Phillips Island penguins
Friends who have visited Phillips Island say it's a must see in order to view penguins in their natural habitat. We will be arriving in Melbourne the day before the tour meets and would like to arrange a trip to Phillips Island. There are many tour companies available. Can anyone recommend one of these companies?
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You haven't allowed yourself much time because unless you are a natural superhero (and I have been told repeatedly that some of you definitely are!) you will be jet lagged. Given how little time you have to get to know Melbourne, can I suggest you chose to visit the secret Melbourne penguin rookery rather than making the long journey down to Philip Island? If you had more than 1 free day … your arrival day … I would suggest that trip. It's a long day, but does travel through very interesting areas. If you plan to sleep on the bus … you know, I would much rather you had a nap in your hotel room than go home and pretend you saw, and enjoyed, your trip to Phillip Island. If you really must go to Philip Island, please consider flying into Melbourne a day earlier.
Happy to give you details, if you can't find them in other threads, for the Melbourne rookery. It is very much their natural habitat, by the way.
Cheers,
Jan
Deinitely go. We arrived in Melbourne 2 days early so had time to sleep in a hotel bed, tour Melbourne and see the penguins the next day.
Its worth traveling to Philips Island even if you are tired. We took a tour that began at 1 PM and was booked in advance by our hotel concierge (Langham) on Gray line tours. Others in our tour also took "half-day" tours. Even if you sleep on the way and/or on the way back it is worth it. We booked the VIP tour which is more expensive, but provides hors d'oeuvres and drinks inside the ranger station and an indoor (read comfortably warm) place to view the penguins. Also, you are in a group of about 10. There will be more people on the van, but you are "special".
Jan, if you are willing to disclose your secrets to the secret Melbourne penguin rookery, I am intrigued. Any information would be welcome.
They booked with Gray Line tours, and it was one of the more expensive tours but we were very satisfied with it. We took the VIP tour, which included a stop at a demonstration farm and sheep shearing demonstration and a place for lunch/snack (at our own expense), a koala preserve, light appetizers and wine at the ranger station at Phillips Island, and the indoor private viewing site for the penguins. Don't know what time of year you are going, but we went during Australian early fall, so sunset was 6-ish and the evening was chilly. The tour companies do adjust their timing for the changing seasons.
We returned back at the Langham about 8:30-9 PM (after a nice nap on the dark bus ride home) and in time for a late night snack of gelato at one of the restaurants in the mall adjacent to the hotel. FYI, the gelato is delicious and they are open late (located on the second floor of the mall)
Have a great time.
It's only a secret because most people either don't know about it or only know about the Phillip Island colony. The Saint Kilda rookery is very small, but perfectly formed … without the tourist glitz. This is the web site: http://stkildapenguins.com.au/skp/
It's a very informative web site. Almost everything you need to know, and to make your expedition to the burbs worthwhile, is right there. Because of the proximity to your location, the concierge at The Langham will be able to advise on transport to and from. The little fellas time their return, every night of the year, to just after sunset, so depending on the time of year your are visiting …... You certainly won't see as many as you would at Phillip Island, but these little chaps are very exclusive.
There are fairy penguins all through Port Phillip Bay … it's one of their major feeding grounds… but this colony really is a suburban rookery as distinct from a seaside resort.
Cheers,
Jan
PS: It's free!
We are on the Oct. 20, 2014 trip. Anyone else on this tour?
On the other hand, what the heck do I know. I only live here. I only travel on long haul flights regularly. I am not super-human. But I would still like you to be kind to yourself because I really would like you to take something positive with you when you get on the plane to go back to your world.
Cheers,
Jan
My point is, you have chosen to visit Australia … which Tauck has lumped in, very insultingly, with the exotics of east Africa. You think you are going to visit …. I don't know, really … a film set for Kidman and Jackman. You are spending a lot of money for a long flight and a very short trip. You need to make the most of your time here. I don't really want you to sleep the whole time and go home and tell people you had a fabulous time with your new American friends but know knowing about my world … because you didn't visit it.
Please be kind to yourselves.
Cheers,
Jan