Located only 90 minutes from Melbourne, The Phillip Island Nature Parks Australia manages five major attractions: the Penguin Parade; the Koala Conservation Centre; Churchill Island Heritage Farm; Wild Oceans EcoBoat Tours; and the Antarctic Journey at the Nobbies Centre as well as other recreational areas, including beaches, wetlands and woodlands. They are a not-for-profit organisation. Revenue generated through the ecotourism activities is invested into vital conservation, research and education programs.
Phillip Island Nature Parks
From the bridge to get to the Penguin Parade (20 minutes), Churchill Island (10 minutes). Free
car parking on site.
Website:
https://penguins.org.au/
Price List and Buy tickets here:
https://penguins.org.au/buy-tickets (for the attractions in Phillip Island Nature Parks)
You can also get bundle passes to other parks at a discount; Antartic
Journey, Koala Conservation Centre, Churchill Island Heritage Farm,
EcoBoat Adventure
Phone:
+ 61 3 5951 2800
Fax:
+ 61 3 5956 8394
Email: info@penguins.org.au
Penguin Parade
Each night at sunset you’ll be amazed by the world’s smallest penguins returning ashore to their homes in the sand dunes, their natural habitat after a day’s fishing. The (General Viewing) viewing stands offer great outlooks across the beach. Raised boardwalks follow the paths taken by the penguins from the beach to their burrows. You’ll see penguins waddling, interacting and generally revealing their individual personalities.
Penguin Parade duration is 50 minutes from the time the first penguin crosses the beach. There different type of viewing: General Viewing, Penguins Plus, Underground, Ranger-guided tours. No photography or filming is permitted, penguins have sensitive eyes and a bright, sudden light can disorientate a penguin.
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Raised boardwalks (General Viewing) |
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General Viewing from the beach front viewing stands |
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Penguins at eye level from Underground Viewing, located beneath Penguins Plus. Penguins Plus/Underground in the foreground, General Viewing in the background. |
There is a LIVE Burrow Cam to see what's happening in their home on their website.
Purchase tickets (price in 2017 for General Viewing):
Adult (16+): $25.70
Child (4-15): $12.80
Family (2A+2C): $64.20
Penguin Parade Add: 1019 Ventnor Rd, Summerlands 3922
Penguin Parade is open one hour before the penguins arrival at
sunset every night of the year. It is recommended for you to reach one hour before the penguins arrival.
Check Penguin arrival calendar.
The Penguin Parade Visitor Centre is open from 10am daily (2pm on Christmas Day). There are interactive displays.
Koala Conservation Centre
Add: 1810 Phillip Island Road, Phillip Island, Victoria 3923
Ticket Prices:
Adult (16 years+) - $12.80
Child (4-15 years) - $6.40
Family (2 adults and 2 children) - $32.00
The Koala Conservation Centre is open:
- 10am to 5pm daily (April to end of daylight savings)
- 10am to 5:30pm daily (daylight savings)
- 10am to 6pm (Boxing Day to end of summer school holidays)
- Opens 2pm on Christmas Day.
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Face to face with the koala |
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Up-close koalas viewing in their natural habitat from the tree top boardwalk |
The Koala Conservation Centre offers a range of family friendly activities to explore the native bush and see Australian wildlife. Stroll through this eucalypt woodland and come ‘face-to-face’ with koalas in their natural habitat. Wander the two tree top boardwalks for superb up-close koala viewing.
- Tree Top Koala Boardwalk: 800m loop – 20 minutes – easy
- Tree Top Woodland Boardwalk: 600m loop – 20 minutes – easy
Explore the six hectares of Australian bushland on the easily accessible trails. Lookout for wallabies, echidnas and colourful native birds. You can also uncover the amazing lives of koalas with the interactive displays in the new visitor centre and learn more about what community groups are doing to help local wildlife.
Churchill Island Heritage Farm
Add: 246 Samuel Amess Drive, Churchill Island, Newhaven 3925
Ticket Prices:
Adult (16 years+) - $12.80
Child (4-15 years) - $6.40
Family (2 adults and 2 children) - $32.00
Open 10am to 5pm daily. Opens 2pm on Christmas Day.
Daily farming activities:
1.00-1.45pm Wagon rides (school and public holidays only)
2.10pm Cow milking
2.30pm Sheep shearing
2.45pm Whip cracking
3.05pm Working dogs
3.20pm Sheep shearing
• Meet the Clydesdale horses, Highland cattle, sheep and baby animals.
Churchill Island Heritage Farm offers a range of daily farming
activities and walks around the island close to internationally
recognised wetlands. It is a smaller island located just off the main island, accessible via a bridge. Explore the island on the numerous walking and cycling trails:
- Churchill Island loop: 4.5kms – 2 hours – moderate
- North Point loop: 2kms – 1hour – easy
- Wadjil’garook Wetland: 1km inside the entrance. Follow the paths to learn about Indigenous culture and wetland birds.
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Sheep shearing demo, The room of a nineteenth century homestead, whip cracking and blacksmith demonstration |
Wild Ocean EcoBoat Tours
Add: 11/13 The Esplanade, Cowes 3922
EcoBoat Adventure Tours operate daily throughout the year. Cape Explorer tour is seasonal from 6 May to 30 September (Every Saturday plus daily during School Holidays) at 3.15pm.
Please check the
departure schedule for seasonal location and time details (subject to tide and weather conditions)
Minimum age: 4 years
Ticketing:
EcoBoat Adventure: Enjoy an up close encounter with one of Australia’s largest colonies of fur seals in their natural environment on a high speed 90 minute boat ride along Phillip Island’s coastline. It will pull in to a protected inlet to see the seals. Underwater cameras aboard the boat reward guests with a unique glimpse into the playful antics occurring beneath the waves. Also you get to see the Nobbies sea-cave or and stop at the Cat Bay National Surfing Reserve, before your experienced captain puts the EcoBoat through its paces with a bit of wave-running.
Adult (16+): $85.00
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EcoBoat Adventure - big colony of seals sun bathing at Seal Rocks |
Cape Explorer Tour: Explore the island’s spectacular eastern coastline on this fast and fun 1 hour tour. Departing from the fishing village of Rhyll, the EcoBoat makes its way past Churchill Island and its Marine National Park. Travel underneath the bridge through ‘The Narrows’, with San Remo on one side and Newhaven on the other. Marvel at the aqua blue of the waters and then view the impressive 110 metre high ancient granite cliffs of Cape Woolamai rise up before you. Keep your eyes open for the abundant marine life regularly seen in these waters.
Adult (16+): $55.00
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Cape Explorer Tour |
Nobbies Centre (Home of the Antarctic Journey)
Add: 1320 Ventnor Road, Summerlands Victoria, 3922
Opening Times:
Summer: 10am – approx. 8pm
Autumn: 10am – approx. 5pm
Winter: 10am – approx. 4pm
Spring: 10am – approx. 6pm
The Nobbies area is closed one hour before sunset each day to protect the native wildlife.
Admission: There is free entry to the boardwalks, cafe and gift shop, as well
as the interpretive display on penguin conservation on Phillip Island
at the entrance to the Antarctic Journey paid attraction.
This area offers spectacular coastal and rock formations viewing from the boardwalks and lookout points set amongst natural sea bird gardens (flowering displays in spring, might spot some little penguins). 1.5km offshore from The Nobbies are Seal Rocks, home to Australia’s largest Australian Fur Seal colony. See the awesome blowhole, a spectacular sea cave that thunders during big southern swells.
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The blowhole
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Boardwalk at the Nobbies |
Antarctic Journey:The Antarctic Journey at the Nobbies closes approximately 2 hours before sunset each day, and the Nobbies Centre itself closes approximately 1 hour before sunset each day to protect the native wildlife.
Opening hours.
Ticket Price and booking:
- Adult (16 years+) - $18.00
- Child (4-15 years) - $9.00
- Family (2 adults and 2 children) - $45.00
Take a virtual journey into the wonderful world of the Southern Ocean and Antarctica and engage with the many interactive and immersive experiences in this exhibition. ‘The Lab’ is jam packed with fun-filled hands on activities designed to entertain and educate. At Level 1 you can learn
about the connection between the wildlife and geology of Phillip Island,
the Southern Ocean and the Antarctic.
Descending the steps into Level 2, you will be
transported to the ice continent with the sounds of frosty winds filling
the room, sounds are coming from the Antarctic 'Chill Zone' where you ‘Feel the freeze’ and check out your thermal image and comparing it to an Emperor penguin. Check out the Virtual Cafe or try and sink a bowling ball!
The final level (Level 3), you will be put right in the heart of the action. All thanks to the cutting-edge ‘augmented reality’ technology, you will be able to stand on an ice floe and feel like you can reach out to pat a penguin, stroke a seal or marvel at a whale which all appear on the screen with you. You will be surrounded by huge screens displaying life-sized filmed scenes of Antarctica. Don't miss it.
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Antarctic 'Chill Zone' where you ‘Feel the freeze’ and check out your thermal image, comparing it to an Emperor penguin. Photo from whatalisees.com. |
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Level 3 Augmented reality technology |
Phillip Island Map:
Ref: visitphillipisland.com, travelswithjb.com.au, overseasattractions.com, travability.travel, google.com, tripadvisor.com, weekendnotes.com, whatalisees.com, AtlasObscura.com