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Phillip Island Nature Parks

Phillip Island is part of the UNESCO Western Port Biosphere Reserve and encompasses wildlife sanctuaries, wetlands, woodlands and breathtaking coastlines which are protected and managed by world-renowned environmental and research programs. Habitat within Phillip Island Nature Parks supports significant populations of little penguins, hooded plovers, short-tailed shearwaters and other international migratory bird species, and mammals such as koalas, possums, wallabies, Australian fur seals and bats. 

Penguin Parade

The Summerland Peninsula in the south-west of Phillip Island is home to an estimated 32,000 little penguins – one of the largest colonies in Australia. The Penguin Parade represents approximately 10 per cent of the colony. Each night at sunset, little penguins (numbering in the hundreds or thousands depending on the season) make the march across the beach and return to their burrow homes in the sand dunes.

Penguins Plus Close Up Viewing

The Penguins Plus viewing platform is a joint venture between Phillip Island Nature Parks and RACV and offers visitors unprecedented, up-close viewing of the little penguins as they waddle along the most popular pathway at the Penguin Parade.

* Please book ahead during the holiday season as many penguin viewing options book out well in advance.

Fun Facts

• Little penguins are the smallest of the 17 penguin species and the only penguin that lives permanently in Australia.
• There are approximately 32,000 breeding penguins on Phillip Island.
• The first tourists visited the Penguin Parade in the 1920s.
• In 1955 the State Goverment established a large reserve over the penguin colony.
• The Little Penguin Scientific Advisory Committee was formed in 1966 and penguin counts and research programmes began.
• The Phillip Island Nature Parks were established in 1996.

Koala Conversation Reserve

Explore the tree-top boardwalks at the Koala Reserve and see koalas up close in their natural habitat. Wander the extensive trails through the natural Australian bushland and enjoy the abundant bird life. The woodland is home to many animals including wallabies, echidnas and bats.

Things to do and see

• Wander the two treetop 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.
• Uncover the amazing lives of koalas with the interactive displays in the new visitor centre.
• Learn more about what community groups like the Friends of Koalas or Barb Martin Bushbank are doing to help local wildlife.

What to bring

• Sunscreen, sunglasses & hat
• Reusable water bottle (drinking fountains are available on-site)
• Insect repellent
• Snacks
• Binoculars & a camera (to capture memories of your visit)

Churchill Island Heritage Farm

Churchill Island is an important place to local Aboriginal people and was the site of Victoria's first crops and European building in 1801. Enter the farm and meet Max the Clydesdale horse or Gregory the peacock. Wander the old homestead and experience the daily heritage farming activities including cow milking, sheep shearing, working dogs and whip cracking. Churchill Island also boasts many beautiful walking trails amongst wetlands and beneath ancient Moonah trees.

Daily activities*

*Reference only, subject to change without notice.

• 10:30 - Blacksmithing
• 14:00 - Animal feeding
• 14:30 - Sheep shearing
• 14:45 - Working dogs
• 15:00 - Whip cracking

What to bring

• Sunscreen, sunglasses & hat
• Comfortable clothes and shoes for walking
• Reusable water bottle (drinking fountains are available on-site)
• Insect repellent
• Snacks
• Binoculars & a camera (to capture memories of your visit)

Antarctic Journey at The Nobbies

Take a virtual journey through the Southern Ocean to Antarctica with the interactive and immersive experiences at the Antarctic Journey - a joint venture between Phillip Island Nature Parks and WWF Australia.

Things to see and do
* Please note that some of the multimedia screen experiences may be not operational during the visit.

• The Lab is filled with activities designed to entertain and educate. 'Feel the freeze' as you enter the Antarctic Chill Zone before checking out your thermal image and comparing it to that of an Emperor penguin. Check out the sustainable seafood options and learn about the creatures that live in the deep blue.
• The Sound Lab and Research Station offer an insight into the sights and sounds of Antarctic wildlife with animal calls, microscopes and fascinating specimens.With the remarkable Antarctic landscape as the backdrop, the unique wildlife, ongoing research activities, and the critically important conservation values of this remote continent will come alive before your eyes.
• The final level is one of complete immersion in what can only be described as a stunning and breathtaking, state of the art multimedia experience. Find yourself enthralled by the audiovisual spectacle which puts you 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.

What to bring

• Sunscreen, sunglasses & hat
• Reusable water bottle (drinking fountains are available on-site)
• Binoculars for whale watching (whale season is May - October) and seal spotting
• A camera to capture memories of your visit