Small-Group Phillip Island Afternoon Day Trip from Melbourne
Overview
Available languages
8 hours
Mobile ticket
Watch the Little Penguins waddle home at dusk. No big bus, just a small group and a great guide.
Be treated to a visit at Moonlit Sanctuary Conservation Park where you will have the opportunity to interact with an array of Australian native animals such as koalas, kangaroos, wallabies, dingoes, an array of colourful birds & reptiles. Visit the Nobbies - home to the largest colony of fur seals in Australia. Then it is on to the gala event! Delight in the magic of visiting the world-famous Phillip Island Penguin Parade where you will have the privilege of witnessing a true miracle - our beautiful little penguins arriving ashore to one of the largest penguin colonies in Australia. After a long swim at sea, they will be dressed up in what looks like a tuxedo - marvel at these stunning flightless birds as they waddle right past you on the way to their home.
Enjoy this highly personalised tour with a small-group limited to only 11 passengers.
Additional Info
Public transportation options are available nearby
Suitable for all physical fitness levels
Children 3 and under not catered for. Booster seat available for children 4 to 7 available.
Tour not normally suitable for cruise ship passengers. Tour starts between 1 and 2 pm depending on time of year from city centre and finishes between 8:30 PM and 11:45 PM. It is your responsibility to check you can make it on time to avoid missing out on tour and cancellation fees.
What To Expect
Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park
See Australia’s unique wildlife
The Nobbies
watch
Options
Phillip Island + Plus Option
Penguin penguins Viewing : Smaller Stand to see penguins closer as they come out of the water on the way to the colony Pickup included
Phillip Island Tour - English
Phillip Island day trip from Melbourne with English speaking guide Pickup included
What‘s Included
Nobbies and Seal Rock
Moonlit Sanctuary
Selected City Centre Hotel pickup and drop-off
Live commentary on board
Transport by air-conditioned minivan
Food and drinks
Gratuities
Pickup points
Select a pickup point
Cancellation Policy
For a full refund, cancel at least 24 hours before the scheduled departure time.
Reviews
746 reviews
Total reviews and rating from Viator & Tripadvisor
Moonlit sanctuary and penguins on Phillips island
Stay61691703551,Jun 28, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Excellent service , our tour guy Josh was an amazing guy , the Moonlit sanctuary was amazing and surely a place to visit . The penguin site on Phillips island was ok
Fabulous 9 hr Tour wild Life sanctuary and penguins of Philip Island
Linda B,Jun 22, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
4.00Fabulous tour of Moonlight Wildlife sanctuary and Oenguins of Phillip Island. At sanctuary we got to hand fed wallabies and kangaroos in open areas, guide Travis knew every animal’s name and behavior that made the trip great. Saw koalas up close, wombats, cockatoos and other birds, ducks, geese, Tasmanian devils, dingos and other rescued and well cared for wildlife. Had to rush through as only an hour and needed to get early dinner to est on hour drive to Phillip island. Once on beautiful Phillip island we had a rushed drive to beautiful views and no time to stop and see wildlife being pointed out then a last minute arrival at 5:40pm for the amazing Penguin Parade wildlife park. Great directions from our guide but even with upgraded viewing being so late we got seats facing the canyon and not the ocean although a ranger later found us 2 seats facing the ocean to see the penguins swim in and then up the pathways to their burrows. We also had underground viewing category so got to see more videos of landings and closer up views of penguins scurrying to their burrows. Also saw penguins along the protected walkways. Has to rush to then get back to van for leaving by 6:45 to get back to city and drop offs 8:30-9 pm. Trip should leave a couple hours earlier so no rushing and time to fully see and enjoy both the remarkable Moonlight Sanctuary, get early dinner to go and get to Phillip island to tour then to penguin park earlier to enjoy the exhibits at the visitors center and spend more time watching the fun fairy penguins that don’t start Landing from sea till dark. Felt rushed at both of the best parts of tour but did see a lot of wonderful wildlife.
An excellent day trip for the family
F4627VOchristopherw,Jun 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We were incredibly fortunate to have met Fred, our guide for the day. In our opinion, he made the trip exciting and engaging even during the downtime during the drive to and from the sites. This is exactly what we were looking for on our small-group tour. Fred arrived a bit early to pick us up. Child car seats were provided. Before we knew it, we were at the Moonlit Sanctuary. He gave each of our two children (ages 9 and 6) some roo food so they could feed the wandering kangaroos and wallabies. Our visit to the sanctuary included some time checking out the other animals, including the wombat, koala, and dingoes. Afterwards, we drove through the Nobbies to glimpse at the magnificent coastline. We also happened to spy upon a penguin resting in its home, waiting for others to return later that evening. The penguin parade was also a sight to behold. We highly recommend upgrading to the Penguins Plus experience. Aside from just better viewing, where you’ll see the penguins return home as they pass by the seating area, some will hang out just outside arm’s length, as they appear to have made a home under the seating area itself. That gives plenty of time to admire them up close. If you don’t have a good seat at first, just be patient. Plenty will open up later. Everyone (part of the tour or not) only gets about 50 minutes to observe the penguins before lights turned off. Our kids found this the best thing they did in Melbourne this trip. This is a must-do experience for penguin and animal lovers.
Thank you for an unforgettable day
Passenger45011291803,Jun 17, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00Thank you so much Travis for an amazing experience. He was very kind, fun and knowledgeable of the places. Took a few nice pics for us as well. It was an experience which we wouldn't have been able to do if we rented a car and did it ourselves. His explanation of each place as well as tips e.g., best spot to watch the penguin parade was very helpful - absolutely worth the money. Thank you again Travis.
Penguins!
Allen T,Jun 16, 2026
- Review from Viator
5.00Adam from Oceania was a great guide! Worth getting the penguin plus to get closer. The moonlit sanctuary was amazing to get up close to so many unique animals.
Awesome experience
yb264,Jun 11, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had Josh as our guide and he was exceptional! He was very knowledgeable and shared a lot of info/ history and fun anecdotes! He made sure we were safe and comfortable through out our experience He is very polite and respectful and kind I liked the gesture of the comfy seats he provided us for the cold evening with the penquins! We had a fun after noon with him seeing the wildlife and the penguin parade We appreciated the useful tips he provided to enhance our experience
Incredible experience because of Fred
R8990QHdavidk,Jun 8, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00our guide was Fred and he made the tour ever so enjoyable. His knowledge and stories were awesome. He keeps people smiling and if you go on a tour with Oceania request Fred.
Amazing day with Travis
Y9642NKchiarac,Jun 2, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00I had a wonderful trip to see the penguins with Travis. He was incredibly kind, extremely knowledgeable, and shared excellent stories and anecdotes about the animals and the history of the area. It was definitely not an ordinary tour, it was exceptionally well organised, thoughtful, and delivered with great care and kindness. I would highly recommend it. Thanks a lot for the wonderful day 🤗✨
Moonlit Sanctuary & Philip Island
Pioneer64856921985,May 27, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00It was an amazing experience that we had through the entire tour. We were guided by Travis, who was exceptional! His knowledge and passion for wildlife was really inspiring! He went out of his way to share his knowledge, experiences and his amazing camera roll! Cheers As for the Penguin parade at Philip Island, a Penguin Plus pass is highly recommended.
Richard is a great guide
StellaTravels100,May 23, 2026
- Review from Tripadvisor
5.00We had a fabulous day seeing the animals at the sanctuary!! The penguin parade was great and worth fighting the crowds. Richard was the best guide and driver. He made our experience 5/5 and he was top notch!! Highly recommend doing an excursion with Richard.
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Operated by Oceania Tours and Safaris