Penguin Parade

Phillip Island is a wildlife wonderland, and at the centre of it all is the Phillip Island Penguin Parade, where the world’s smallest penguins—the Little Penguins—star. Whether you love the natural scenery, secluded beaches or world-famous wildlife experiences, Phillip Island has it all and a chance to see these little blokes in the wild. This guide will cover everything you need to know about Phillip Island Nature Parks and the penguin viewing at Summerland Beach.

Little Penguins and Their Home

Phillip Island is a haven for Little Penguins, also known as fairy penguins, due to their size. They are the smallest of all penguin species and are perfectly suited to the island’s coastline. Their dense, waterproof feathers keep them warm in the Bass Strait waters, and their small size allows them to waddle along the rocky shores. Phillip Island has everything these penguins need to survive: safe nesting sites in the dunes and plenty of food in the surrounding seas. The Penguin Parade is held at Summerland Beach, one of the island’s most beautiful spots, where conservation efforts have protected the penguins and their habitat.

From Hatchling to Adult

The life of a Little Penguin is a wild ride, from burrows in the sand cliffs or coastal vegetation to the sea. Penguin pairs mate for life and take turns incubating eggs and foraging at sea. After about 35 days of incubation, the eggs hatch into fluffy, downy chicks that are completely dependent on their parents for food and protection. The breeding season is August to December, but some penguins breed year-round. The parents take turns diving for fish, squid and krill to feed their chicks, which grow rapidly on their high-protein diet. By the time they are eight weeks old, the chicks fledge, shedding their soft down for the sleek, waterproof feathers that will allow them to go into the ocean. Once they get to the sea, the young penguins are on their own, spending most of their life at sea and only coming back to land to breed.

Eventually, they become breeding penguins and join the nightly parade that draws thousands of visitors each year. A Little Penguin can live up to 20 years, and many return to the same breeding site each year.

Little Penguin Breeding Colonies

Phillip Island has the largest colony of Little Penguins in Australia, with over 30,000 breeding pairs. During the breeding season, the island’s coastline comes alive as penguins prepare their burrows, lay eggs and raise their young. The penguin colonies are near Summerland Beach, which has been protected and restored to ensure the penguin population survives. These colonies are the only places where you can see penguins in their natural habitat, especially during the Penguin Parade. The parade is where hundreds of penguins emerge from the ocean at dusk and waddle up the beach to their nests. It’s a real magic moment and one of the island’s top attractions.
Phillip Island Nature Parks has protected these breeding sites so future generations of penguins can survive. Visitors are asked to be mindful of their impact by following beach safety tips, staying on the designated viewing platforms and respecting the natural environment.

Life Stages

The life cycle of a Little Penguin has four main stages:

Egg Stage: Little Penguins lay eggs in burrows at Summerland Beach. Both parents incubate the eggs for about 35 days.
Chick Stage: Once hatched, chicks are fed by their parents for about eight weeks and stay in the burrow.
Juvenile Stage: As juveniles, penguins start to venture into the sea to practice swimming and hunting.
Adult Stage: Fully grown penguins return to land to breed and care for their young and start the cycle again.

With the breeding and molting cycle penguins are at sea for most of the year diving for fish and navigating the ocean. But during breeding season the shores of Phillip Island come to life with the return of these little critters and it’s one of the best wildlife experiences in Australia.

Fun Facts

Little Penguins can dive down to 60m while foraging for food in the sea.
Their black and white feathers help them blend in with the water to hide from predators.
On land, they communicate with a range of calls for different purposes – from mating to warning of danger.
The natural scenery of Phillip Island is the perfect backdrop for their nightly parade with short-tailed shearwaters and Australian fur seals often spotted near Seal Rocks.

Planning Your Visit

Visiting Phillip Island is a once in a life time experience especially if you love wildlife in a beautiful and untouched environment. The Penguin Parade is the main event, with several viewing options. General admission gives great views of the penguins from a seated platform, but if you want a more in depth experience there are ranger guided tours that will give you insight into the penguins’ behaviour and conservation efforts.

If you’re coming from Melbourne public transport like the Phillip Island Bus is an easy option or you can drive from Southern Cross Station and allow extra time to explore the other family attractions and natural spaces on the island.

Beyond Penguins

While the Penguin Parade is the main event the island has so much more to offer. For a full day of fun visit the Koala Conservation Reserve or head to Churchill Island and visit the Heritage Farm for hands on experiences and insight into the island’s history.

If you’re looking for adventure, the island’s wild surf beaches are perfect for water sports, or the beaches and secluded beach areas are great for relaxation and a game of beach cricket. For families, Phillip Island Park Lane Holiday Park and Phillip Island Tenpin Bowling have something for all ages.

And don’t forget to visit Seal Rocks where you can see the resident fur seals basking on the rocks. This area also has stunning ocean views and unique rock formations so it’s a must see for nature lovers.

Combining natural spaces, Australian wildlife and stunning natural scenery Phillip Island is a wildlife experience like no other. Whether you’re here for the penguins, the surf beaches or just the scenery your visit will be an adventure.

Phillip Island by Wildlife Company

Wildlife Melbourne Tours Australia offers a Penguin Parade tour on Phillip Island. Our experienced guides will take you to the shores of Phillip Island, where you can see hundreds of Little Penguins emerge from the sea each night. You’ll be taken on a guided tour that will stop at several viewing points, including a peninsular boardwalk and viewing platforms, to give you the best chance to see these amazing birds in their natural habitat.

The Penguin Parade and fur seal is one of the top attractions for tourists visiting Victoria’s south coast. Our guides will ensure your visit is both educational and fun. Along with great views of these amazing creatures Wildlife Melbourne Tours Australia will give you exclusive information about their habits and behaviour during the tour.

Our small group tours are designed to give a more in depth experience, we can go deeper into the ecology of the Penguin Parade and share interesting facts about their behaviour. Our guides will also take you on a walk through the nearby wetlands to learn about the other species that live in this unique environment.