. Remember warm clothes.
Alan_Y, Dec 2025
Our guide, Travis was wonderful and exceeded our expectations. He gets 10 out of 5 stars for providing info and knowledge on the wildlife and their habitat. He frequently went out of his way to share special and rare sightings that made the tour even more special. His knowledge of the Penguin Parade was outstanding, as it made our experience the very best it could be. He truly cares for the wildlife. During our tour, he stopped to rescue an injured echidna from the middle of the road.
We would have given the tour 5 stars but we downgraded it to 4 because of the van seating. We were seated in the very last row in the van. 1 seat was over the wheel well and the 2 seats literally felt and BOUNCED to every road bump- it was very difficult to use your cell phone when the van was in motion. I would highly recommend that the tour don’t even sell those seats in the future. After sitting in those seats for the whole tour, it took a toll on our bodies.
Cynthia_K, Dec 2025
It was wonderful. Our tour guide was very knowledgeable on the area, animals and conservation. We would highly recommend this tour
Marianne_D, Nov 2025
Our guide, Josh, was amazing. He took us to a number of places to see wildlife, and scenery on the way to the penguin parade. Dinner is not included in the price, but a stop in a lovely little town in which you can get dinner is. Josh is knowledgeable about local wildlife and culture and shared that with us along the way. The Penguin Parade is so special. Not to be missed! Choose the plus option, definitely worth it.
Sinead_H, Nov 2025
Not a great start as the driver left without us. Overall the tour was poor, the only good part was the penguin parade which I liked a lot but we could have just drive there because this didn’t happen until 8:30pm. I’d recommend to skip this and get your own way to the penguins.
We were at the pickup spot outside the hotel and apparently somehow missed each other, if the driver just waited 10 min we would have found each other as we phoned the tour operator 5min after the scheduled departure and the answer was “he just left” and “wouldn’t come back” and ”that’s that”. Poor poor service from this company who at least could have tried to contact us/wait a few minutes before just leaving us behind. We asked if we could uber to him right away ( he was about 5min gone) and the reply was “no you can join at the first stop ….one hour away”. Totally unaccommodating of us and by the way we booked this tour and paid more as it was a small group which should facilitate everyone as best they can and “look after people”. We took the uber costing us a lot of money and he was supposed to meet us outside at the “santuary” but didnt, so we had to go inside ourselves and “find him”……by asking all the tour guides was this “Piero”……… Very poor help.
The tour guide however was perfectly happy to wait for ages all along the way for people to make it back to the bus!! Overall I’d avoid this tour.
Response from Host, Nov 2025
It was unfortunate we didn't find you at the hotel. We called your number but didn't hear from you.
You didn't ask about taking uber to meeting point, the reality is that it was too late by then to wait for you to go to the central meeting point.
Michael_B, Nov 2025
The first stop after an hour's drive is a small zoo where you end up seeing three different animals. After another hour's drive, there is a 10-minute stop at the beach, followed by another 45 minutes' drive, and finally, after two hours, you are ripped off at a restaurant. Here you get bad food, no seats, and then you have to watch penguins waddle out of the water 100 meters away. Cute, but is it worth driving 400 km for? For a completely wasted day! I can only advise against doing this.
Laura_M, Oct 2025
Great day spent with Adam, our driver and guide. He took us to various places above and beyond what was expected. He also watched after us quite well. The highlight of course is the Penguin Parade! Watching the world’s smallest penguins waddle up the beach at sunset after a day out fishing is absolutely magical. The whole experience feels authentic and well-organized, with a strong focus on conservation and respect for the animals. The rangers do a great job explaining penguin behavior and ensuring visitors understand the importance of keeping the penguins safe.
Amber_M, Oct 2025
We had a great time seeing the animals at the sanctuary and watching the penguin parade. It was a very unique experience, and Adam made it lots of fun.
Martin_F, Oct 2025
Best seating to watch Penguin parade is far right and first couple rows in Penguin plus package. Worth watching for the hour
JANIS_S, Oct 2025
The Moonlit Sanctuary was wonderful. We saw wombats, kangaroos, koalas and birds. The ride back and forth was 2 hrs each way and the van had pretty uncomfortable seats, especially in the back where it was very bumpy. The penguin parade was great. Wear warm clothes because it can get very chilly.
Elizabeth_E, Oct 2025
It was a wonderful afternoon and evening. Our tour guide Gary was very knowledgeable and helpful. We loved the animal sanctuary and seeing the beautiful coastline, but the penguins were spectacular! It was a long evening, but totally worth it. I highly recommend the small group tour.
Joanna_K, Sep 2025
With an experienced guide Gary from Oceania Tours and Safaris, we had great fun! He provided insider information for the penguin watch, which made our trip more valuable! strongly recommend!
Zach_L, Aug 2025
Our guide, Travis, was excellent. He was courteous, informative, and gave great tips on how to make the most out of our experience. He is clearly very passionate about animals and his job overall. 10/10!
Edwin_Y, Aug 2025
Good driver. Very experienced! Very informative! On time Tess is very friendly ! Is one of the best tour guides in my experience !
Frederick_S, Aug 2025
I highly recommend the tour with Travis. He took awesome care that everyone in the group had an incredible experience, either at the Rescue Sanctuary, or at the shoreline before seeing the penguins. He was so wonderful, took great pictures for us, and made sure to drive us to the best spots for the penguins, and to stop when he saw very special animals to highlight them to us. I was blown away about how passionate he was. Thanks Travis for a wonderful experience!
Ann_R, Jul 2025
Our tour guide Travis was very engaging & enthusiastic which was contagious. Although the day was rainy the experience at the sanctuary Amazing - the koalas, wallabies and kangaroos were awesome!!! They were all friendly and the experience of petting and feeding them was memorable. This tour is something everyone coming to Australia should experience.
SuiYi_C, Jul 2025
Good service, good arrangement of activities, may be to arrive a bit early to get a good spot to see penguins returning home.
Grace_L, Jul 2025
The close encounters of penguin is bravo. Also the logistics in the conservation site is good , avoiding confusion to visitors.
Christina_R, Jul 2025
Really nice trip with a stop visiting Kangaroo and Koalas. Fun experience to see the pingvins.
Excellent guide Cloe!
patricia_c, Jul 2025
Choose the Penguins Plus if you are able. It really is worth it. We were so close to the little penguins. We came in winter and were fine with warm sweaters and jackets. I did have an extra pair of socks I ended up putting on my hands and I was thankful for those, so bring gloves if you have them, extra socks if you don’t. My 18 and 20 year old kids, who are pretty stoic, lost their minds as the adorable penguins emerged from the sea and struggled up the hill. They couldn’t stop smiling and they suddenly needed t-shirts and souvenirs (our 8th day in Australia, touring like mad). It was a wonderful experience seeing these little penguins and extra special for Dad and me, seeing our kids act like kids again. We enjoyed the drive very much and our guide, Adam, was perfect. If you’re on the fence about taking the time for this experience, do it. It is magical.
Lorensia_S, Jul 2025
Although it’s raining all day, it still enjoyable. Our guide is very helpful!. The moonlite sanctuary is nice, it would be great if we can have options for animal encounter
Sharlene_S, May 2025
Great guide , it was good as we were a small group so waiting time is less. The 2 places were just the right combination
From $178.89
per personup to 24 hours before the experience starts (local time)
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Small-Group Phillip Island Afternoon Day Trip from Melbourne
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