The Little Penguins of Phillip Island

You can see them waddle the white sands of Summerland Beach every day at dawn and at dusk. In the morning, they wobble to the ocean to fish. As the sun sets they parade back to their nests in the dunes.
 
The smallest in the penguin world, the little penguins measure only about 43 centimetres tall and weigh just around 1 kilogram. Sporting a blue plumage on the upper part and white underneath, male penguins are normally larger than the females. With an average lifespan of 6.5 years, the little penguins are known to be monogamous showing fidelity to their mating partners. They start to breed at the age of three or four.
 
Little Penguins are flightless, and they are no flight risk. But they are skilful fishers and excellent swimmers, too. They can dive into the ocean up to 2 metres deep. Feeding on fish and squid, they work hard the whole day fishing in the waters of Phillip Island.
 
Little Penguins can be found along the shorelines of southern Australia, Tasmania, and New Zealand. In Victoria, Phillip Island is one of the largest little penguin colonies in the region.
 
It is on Phillip Island where the famous “penguin parade” is happening all year round every single day despite the season. They parade in the morning; they parade in the afternoon. But the best time to watch the parade is at sundown. Witness the spectacular show as over 30,000 pairs of penguins crowd the sands of Summer Beach, swaying their way toward their burrows in the sand dunes.
 
The little penguins have a vital role in the economy of Phillip Island. In 2016, Phillip Island Nature Parks that manages the tourism activities for the penguin parade reported a $498 million contribution to Victoria’s economy. The influx of tourists created more than 2,000 jobs in the same year.
 
Since the little penguins are a major economic driver in the island, the government has allocated an annual budget for the protection and conservation of the seabirds. The Visitor Information Centre was built to provide information about the little penguins and to promote responsible eco-tourism.
 
If you happened to be in Melbourne or in any part of Victoria, bring your family and friends along to Phillip Island for the spectacular experience of the penguin parade. It is going to be fun and full of excitement. The experience with nature and the natural feel of the environment would be memorable.
 
Eco Platypus facilitates travels to Phillip Island and elsewhere in Victoria. Please check out our Phillip Island Tour with Koalas package. Highlights of the tour include a visit to a wildlife park to get a closer look at the koalas, exploring the pristine beaches and rugged surfs of the island, visiting the Nobbies Centre and the Seal Rocks to see the fur seals, and watching the main stars of the day – the little penguins.
 
Experience the spectacular penguin paradewhere the lovely sea birds waddle their way back to their nests at dusk.