Penguin Parade

Our ship will overnight in Melbourne. They offer an excursion to some place where you see penguins at night. We heard it would be cold there even though it is their summer. Has anyone ever done this tour? Also the ship charges a lot. Are there any companies which offer a similar tour for less money?

Our ship will overnight in Melbourne. They offer an excursion to some place where you see penguins at night. We heard it would be cold there even though it is their summer. Has anyone ever done this tour? Also the ship charges a lot. Are there any companies which offer a similar tour for less money?

I have done the "Penguin thing"(albeit a few years ago) as a private tourist. They come out of the sea on Phillip Island - reachable by car over a bridge. Its a fair way from the dock and you are right, its at night, very commercialised and usually somewhat cold. Compared to what you can see in NZ I dont rate it.

If your ship is heading to NZ, check out the tours available for the Otago Peninsular in Dunedin... I would recommend Elm Wilderness Tours...but there are a number of others. There are also exhibits in the Christchurch Antarctic Centre and also in Auckland at Kelly Tarltons Underwater Adventure. I recommend both of these as well.

I know this seems a bit heiratic, but remember NZ is considerably more south than OZ and is more atuned to the Antarctic.

cheers

We went to see the Penguins at Philip's Island about 20 years ago. It was a great sight. We were there during the winter and is was close to freezing as I recall.

The Penguin Parade is one of those things that you either love or hate. I, myself, never went there during the entire time I lived in Australia. My sister, however, got dragged there with friends and said she found it to be a considerable waste of her time and money. She said it was very crowded (January) and there was a long wait before anything happened. Once the penguins started walking, she said it was hard to see anything and the walk did not last very long.

If you think you'll enjoy sitting on a bus for about 3 hours and then spend 30 mins watching some small penguins walking up a chilly beach around sunset then go for it. I can think of plenty of better ways to spend my time and money in Melbourne to be honest. If you must see the penguins, try Melbourne Zoo in the city. They have lots of other Aussie animals there too.

St. Kilda pier also has the penguins and that is very close to the ship, just a short taxi ride away or a tram ride. http://www.free-things-to-do-melbourne.com/st-kilda-penguins.html

It is a long way to Phillip Island and you can get a cold night as the wind comes off the sea which evenually goes all the way to Antarctica! English friends of ours went to Phillip Island a couple of weeks ago, had a great night, paid extra for front seats and loved every minute but they were staying the night on the Island and didn't have to make the journey back to the city. It was also a lovely warm night.

There are tours that will take you there if you are really keen. http://www.viator.com/Melbourne-attractions/Phillip-Island-tours-tickets/d384-a404?pref=02&aid=g2311 We always use Viator when we are in the States so I presume this works the same way. You just choose the tour you want and pay. Enjoy.

Jennie