Phillip Island Wine and Wildlife Tour: Penguin Parade at Sunset

Taste six Victorian wines, then watch thousands of Little Penguins emerge from the ocean at dusk.

A small-group afternoon tour of Phillip Island pairing wine tastings and gourmet food at Phillip Island Winery with coastal scenery at The Nobbies and the nightly Penguin Parade, where Little Penguins, the world's smallest penguin species, waddle ashore. Pickup and return from Phillip Island accommodation included. The tour runs six hours and caps at 15 guests with a local guide.

Step-by-step itinerary

Stops and time at each

1. Phillip Island Winery1h · entry included
2. Nobbies Centre1h · entry included
3. Penguin Parade2h · entry included

Wine tasting, wildlife, and penguins

• Explore Cowes town freely
• Enjoy wine tasting and lunch at Phillip Island Winery
• Walk on local beach
• Visit Nobbies Centre at golden hour
• Toast sunset with sparkling wine
• Visit Penguin Parade visitor centre
• Watch Little Penguins return to shore

The experience

The tour opens at Phillip Island Winery with a cellar door tasting of six Victorian wines paired with a regional grazing platter of local cheeses. You then sit down to a gourmet lunch of woodfired pizzas, antipasto, salads, and fries, with time to browse the winery's own stock if you want to take bottles home. From there the coach moves through Cowes, Phillip Island's main village, where you get free time to explore the shops, cafes, breweries, and waterfront on your own before the guide gathers the group.

The Nobbies Centre is the tour's turning point. You arrive during golden hour (that window when the light hits the rocky cliffs and glistening waters at their best), and walk the scenic boardwalk for 30 to 60 minutes with a glass of sparkling wine in hand. The walk is where you spot wild wallabies, seabirds, and Australian fur seals in their natural habitats, and the route follows the back roads afterward to give unobstructed views over Westernport Bay and Bass Strait.

The Penguin Parade is the evening's centerpiece. You arrive with time to visit the world-class visitor centre and grab food from the café before heading to the viewing platform. As the sun sets, a ranger-guide explains the behavior of Little Penguins, the world's smallest penguin species, and then thousands of them emerge from Bass Strait and waddle up the hillside to their burrows. You walk the boardwalk close enough to see them clearly, then board the coach for the return to your Phillip Island accommodation.

What’s included

• Pickup and return from Phillip Island accommodation.
• midi coach with WiFi, charging ports, and guaranteed window seat.
• small-group tour with local guide (maximum 15 guests).
• six Victorian wines with grazing platter at Phillip Island Winery.
• gourmet lunch of woodfired pizzas, salads, and fries.
• sparkling wine at The Nobbies during the golden hour coastal walk.
• 30–60 minute boardwalk walk at The Nobbies with wildlife viewing.
• entry to Phillip Island Penguin Parade general viewing.
• ranger-guide commentary during the penguin emergence.

Before you book

Days and timesNext departure: 16 Feb 2027

Book up to18h before

AgesAdult (18 and older) · Child (1 to 17 years)

GroupPrivate

Live guideEnglish

Audio guideEnglish

Meeting point and pickupHotel pickup is optional; you can also go straight to the meeting point. Ends back at the starting point.You can choose from 19 pickup points.

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

Prices and times updated 4 days ago

Good to know

Easy physical levelStroller friendlyInfants must sit on laps

Operated by Local Way Tours

Is this one for you?Six hours is long enough to move through wine, coast, and penguins without rushing any of them, but short enough to fit into an afternoon and early evening without eating into a full day elsewhere on Phillip Island or the wider region. The fixed schedule around the Penguin Parade's dusk timing is what makes the golden hour light at The Nobbies possible.

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Top questions

Can children come?

Yes. Ticket types: Child (1 to 17 years).

What exactly happens at the Penguin Parade?

The Penguin Parade is the nightly return of thousands of Little Penguins from the ocean to their burrows on shore. You watch from a viewing platform and boardwalk as the sun sets, with a ranger-guide providing information about the penguins' behavior and habitat. The viewing is general admission, and the experience lasts as long as the penguins take to come ashore and settle, typically an hour or more.

How much wine tasting is included in this tour?

The tour includes a cellar door tasting of six Victorian wines at Phillip Island Winery, paired with a regional grazing platter of local cheeses. You also receive a glass of sparkling wine at The Nobbies during the golden hour coastal walk. If you want to purchase additional wine, beer, or cider at the winery, you have time to do so.

Where does the tour pick me up and drop me off?

Pickup and return are included from Phillip Island accommodation in Cowes, Ventnor, Summerlands, or Rhyll, as well as San Remo. The coach is a midi with WiFi and charging ports, and every booking gets a guaranteed window seat.

What wildlife might I see besides the penguins?

During the coastal walk at The Nobbies, you can spot wild wallabies, seabirds, and Australian fur seals in their natural habitats. The boardwalk and back roads offer views over Westernport Bay and Bass Strait where native fauna are often visible.

How long is the tour and what time does it run?

The tour runs for six hours total. It begins in Cowes village and concludes after the Penguin Parade viewing, with return to your accommodation. The timing is built around the Penguin Parade, which happens at dusk, so the tour is structured as an afternoon and early evening experience.