Phillip Island Day Trip from Melbourne: Experience Wildlife with Koalas and Penguin Parade Viewing

438 Ratings

Melbourne

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Embark on a thrilling day trip from Melbourne to Phillip Island. Get up close with iconic Australian wildlife, including adorable koalas and witness the mesmerizing penguin parade at the brand new penguins plus viewing platform.

Duration: 9 hours, 30 minutes

Cancellation: 24 hours

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Highlights

Phillip Island Nature Parks - Koala Reserve - It is only a 1hr 45min drive from Melbourne directly to Phillip Island. On arrival you will be greeted by Phillip Island Nature Parks Ranger for a guided walk through Phillip Island’s Koala Reserve. You will be given a presentation about Koalas, history and relevance of the Reserve and the last area of…

What's Included

Expert driver guide with live commentary in English
Travel in a large air-conditioned coach
Admission to Phillip Island Penguins Plus viewing area
Admission to Phillip Island Koala Conservation Reserve

What's Not Included

Meals not indicated
Souvenir photos (available to purchase)

Additional Information

Enjoy one of Australia’s most incredible wildlife experiences on this magnificent Phillip Island tour. Witness the world famous penguin parade from the brand new exclusive penguins plus viewing platform, definitely the highlight of this day tour. Your day trip includes a visit to Phillip Island Koala Reserve where you can see the iconic Australian…

Location

Immigration Museum (Museums Victoria)

Flinders Street

Our main meeting point for this tour is Immigration Museum - 400 Flinders St corner of Market St, Melbourne. Alternatively, if you wish to change your pickup location please contact our reservations team on +61 39393 1333.

Cancellation Policy

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

Customer Ratings

4.8

(438 Ratings)

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Anshusid

Mar 15, 2026

Great time spent at Philip Island tour! - RWatching the Koala’s and little penguins was a memorable experience. Enjoyed the trip ! Joel was an excellent driver and guide , kept us engaged and informed as needed.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Kristina_m

Mar 13, 2026

A must-see experience! - This was a magical experience and a must-do while in Melbourne! The Penguin-Plus upgrade is 100% worth it to be able to walk along the boardwalk with the penguins your whole walk back. It was truly incredible to witness in person!

Review provided by Viator

Rick_h

Mar 11, 2026

Beautiful coastline... - Beautiful coastline views. Koala reserve had added bonus of wallabies. We were able to see the little penguins in their burrows at the Nobbies, as well as when they came out at sunset. Our guide Vicky was very knowledgeable about the animals and their habits. She had a great sense of humor and was fun to travel with. Be prepared for changeable weather.

Review provided by Viator

Icwentzel

Mar 9, 2026

Must-do tour in Melbourne! - Excellent tour! Loved being able to see the koalas, the beautiful coastline of Philip Island, and of course the little penguin parade was so wonderful.

Review provided by Viator

961atanur

Mar 9, 2026

Great experience with Vicky on the Penguin Parade - I did the trip with Vicky who was a fantastic guide. Both the Kuala reserve and Penguin parade are definitely worth the visit

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Carsonp445

Mar 3, 2026

Fiona the Goat - We had Fiona as our tour guide and she truly made the experience unforgettable. She always made sure we were on time and as informed as possible! Would 10/10 recommend this for anyone.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Torontoguyinuk

Mar 3, 2026

An amazing day trip to see the march of the penguins. - Our driver Fiona fetched us from the Immigration Museum in Melbourne on time. The tour starts with a 2 hour drive to the Phillip Island. Along the way you stop for 30 minutes to see Koalas in their natural habitat, then 1 hour for supper in a little town followed by the big show. We did ‘Penguin / Platform Plus and it was well worth the extra l. We saw over a 100 penguins. It’s starts off slow and then magic and they appear. Get a seat facing the ocean!!! Our driver Fiona was very knowledgeable and friendly. A+++ The tour isn’t a small group with over 30 people in a bus but it was manageable. If there were many old people this would have been an issue as the bus isn’t accessible. All in all we were very impressed. Note, once at the penguin parade no phones, cameras are allowed and this is strictly enforced.

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Diane_h

Mar 1, 2026

Penguins, Koalas, Wallabies - oh my!! - Penguin plus seats are good, but the driver has to get you there early enough to get a good seat so you can see the penguins coming in from the ocean and then parade right in front of you - so cute how they muster and then take off in groups. Nice break from the bus ride stopping in Cows for dinner - great Chicken Parmesan at the restaurant bar next to the ocean; big enough dish to share.

Review provided by Viator

Larry

Mar 1, 2026

Coco did a fantastic job today! - Coco did a fabulous job of taking care of everyone on the bus and ensuring all stops and tours were explained very well. I would definitely recommend this tour for anyone wanting to attend the Penguin Parade!

Review provided by Tripadvisor

Douglas_w

Mar 17, 2026

Hopefully, You Get Good Weather! - The unfortunate, rainy weather made the trip less enjoyable, but our tour guide was great! It rained for the entire journey, and it rained even harder during the highlight of the tour, the Penguin Parade. This made for a very cold, wet, and miserable hour waiting and watching the penguins and a nearly 2 hour ride home on a cold, air-conditioned bus, but the experiences were neat. If you get great weather, I highly recommend this trip. If you have more flexibility than we had, adjust your trip for a better weather day…we did not have that luxury.

Review provided by Viator

Check Availability

From $173

up to 15 guests

1 - Adult