At a glance
- By car
- Phillip Island is 90 to 120 minutes from Melbourne, according to Phillip Island Nature Parks, with a further 20 minutes from the bridge to the Penguin Parade; parking on site is free
- By bus
- V/Line runs a bus from Southern Cross Station to Cowes, but it does not go to the Penguin Parade and there are no return buses to Melbourne after the Parade
- Address
- 1019 Ventnor Rd, Summerlands, Victoria 3922
- General viewing
- Adult (16+) $34.00, child (4 to 15) $17.00, family of four $85.00, pensioner $23.80
- Booking
- Bookings are essential; everyone, including infants, needs a ticket
- When to arrive
- Penguins arrive just after sunset every night of the year; arrive one hour before the penguin arrival time
- Who it’s for
- Anyone planning a trip from Melbourne to the Penguin Parade by car, bus or taxi
- What to do now
- Bookings are essential; ticket prices are in the table below and the penguin arrival calendar is a PDF on the Opening Times page
- Last checked
- Sunday 8 November 2026, against three Phillip Island Nature Parks pages and its arrival calendar
- Not yet confirmed
- The sunset-based arrival time for a given night, which is in the calendar graphic, and the timetable of V/Line’s bus to Cowes
Phillip Island Nature Parks says Phillip Island is 90 to 120 minutes from Melbourne by car, with a further 20 minutes from the bridge to the Penguin Parade, and that parking at the Parade is free. The V/Line bus from Southern Cross Station stops at Cowes, not at the Penguin Parade, and there is no return bus to Melbourne after the nightly Parade. This guide sets out the operator’s own words on getting there, what each ticket costs as of 8 November 2026, and what it says about arrival times, the visitor centre and accessibility.
The Penguin Parade is at 1019 Ventnor Rd, Summerlands, Victoria 3922. Phillip Island Nature Parks lists the same address for its Parade pages.
How far is the Penguin Parade from Melbourne?
Two of the operator’s pages give slightly different figures. The Getting There page says: “Phillip Island is located 90-120 minutes from Melbourne”, and adds: “Please allow for additional time to travel from Melbourne during busy seasons.” The Penguin Parade page says 90 minutes. Both say to allow a further 20 minutes from the bridge to get to the Penguin Parade.
Is parking free at the Penguin Parade?
Yes, according to the Nature Parks. Both pages say “Free car parking on site.” The Parade’s accessibility section also lists allocated car parking spaces for people with accessibility issues.
Can I get there by public transport?
Only partly. The Nature Parks says public transport is limited on Phillip Island. V/Line operates a bus to Phillip Island’s main town, Cowes, from Southern Cross Station in Melbourne. The page then states two limits in plain terms: the V/Line bus does not go to the Penguin Parade, and there are no return buses to Melbourne at the conclusion of the Penguin Parade.
For travel on the island, the page says to call Phillip Island Taxis on 03 5952 2200 to arrange transfers. For tours and transport, it says to contact the Visitor Information Centre in Melbourne or on Phillip Island.
| Option | What the Nature Parks says |
|---|---|
| Car | 90 to 120 minutes from Melbourne, plus about 20 minutes from the bridge; free parking on site |
| V/Line bus | Southern Cross Station to Cowes; does not go to the Penguin Parade; no return bus to Melbourne after the Parade |
| Taxi | Phillip Island Taxis, 03 5952 2200, for transfers on the island |
| Tours | Contact a Visitor Information Centre in Melbourne or on Phillip Island |
What time do the penguins arrive?
The Nature Parks’ Opening Times page says penguins arrive just after sunset every night of the year. It recommends arriving one hour before the penguin arrival time to make your way through the visitor centre, find a seat on the grandstands and settle in. It points to a Penguin Arrival Calendar to work out the time to arrive.
The calendar is a PDF graphic with the months laid out around a circle. It carries the note that the penguins are wild birds, that numbers and arrival times vary with the life-cycle activity and weather, and that visitors should arrive at least one hour before the arrival time to enjoy the displays. The accessibility section says the visitor centre opens a couple of hours before sunset, approximately 4pm in the winter months and 6pm in the summer months, while the Parade page says the visitor centre currently opens daily at 12pm; the two pages do not agree. The Parade page also says Christmas Day opening is from 2pm.
The Parade page carries one warning for the busiest months: in December or January, arrive at the recommended times shown on the tickets, because seats are limited and not guaranteed. Standing space is available.
How much are tickets?
Everyone, including infants, needs a ticket, and the page says bookings are essential and should be made in advance “to avoid missing out”. The prices below are as listed on the Penguin Parade page on 8 November 2026.
| Experience | Price listed |
|---|---|
| General Viewing: adult (16+) / child (4 to 15) / family (2 adults, 2 children) / Australian pensioner | $34.00 / $17.00 / $85.00 / $23.80 |
| Penguins Premium (12+; no children under 12) | $85.00 |
| Penguins Plus: adult / child / family | $93.00 / $46.50 / $232.50 |
| Underground Viewing: adult / child / family | $103.00 / $51.50 / $257.50 |
| Guided Penguin Tour (12+) | $108.00 |
| Ultimate Adventure Tour (16+) | $129.00 |
| Family Wildlife Tour (Fri and Sat; nightly in the school holidays): adult / child / family / pensioner | $87.50 / $43.75 / $218.75 / $61.25 |
| Guided Daytime Adventure Tour: adult / child / family / pensioner | $25.00 / $12.50 / $62.50 / $17.50 |
Children under 16 must be accompanied by an adult. The Ultimate Adventure Tour needs reasonable fitness, including the ability to walk on soft sand, descend and ascend 20 stairs, and walk up to 1.5 km in each direction on uneven surfaces; the page says it will be replaced with a Guided Penguin Tour in the unlikely scenario of unusually low penguin numbers or higher-than-predicted tides. The daytime tour needs a medium level of fitness and is not suitable for prams or young children.
Who gets a concession?
The Nature Parks lists these rules:
- Pensioner prices apply to Australian Pensioner Cardholders and Seniors Cardholders, with the card presented on entry.
- A Companion Card holder’s companion is issued a ticket at no charge to all Phillip Island Nature Parks attractions. Companion Card tickets cannot be purchased online and must be arranged in advance by phoning 03 5951 2830 or at one of the sites.
- Visitors with a Victorian Carers Card, or a DVA Gold card, are entitled to entry at the pensioner rate.
- There is no student rate and no Health Care card discount. Child tickets are valid for ages 4 to 15.
The Parade is a cashless venue: only contactless transactions are available at all ticketing, retail and food and beverage outlets. The page also offers a 3 Parks Pass for the Penguin Parade, Koala Conservation Reserve and Churchill Island Heritage Farm at a discounted price, without listing the price.
What is there to eat?
Two venues are listed. Chicks Café is open from 4pm to close, and Shearwater Restaurant is open from 12pm to 9pm. A 10 per cent Sunday surcharge applies to all food and beverage transactions on Sundays, and a 15 per cent public holiday surcharge applies on public holidays.
Is the Penguin Parade accessible?
The accessibility section lists wide pathways for wheelchairs and prams, ramp access through the visitor centre and along the boardwalks, pram parking at the viewing stands, interpretive displays at wheelchair eye height and an accessible-height ticketing counter. There are exclusive wheelchair access viewing areas in General Viewing, Penguins Plus and Underground Viewing, and a Changing Places facility.
For sensory needs, the page says the site is a certified sensory-inclusive site with trained staff. Sensory bags with noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools and verbal cue cards, and weighted lap pads, can be checked out for free by leaving ID with staff. There are headphone zones and designated quiet areas.
The page says the Parade’s buggy is currently out of service because of the boardwalk upgrades. The boardwalks remain open for pedestrian access, and wheelchairs are available on request at the ticketing desk. It describes the upgrade as work on burrows and boardwalks, and says the penguins are carrying on with their nightly waddle.
What is still unknown?
The Nature Parks’ pages we read do not give the V/Line bus timetable or fare, a price for the 3 Parks Pass, or the penguin arrival time for a particular night; the last is in the calendar graphic and varies with weather and the penguins’ life cycle. They also do not give a completion date for the boardwalk upgrades.
Sources
- Phillip Island Nature Parks — Getting There (checked 8 November 2026)
- Phillip Island Nature Parks — Penguin Parade (checked 8 November 2026)
- Phillip Island Nature Parks — Opening Times (checked 8 November 2026)
- Phillip Island Nature Parks — Penguin Information Calendar (PDF) (checked 8 November 2026)
Featured image: the entrance to the Phillip Island Penguin Parade building, October 2025 (photo: Alison Newman / CC BY-SA 4.0, text added). Other photos are from Wikimedia Commons; the bridge and penguin photos were taken between 2011 and 2016.
OZ Local Updates is an independent local guide and is not affiliated with Phillip Island Nature Parks.