Melbourne: Puffing Billy Steam Train & Penguin Parade Day Tour

Steam Train, Seals & Penguins: A Full Day Through Victoria's Coast & Ranges

You're picked up from Melbourne CBD and driven to Emerald Lake for a walk and lunch, then board the historic Puffing Billy Steam Train through the Dandenong Ranges to Belgrave. After a scenic drive to The Nobbies boardwalk with ocean and seal views, you reach Phillip Island for dinner and the nightly Penguin Parade, where little penguins emerge from the waves and cross the sand to their burrows. The coach returns you to Melbourne CBD in the evening, with all entry fees and transport included.

Step-by-step itinerary

Puffing Billy, Nobbies, and Penguin Parade

• Pickup from Melbourne CBD
• Visit Emerald Lake and buy lunch
• Walk around Emerald Lake
• Ride Puffing Billy steam train to Belgrave
• Drive to The Nobbies Tourist Information Centre
• Explore Nobbies Lookout and boardwalk
• Visit Phillip Island Wildlife Park
• Purchase and eat dinner
• Watch Phillip Island Penguin Parade
• Return to Melbourne CBD

The experience

You're picked up from central Melbourne CBD in an air-conditioned coach and within an hour you're stepping out at Emerald Lake in the Dandenong Ranges, where the air shifts and the trees crowd in close. The lake sits there, still and green, and you've got time to grab lunch from the café or bring your own, then walk the perimeter if you want. It's the kind of stop that feels less rushed than most tours manage. After that, you board the Puffing Billy Steam Train, the famous one that's been running since 1900, and it winds through the hills toward Belgrave with the kind of slow, rhythmic clatter that makes you actually look at the landscape instead of scrolling through your phone.

Once you're off the train, the coach takes you on a scenic drive to The Nobbies, a rocky headland on Phillip Island where you get out and walk a boardwalk with ocean views: seals often haul out on the rocks below, and the blowhole does its thing if the swell's up. It's not a long walk, maybe twenty minutes, but it breaks up the day and gives you a different kind of view than the ranges. Then you head to Phillip Island Wildlife Animal Park, where you'll have time to buy dinner (or in summer, you stop in the historic town of Cowes first for a walk and a meal), and after you've eaten, you settle in for the Penguin Parade, the main event. Little penguins emerge from the ocean at dusk and waddle across the sand to their burrows, and it happens every single night, year-round. You watch from a designated area, and it's genuinely quiet and strange and worth the wait.

The whole day runs about ten hours door-to-door, and you're back in Melbourne CBD by evening. Your guide handles the logistics (timing, entry fees, where to stand), so you're not juggling three separate bookings or trying to catch a steam train on a schedule you don't know. The coach is air-conditioned, which matters on a long day, and the inclusions are straightforward: train ride, penguin parade entry, Emerald Lake entry, The Nobbies entry, and the guide. You pay for lunch and dinner yourself, which keeps the base price reasonable and lets you eat what you actually want.

What’s included

• Entry to ride Puffing Billy Steam Train (Belgrave to Emerald Lake).
• entry to Emerald Lake.
• entry to The Nobbies.
• entry to Phillip Island Penguin Parade.
• air-conditioned coach transport.
• professional guide for the full day. Lunch and dinner are purchased separately on the day.

Options for this experience

2 options

Winter SaleGuide in English · Available from 1 May 2027Winter Sale: includes pickup

Phillip Island Penguin Parade Bus Tour with Puffing BillyGuide in English · 12:15Includes pickup

You see the exact price of each option when you check availability.See dates & prices

Before you book

Days and timesEvery dayDeparts at 12:15

Book up to2h before

AgesAdult (16 and older) · Child (under 16)

GroupUp to 24

Live guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup included.You can choose from 2 pickup points.

Cancellation and refundsFree cancellation up to 24 h before the start. After that, no refund.It may be canceled due to bad weather or if the minimum number of travelers isn't reached. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund.

Prices and times updated today

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyPublic transport nearby

Operated by Wine Hop And Coastal Tours

Is this one for you?Book this if you want the main Phillip Island and Dandenong Ranges highlights in one day without arranging three separate transport bookings and entry fees: the fixed itinerary and included guide handle the logistics so you just show up and step off the coach.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (under 16).

What happens if it rains?

It may be canceled due to bad weather. If that happens, you're offered another date or a refund. Free cancellation up to 24 h before the start.

How long is the Puffing Billy Steam Train ride?

The train winds through the Dandenong Ranges from Emerald Lake to Belgrave. The total time at Emerald Lake (including travel from pickup, the train ride, lunch, and a walk around the lake) is part of the full day's itinerary, which runs about ten hours total.

Can I bring my own food, or do I have to buy lunch?

You can purchase lunch at Emerald Lake, or bring your own. Dinner is also your choice. You buy it either at Phillip Island Nature Park (winter) or in the town of Cowes (summer).

What time do the penguins come ashore?

The Penguin Parade happens at dusk every night, year-round. The exact time shifts with the season, but your guide will have you in position before the penguins emerge from the ocean.

What if the weather is bad?

The coach is air-conditioned and the boardwalk at The Nobbies is exposed, so dress for the conditions. The Penguin Parade runs rain or shine: the penguins come ashore regardless.

Do I need to book lunch and dinner in advance?

No. You purchase lunch at Emerald Lake and dinner at Phillip Island (or Cowes) on the day, so you can decide what you want when you arrive.

How many people are usually on the tour?

During peak periods, larger vehicles may be used. The tour departs from a central Melbourne CBD location with a guide included.

Is there public transport to get to the pickup point?

Yes, public transportation options are available near the central Melbourne CBD pickup location.