Phillip Island Tour – Go West Tours
About the Phillip Island Tour with Go West Tours
For the Phillip Island Tour with the Penguin Parade, I once again went with the tour company Go West Tours. The cost of the tour was A$163, which was slightly more expensive than the longer Great Ocean Road Tour. The added cost was due to the ticket prices of the penguin parade and also because I upgraded to Penguins Plus, which provided a better view.
Pickup for the Phillip Island Penguin Tour with Go West Tours was not until 11:55 am. The late pick-up was helpful because of a late return from the Great Ocean Road Tour. I finally felt like I was able to catch up on some sleep.
Once again, it was a full tour bus, but this time the front seat was available. The front seat provided a bunch of legroom and personal space for my jacket and backpack. Our guide, Maddie, had spent some time in Canada and New Zealand, and sitting in the front seat gave me the chance to talk with her about things to see when I go to Queenstown and Auckland.
Like my other Australia tour guides, Maddie was extremely knowledgeable and super helpful. It was hard to believe that this tour was only the fourth time she’d been on the tour by herself.
Below are tours that include Phillip Island and the Penguin Parade. It is possible to rent a car and do a self-tour. For this type of experience, I prefer to take a guided tour. When booking a tour below, please note that I am an affiliate partner of Viator. If you book a tour using one of the links below, I will receive a small commission at no additional cost to you. I would greatly appreciate it if you would consider booking using one of my links. Viator works with many companies, so you may not be booked with Go West.
If you prefer to book directly with Go West, you may do so by clicking HERE. I do not receive a commission for direct bookings with Go West.
Prices are accurate as of May 2023.
 Phillip Island Penguin Parade Tour from Melbourne Including Koala Conservation Centre - $130.62 Join this once in a lifetime experience and see the phenomenal Penguin Parade at Phillip Island during dusk at the General Viewing Area. This sightseeing coach tour also visits the Koala Conservation Centre and the heritage Churchill Island Farm along the way. With free wi-fi on board the coach you can download the interactive Penguin Parade app and explore the Penguin experience at the Penguin Parade Visitor Centre where you can learn all about the Little Penguin. |
 [Private Tour] “Penguin Parade” Phillip Island Tour. - $438.02 Australian wildlife eating from your hands and little penguins marching along the beach in numbers of up to one thousand! It’s a fun day out with a great guided service to keep you entertained throughout the experience. |
 1 Day Exclusively Private Tour Of Phillip Island & The Penguin Parade - $339.49 This bestselling private 12 hour tour includes pre-paid entry to some of the islands most popular attractions, including the Penguin Parade, Churchill island, Koala Conservation centre, plus one additional attraction of your choice (from our optional attractions list - e.g wildlife park). We also make a stop for wildlife spotting as we search for wild wallabies in a quiet natural woodland location. |
Phillip Island Tour - Table of Contents
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Phillip Island Tour with Go West Tours - Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes
The first stop of the tour was the Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes. First built in 1862, the boxes were meant to preserve modesty during the Victorian Era by allowing people a place to change. During this period, it was uncommon for members of the opposite gender to see each in a state of undress, which included bathing suits. Today, they are still used for changing and storing beach equipment.
Each box is individually owned, and the owners choose the colors and designs. Their choices are subject to restrictions, and changes have to be approved. There is no electricity or running water in the boxes, and no one is allowed to stay in them overnight. Despite not really having a purpose, a bathing box recently sold for over A$250k. We had about 20 minutes at the beach boxes, which was just enough time to walk to the last box and back.
To the opposite side of the bathing boxes, there was an excellent view of downtown Melbourne.
Some of My Favorite Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes
Phillip Island Tour - The Moonlit Wildlife Sanctuary
The next stop on the Phillip Island Tour was the Moonlit Wildlife Sanctuary. As the bus pulled up, our guide gathered us around to ensure we were all granted entry. Admission to the sanctuary was included with our tour tickets. There was also the option of buying additional services, including petting koalas and kangaroo food to feed the ‘roos. Since I had already taken a picture with an adorable koala in Sydney, so I chose to skip the add-ons.
The Birds at the Moonlit Wildlife Sanctuary
As I walked along the path, I stopped to look at some beautiful cockatoos. There were three different types, including a beautiful pink one called a Gang-Gang Cockatoo.
Following the walking path, I next came to the koalas. Unlike at Featherdale, where all of the koalas were asleep, one of the koalas was awake and looked right at me, giving me a chance to get a stunning photo. The koalas at Moonlit were much more active than the koalas at Featherdale.
The Koalas at the Moonlit Wildlife Sanctuary
Moonlit Animal Sanctuary also had some giant red kangaroos, with the largest one being over 5 feet tall when standing up on two legs. These were the friendliest ‘roos, and I had the chance to pet them and even was able to hug one.
Other Animals at the Moonlit Wildlife Sanctuary
Other animals that I enjoyed observing were the dingos, wombat, and Wedge-tailed Eagle. This eagle is the largest bird found in Australia.
Unfortunately, I found my way back into the Kangaroo Habitat, and I ventured too far into it missing the scheduled demonstration. The demonstration takes place a few times a day in the amphitheater. Since I missed the animal show, I decided to go to the cafe to get something to eat. I ate a delicious chicken schnitzel burger with chips. We know chips as french fries in the United States.
Phillip Island Tour - The Nobbies
After the Animal Sanctuary, it was about an hour’s drive to Phillip Island. Before the penguin parade, we a stop in an area called the Nobbies. At the Nobbies, there was a long boardwalk that went by hundreds of penguin houses.
Our guide explained to us that as this land had been developed, it was determined that this part of Phillip Island had a large Little Penguin Colony. Plot by plot, the area, was rebought, creating a refuge for the Little Penguins. By 2010, all of the land had been repurchased.
The penguin houses are built by humans featuring a design to protect the penguins from cats, dogs, and other animals. As I walked down the boardwalk, some of the penguin homes had penguins in them. Others were empty as their penguins were out at sea.
The Nobbies provided a great view of the Pacific Ocean, and I took a few pictures looking out different directions. In total, we had about 30 minutes at the Nobbies. While we were walking the boardwalk, Maddie, our guide, drove the bus to the Penguin Parade office to pick up our tickets. We boarded the bus to make our final stop before watching the parade of Little Penguins.
Phillip Island Tour - The Southpoint Lookout
The final stop was at another lookout in the Nobbies called The Southpoint Lookout. We were only at the Southpoint Lookout for ten minutes, but that was plenty of time to take in the spectacular views.
We had arrived at the Southpoint Lookout at just the right time, as there were no other tour groups around. There was one small viewing platform that provided stunning views of the waves hitting the rock formations. After taking a few pictures, we got back on the bus and made the short drive to the Penguin Parade.
Phillip Island Tour - The Penguin Parade
The Penguin Parade was not exactly what I expected. When we arrived, there were already at least 50 busses parked and thousands of people walking around. As we got off the bus, our guide handed us our tickets. I decided to purchase a Penguins Plus ticket which cost an additional A$25. Penguins Plus provided access to a smaller viewing area where we would get to see more penguins and have a closer view.
I entered the giant building and spent about 15 minutes walking around, looking at all things penguins. Inside, there was plenty of information posted, including the number of penguins seen the night before, the arrival time the night before, and the estimated arrival time for today.
There were two giant gift shops, a large cafe, and plenty of bathrooms. I purchased a few small souvenirs after the parade.
To see the actual parade, all visitors have to enter a queue and scan their tickets. After walking down an extensive boardwalk, guests holding Penguins Plus go one direction, and guests holding a standard ticket go the other direction.
As I arrived at the viewing platform, there were already plenty of people sitting down. Being by myself, it was easy to find a place to sit. We were told by a ranger that the Little Penguins would arrive around 6:00 pm and that there was no photography, standing up, or making noise after sundown. I took a few pictures while it was still allowed to show the area where the Little Penguins would be conducting their parade.
With sundown quickly approaching, the Little Penguins could be heard off in the distance. The ranger explained that the sounds meant that the penguins had assembled just off the shore and were waiting for the leader (the bravest alpha penguin) to decide it was safe to head to shore.
Suddenly, a group of about 30-50 Little Penguins could be seen right at the shoreline. Of course, everyone took out their cameras and stood up, taking pictures, and blocking the view. It was hard to enjoy the parade with the rangers shouting at people to stop taking photos every 15 seconds.
The reason photography isn’t allowed is that too many people do not know how to turn off their flash, and the flash of the camera can harm the Little Penguins’ sensitive eyes. Phillip Island Nature Parks, which sponsors the Penguin Parade, provides free pictures on their app that visitors can post and claim as their own.
It was super annoying and rude that so many people couldn’t follow directions. First, they were risking harm to the beautiful creatures that they had paid to observe. Secondly, instead of hearing the unique sounds of the Little Penguins, all I could hear was the unique voice of the ranger begging people to put their phones away.
Phillip Island Nature Parks needs to make some sort of change to its procedures. Either allow photography without the flash or ban all cameras from entering the viewing area and make an announcement that anyone caught taking photos will either be ejected from the premises or fined. One of these policies would make the viewing of the penguins so much more enjoyable. I want to add that it was dark and that any photo taken would likely be nothing but a blur without a tripod and a long exposure. Plus, since the penguins were on the move, a prolonged exposure would probably be blurry, even with a tripod.
After about 500 penguins made their way up the shoreline, it was time to leave the viewing platform and walk around the boardwalk, watching the penguins return to their homes. Once again, so many disrespectful people were taking photos, some even with their flash. I walked around, observing the Little Penguins returning home for about 30 minutes before it was time to return to the main building.
After making a few brief purchases, I fought the crowds to locate Maddie and our bus in the sea of other buses. From there, it was a little under two hours to return to Melbourne, where I was dropped off at my hotel.
Conclusions About My Phillip Island Tour with Go West Tours
I really enjoyed most of this tour, and highly recommend Go West Tours as they provide fantastic service. Pick-up was on time, the bus was comfortable, and Maddie was extremely knowledgeable.
The itinerary was well planned, with plenty of unique sights to see. At those sights, adequate time was provided for optimal viewing.
The only part I was disappointed with was the actual Penguin Parade itself. Now, please know that this has nothing to do with Go West Tours as Phillip Island Nature Parks sponsors the Penguin Parade. My issue with the Penguin Parade was the commercialization of the entire process. Despite having purchased Penguins Plus, there were hundreds of people crammed into a small viewing area which made viewing the penguins not as enjoyable as expected — combined with people trying to sneak photos and the rangers constantly lecturing them, it made for a less than pleasant viewing experience.
My final recommendation is as follows. I definitely recommend this tour but know what you are getting with the Penguin Parade. The parade is very commercial, and you will not feel like you are becoming one with nature.
Finally, over two days of touring with Go West, I can tell you they are the real deal. Both guides, ScoMo (Great Ocean Road) and Maddie (Phillip Island) were professional and knowledgeable, and the bus provided a smooth ride to and from the attractions. I have taken a lot of tours and give Go West my highest recommendation.
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