Yes, the Phillip Island Penguin Parade frequently sells out, particularly during school holidays, weekends, and peak summer months (December–February). Tickets are limited, so booking weeks or months in advance is strongly recommended to secure a spot. General viewing, Premium, and Underground options all have capacity limits.
We suggest you arrive approximately one hour before penguin arrival time. Download our penguin arrival time calendar for estimated penguin arrival times throughout the year. General Viewing - ticket holders should plan to arrive at least 1 hour before penguin arrival time.
Overall, it's a little underwhelming. But still one of the things you have to check off your tourist list when you visit Melbourne (just get general seating). Priscilla W. The Penguin Parade is a very touristy and popular, yet unique, event that happens nightly.
The ideal season to visit runs from October to April, when the penguins arrive to breed and raise their chicks. During this period, visitors can witness a unique spectacle: the males arrive first to claim their nests, followed by the breeding season, which lasts between 70 and 100 days.
Live Aussie penguin parade attracts hundreds of thousands of viewers amid pandemic
What should I wear to visit Isla Martillo?
We recommend bringing a warm jacket, hat and gloves, sunglasses, and waterproof footwear for the walk and boat ride. Don't forget sunscreen and a camera to capture the stunning views.
Late October–November: Nesting penguins and pristine landscapes. Late October marks the start of the Antarctica travel season, when the continent reveals its most pristine form.
It gets cold: Even in the middle of Summer, it can get cold down on Phillip Island, especially at night when the Penguins start to arrive. Make sure you check the weather and plan accordingly. In the Winter, bring everything!
The Penguin Parade is at sunset and outside. We suggest you bring warm clothes and a rain coat if it looks like rain. A rug to sit on the seats is also handy. Please note – unfortunately cameras or camcorders cannot be used at the Penguin Parade.
In short, the only film you need to watch before streaming The Penguin is The Batman, and you'll want to stream The Joker before watching its sequel, Folie à Deux, which is now available on VOD.
What to expect at The Penguin Parade on Phillip Island?
Watch little penguins dash home across the sand at dusk at Phillip Island's world-famous Penguin Parade. Explore boardwalks after dark to see, smell and hear these penguins in the colony, greeting neighbours, partners and their chicks.
The penguin parade is just such a special experience. We highly recommend the underground to see them at eye level and close up. The koala reserve is great for seeing koalas at eye level too, the koalas are well taken care of. All money goes back into conserving wildlife on the island.
Can you see penguins on Phillip Island without paying?
Phillip Island Nature Parks operates a free ticketed program at St Kilda Pier to view the Little Penguins. You can enjoy prime views of the penguin colony in their natural habitat from an elevated platform, while learning about them from Phillip Island Nature Parks' knowledgeable guides.
Penguins arrive just after sunset every night of the year. We recommend guests arrive one hour before penguin arrival time to make their way through the visitor centre then find their seat on our grandstands and settle in.
The "333 rule" in clothing refers to two popular minimalist fashion concepts: the viral TikTok trend of using 3 tops, 3 bottoms, and 3 shoes to create numerous outfits (9 items total) for styling practice, and the more extensive Project 333, where you select 33 items (including clothes, shoes, and accessories) to wear for three months, excluding essentials like underwear, workout gear, and sleepwear, to simplify your wardrobe and reduce decision fatigue. Both methods focus on versatility, quality over quantity, and creating a functional capsule wardrobe.
The "5 Outfit Rule" is a mindful shopping guideline: before buying a new clothing item, you must be able to instantly envision at least five different outfits you can create with it using clothes you already own, ensuring versatility, preventing impulse buys, reducing clutter, and building a more functional, long-lasting wardrobe. It's about maximizing wear and value from each purchase by focusing on mix-and-match potential for various occasions and seasons, rather than buying trendy items you'll only wear once.
It's important to know that photography is strictly forbidden at the Penguin Parade after sunset. This is because flash photography can disorientate the penguins as they are travelling home. It's important that the Little Penguins get back to their nests with as little disturbance as possible.
Watch as the cute little penguins waddle ashore towards their burrows after a long day of fishing. Generally speaking, the Penguin Parade lasts an hour, though most people arrive an hour earlier and spending two hours here.
Once they have a mate that first year of breeding, they tend to keep that mate until it dies, disappears, or fails to return to the breeding colony one year. In some cases, a mate may be delayed in their return to the colony. In that situation, the remaining bird of the pair will find a new mate.
