Phillip Island Penguins, Wine & Feast Premium Tour from Melbourne

Experience the best of Phillip Island with a local guide. Enjoy wine tasting, lunch, and a visit to the iconic Penguin Parade. Book now for an unforgettable adventure!

Duration: 12 hours
Cancellation: 1 day learn more
Highlights
  • Caldermeade Farm and Cafe - Enjoy a freshly brewed coffee, grab some snacks for the road, and don’t miss the chance to pet the adorable baby animals!
  • Cowes - As the main commercial hub of Phillip Island, Cowes is bustling with restaurants, cafes, breweries, and boutique shops.

Here, you’ll have time to explore at your own pace. Our guide will highlight the notable spots and then give you the freedom to wander.

Visit the popular brewery, relax at the pub overlooking the waterfront, indulge in some retail therapy, take a stroll along the jetty, or even go for a swim in the sparkling blue waters. The choice is yours!

  • Koala Conservation Reserve - This is an optional alternative to spending time in Cowes. Our guide will drop you off here, where you can wander through the beautiful native Australian bushland and spot koalas in their natural habitat, along with other native Australian wildlife. Please note, it is now illegal to touch or hold a koala.
  • Phillip Island Winery - Upon arriving at this beautiful estate, you’ll quickly see why Phillip Island Winery is a favorite among locals and visitors alike.

Participate in a Wine Tasting Experience at the cellar door, sampling a variety of wines from the Gippsland Region. Your tasting will be accompanied by a delicious grazing board filled with meats, cheeses, breads, and other gourmet treats.

You’ll then enjoy a delightful winery feast, featuring mouth-watering woodfired pizzas, sea-salted fries, and gourmet salads.

Take some time to purchase more wine, beers, or ciders if you wish—it’s a relaxed experience here.

  • Flynns Beach - One of the most beautiful beaches on Phillip Island, known for its golden sands and glistening waters. You’ll have the chance to walk on the soft sand, admire the stunning horizon, and soak in the sea air at this local beach—a favorite of Chris Hemsworth since he was a young boy.
  • The Nobbies Centre - Already one of Phillip Island’s main attractions due to its sheer beauty, we visit this stunning spot right at Golden Hour, offering perfect views over the glistening waters and rocky cliffs.

Enjoy this moment with a glass of sparkling wine as you take in the views and stroll along the boardwalk, soaking in the spectacular sights and glimpses of native wildlife.

We depart from here along the back roads, providing unparalleled views over Westernport Bay and Bass Strait, with even more wildlife to spot.

  • Phillip Island Nature Parks - Penguin Parade - A “must-do” while in Melbourne/Victoria, the Penguin Parade has long been the star attraction of Phillip Island.

We arrive early enough for you to explore the world-class visitor center and grab a bite to eat from the cafe if you wish.

You’ll then head to the Penguin Viewing Platform to await the arrival of the stars of the show—the Little Penguins.

As the sun sets, your ranger-guide will share information about these adorable creatures, and you’ll witness thousands of them make their way onto the beach and up the hillside.

Walk along the boardwalk to get within inches of these native Australian penguins, admiring their uniqueness and cuteness.

After our cuteness overload, we’ll board the bus and head back to Melbourne, bringing plenty of good memories with us for the journey back.

What's Included
  • Entry to the famed Phillip Island Penguin Parade at Sunset
  • Premium Seating Ticket - Window Seat Guarantee, WiFi, Charging Ports
  • Gourmet Grazing Feast of woodfired pizzas, sea-salted fries, and salads
  • Kick-start your day with a complimentary barista coffee at our convenient departure point
  • Authentic Small Group travel with an engaging Local Guide - max. 15 guests
  • Explore and relax in the idyllic coastal village of Cowes
  • Nobbies Golden Hour Experience & Scenic Wildlife Boardwalk
  • Indulge in a Cellar Door Wine Tasting & Grazing Platter
  • (Optional Extra) Visit the Koala Conservation Reserve where you’ll see Koalas up close
Additional Information

Join our Premium Small Group Tour of Phillip Island departing from Melbourne, emphasizing social and sustainable travel, and culminating in the sight of thousands of Little Penguins waddling up the beach at sunset.

Relax in comfort aboard our luxury midi-coach, with a window seat guarantee that ensures perfect views of the spectacular scenery unfolding before you.

Savor a gourmet feast (lunch/dinner), paired with a guided wine tasting and grazing platter, allowing you to unwind over food and drink with your fellow travelers.

Discover the main township of Cowes, featuring its beautiful beach and boutique shops and bars, OR visit the Koala Reserve where you are guaranteed to see Koalas in their natural habitat.

Be amazed by the untouched scenic beauty of Phillip Island, with its secluded beaches and wildlife boardwalks, where native Australian animals thrive in their natural environment.

All led by your engaging, local guide.

Location
Caldermeade Farm and Cafe
4385 South Gippsland Highway,
Cancellation Policy

For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.

Customer Ratings
4.9
(109 Ratings)
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Adventurers37
Aug 31, 2024
Excellent all day tour of Phillip Island and the cutest Penguins! - Caitlin was such a wonderful tour guide and driver! Extremely knowledgeable and super friendly! We had a wonderful time at all the stopes, starting at the Caldermeade Farm (excellent milk). In Cowes, the quaint town, My Dad got chilly at the stop in town and she kept my Dad company in the van while me and my Mom went walking around. The Phillip Island Winery was amazing, wines were lovely, pizza and that salad Caitlin was raving about (soooo good!), and I love that the winery sells local products. Enjoyed the short walk to Flynns Beach and the walk around The Nobbies Centre while having a glass of bubbly was perfect! The finale was the Penguin Parade, it did rain a little on us but it was OK because the Little Penguins were waddling in and we watched them go to their little burrows! Caitlin dropped us off at our Melbourne hotel which was great! I would highly recommend this day tour, it's a long day, but the memories are a lifetime!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Ianbruce_d
Aug 31, 2024
Spectacular day on Phillip island. - The penguin parade was everything promised. 100s of penguins and the chance to get quite close. It is an amazing set up. Our tour guide Thern was extremely knowledgeable and made sure we had a great experience. Lunch at the vineyard and wine tasting fabulous. The scenery along the coastline was spectacular. It's a long day but worth it. Wear warm clothes.
Review provided by Viator
Caroldo6933fd
Aug 30, 2024
Fabulous trip to Philip island - This was an excellent trip and well organised. Our guide/driver Thern had so much knowledge on Melbourne and surrounds which helped us immensely as it was our first trip to Melbourne. We saw everything promised on this trip and so many penguins. Even though there were only 4 people on the trip it still went ahead which really surprised us but we enjoyed the special treatment. Would definitely book with this company again.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
615al
Aug 13, 2024
"Exceptional Tour Experience with The Local Way" - The entire trip was excellent. The shuttle bus was clean and comfortable. Our tour guide and driver, Ray, was active, friendly, and entertaining. We also enjoyed the provided coffee, wine, and lunch. I went with another tour company the day before, and it didn't come close to this quality. I highly recommend The Local Way tour!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Guide30098
Aug 11, 2024
Enjoyed every part of this tour - We had a great time on this tour, guide was wonderful, Phillip Island Winery was a great stop and the staff there excellent. Waiting for the penquins was slow and there was a crowd of people which made getting back to the visitor centre a slow trek, but still a worthwhile experience.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Climber52419486759
Jul 22, 2024
I recommend it. - After receiving the service coffee at the meeting point, the pick-up vehicle just arrived. We started the day with koalas, a delicious lunch, then a winery visit, lovely wallabies and gooses and beautiful coastline views before finally enjoying all the Phillip Island specialties with penguins after sunset. I brought binoculars so I could sit back and watch a lot of penguins in comfort, but it might be a good idea to make a Reservation early (the day I visited was popular and sold out) to secure a Reservation at Penguin Plus. If I were to revisit with family and friends, I would make Reservations quite early to secure these Penguin Plus tickets. Our Guide Perry was very kind and comfortable on the tour. Local Way Tours tours are small in size and the vehicles are comfortable, which suits my taste as I am not very good at large tours. I hope to use it again when I go sightseeing in Melbourne. Thank you for a great day.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Stephanie_p
Jul 17, 2024
The best way to experience Phillip Island! - Incredible experience on Phillip Island! My trip was almost canceled because not enough people booked it, and Ray reached out right away to let me know, which was greatly appreciated. However, thank goodness he figured out a way to make it happen for us, since it was our last day in Melbourne and this was the only tour that I saw included the winery as well. Our guide, Catelynn, was excellent! She thoroughly explained the city and the sights we saw. We had a great time looking for the koalas and the other wildlife. The winery was beautiful and we were given a very filling charcuterie board and lunch, in addition to the informative wine tasting of course. Next, we headed to the nobbies, where we were able to take stunning pictures of the scenery. We were even very surprised Catelynn brought along some sparkling wine for us to toast with! Lastly, the penguin parade is a sight not to be missed! The penguins are truly adorable and majestic. We enjoyed this tour 110% and definitely recommend to everyone!
Review provided by Viator
Renata_m
Jul 16, 2024
Great experience. - Great guide and driver Caitlin! She was amazing! We had fun with the koalas and seeing animals in the wild. The penguins were super cute.
Review provided by Viator
Clares604
Jul 3, 2024
Great tour - thoroughly recommend it. - Thoroughly recommend this trip. East central Melbourne pick up around 10.30am. Friendly and knowledgeable guide explained everything very clearly so we knew what to expect, timings, etc. She also provided some interesting information about the area, history, geography, etc. Quick stop at a dairy farm cafe for a delicious coffee or milkshake on the way. Then had a choice of stopping at a koala sanctuary or Cowes - a cute seaside town. Onto wine tasting with a tasty charcuterie board then and a large lunch of wood fired pizzas, fries and a delicious salad. We stopped at a hidden beach and then drove to the penguin parade. We only had to wait about 20 minutes for them to start coming in from the sea but it’s chilly (in July) so wrap up or bring a blanket. You see lots of them more clearly once you start walking back along the boardwalk so save time for that. 2 hour drive home and got dropped off around 8.45pm. Overall a great tour.
Review provided by Tripadvisor
Companion37382015182
Jun 29, 2024
Best experience with the best guide x - This experience felt more like a family friend showing us the best parts of Phillip Island than a run of the mill tour group. We were a tour group of 7 and our tour guide Rod made everyone feel valued, included and heard as well being the BEST tour guide. It felt like a wholesome and genuine experience. There were no negatives. Couldn’t recommend this tour enough!!
Review provided by Tripadvisor
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September 2024
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