Melbourne Travel Forum

Phillip Island/Penguin Parade and Wildlife Tour - Which tour company do you recommend? Will be in Melbourne around Nov. 15, 2008, thanks.

Or, can I just drive myself there? How far is the drive? If I drive, what should I see and do, not miss, on the way? Thank you.

I'm not sure which tour company is best but any of them would be good. The drive is around 2 hours from Melbourne straight down the freeway. Things to see along the way?? Ummm.... it's pretty much all farm lands along the way! If you do drive, then perhaps take a detour on the way to Portsea or Sorrento which is around 1 hour out of Melbourne and are beach towns on the edge of the Bay and also have access to the ocean.

Yes, to rent a car is a good option.

On the way you can walk in the Dandenongs - but really, I suggest you do not spend too much time on the way because there is a lot to see and do on Phillip Island before the start of the Penguin Parade.

Sissi

What can I look forward to doing on Penguin Island before the penguins? Thank you.

Hi there,

on Phillip Island is a Koala Conservation Centre where you can walk through a big forest on boardwalks and try to spot koalas (we saw many), an island (Churchill Island) with fantastic birdlife, a wildlife sanctuary (P. I. Wildlife Park in Cowes) with wombats, wallabies, etc., birdlife and great views at Cape Woolami and at Rhyll Inlet, fabulous cliffs (the Nobbies; seabirds) and beaches and walkways, the Down Under Clock Museum. The whole island is a rural and idyllic place, and it takes some time to get around.

If you want to go on a bus tour I think AAT Kings is the biggest company. I should even have some brochures somewhere... ;-) However, wherever you stay in Melbourne there are those brochures in every hotel, motel etc., so you can compare the prices and what they offer. Just check if they offer more than just the Penguin Parade. I think it would be a pity to miss out on all the other things.

Sissi

Hi There

I just came back from Melbourne for my honeymoon. I would strongly encourage you to go with Go West Tours. They have won the Victorian Tourism Awards for three consecutive years and true to its name, we have great fun. The group is small and hence the driver/guide could make more stops. The guides are fun and full of passion. Hotel pick-up/drop-off is provided at designated points. We have loads of fun!

Do note that the company only does Great Ocean Road and Philip Island tours. Do check out www.gowest.com.au for more information. If you book two tours together, you enjoy further AUD10 discount. My husband and I never regretted going with Go West for GOR and Philip Island.

Hi there! Sissi has given you the most comprehensive answer and she's right in saying, that there's plenty to see & do on Phillip Island, itself. Don't forget, November is daylight saving time, so the penguin parade, which doesn't commence until dusk, will be starting about 8 to 8.30 pm. I would recommend driving there yourself, because a car will make it easier for you to get around the whole island and see all it has to offer, at your own pace. If you do drive yourself there, it might pay to stay one night, because it would be a long, long day for you and it makes it a long (gosh, I'm so tired) drive back to Melbourne, after the penguin parade:) Also, traffic to there is very, very heavy on Friday afternoons, especially during the summer months! Good roads & signage, but the buses and us Victorians getting away for the weekend, create slow moving traffic:)

Hi Sailor P,

I'm going to Melbourne (& Sydney) in May with my husband and 2.5yo gal. While you are touring with Gowest, where do you stop for meals?? I need to plan the meals for my daughter. If the food is not suitable for her, then I might have to pack some food along while we go for the full day tour.

And also, do they go to Fruits Farm ie. strawberry, cherry etc.?

For tours in Philip Island by Go West, you would get to visit a vineyard and a animal farm. Hope this helps in your planning!