Puffing Billy And Phillip Island Penguin Parade Bus Tour
Description
After being picked up from a convenient central Melbourne CBD location in air-conditioned comfort on this full-day tour, your first stop will be the picturesque Emerald Lake in the beautiful Dandenong Ranges where you will have the opportunity to purchase your own lunch and enjoy a leisurely walk around the Lake. Then it's all aboard the world-famous Puffing Billy Steam Train. The train winds through the hills and finishes at Belgrave. Then it's off on a scenic drive to the next stop The Nobbies to take in the vista of this iconic lookout. Next it's time to visit the Phillip Island Wildlife Animal Park where you can purchase dinner before watching the adorable penguins emerge from the rolling waves and make their way home into their burrows.
Tour Options
Itinerary
Puffing Billy and Lunch Ride Puffing Billy Emerald Lake Park to Belgrave. Enjoy this iconic steam train ride through the glorious Dandenong Ranges. One of the most popular tourist destinations in Victoria. You will have the opportunity to purchase your own lunch at the picturesque Emerald Lake. Time spent here includes travel time from pick up, Puffing Billy Train ride, time for you to purchase and eat lunch and enjoy a walk around Emerald Lake.
After taking the scenic route through the Dandenong ranges you will arrive at the Nobbies Tourist Information Centre: Here you will be able to find out all you need to know about the Nobbies Blowhole and Seal Rock precinct. Time spent here includes travelling to The Nobbies and time spent at the information centre
Nobbies Lookout And Boardwalk. Nobbies Lookout And Boardwalk: Take on the glorious views of the Nobbies and Seal Rock region from this spectacular lookout. Then walk the boardwalk with ocean views to the Nobbies blowhole and Seal Rock and enjoy the stunning surrounds. Time spent here is to explore the boardwalk and take in the views.
Phillip Island Penguin Parade And Dinner. In the Winter season you can purchase your dinner at Phillip Island Nature Park. In the Summer season you can purchase your dinner in the historic township of Cowes and enjoy a walk around this seaside town. After dinner you will be ready to witness the world-famous Penguin Parade. Watch the penguins emerge from the rolling waves and make their way across the sand to their burrows. Time spent here includes time to purchase and eat dinner, time to watch the Penguin Parade and travel time back to Melbourne CBD.
Highlights
What's included
Pickup Locations & Times
Pick up from: Hotel Windsor, 111 Spring St, Melbourne.
Traveller Ratings
Important Information
- Public transportation options are available nearby
- Infants and small children can ride in a pram or stroller
- Suitable for all physical fitness levels
- Please note: ALL babies/toddlers/children up to age 15 must purchase a CHILD ticket.
- During peak periods larger vehicles may be used
Reviews(388)
I wanted to take a moment to say a big thank to our guide Mr.Martin (Marty). He was have been one of the best tour guides we’ve ever had — extremely professional and genuinely friendly throughout the day. The trip to Puffing Billy and then on to Philip Island for the Penguin Parade was wonderful, and he made it even better. Unlike other guides who keep talking non-stop just to stay “engaged,” he struck the perfect balance. He gave us our own space and time to quietly enjoy the scenic drive and the beautiful views, while still sharing all the important information and interesting trivia at the right moments. It made the whole experience so much more relaxing and memorable. Martin, Thank you for your excellent guiding style — we really appreciated it! Wishing you all the best, Atul
Be prepared for the massive amount of tourists at the penguins. Take noise cancelling headphones. My coach driver was the nicest fellow and very pleasant. Loved how the puffing Billy was mostly run by volunteers who were all so happy and helpful. Beautiful scenery and our tour guide went out of his way to help make it memorable.
Simon the bus driver and guide was amazing. It's was a cold day but we did see some penguins at the end. Simon did take us on small detour to see kangaroos in the wild which was amazing surprise addition to tour.
This was a brilliant experience, great value for money and would recommend to everyone. Especially since the activities are a fair ways out of Melbourne, it was really convenient to have them combined into a tour with transport provided. Our guide, Marty, was amazing and brought good energy for the whole day!
I recently took a tour with Martin, and he was fantastic! His kindness and patience made the experience enjoyable. One memorable moment was when he stopped the bus so we could observe a family of baby geese. Martin’s passion for his role and his ability to engage with guests truly enhanced our journey. He’s a valuable asset to the company, and I highly recommend his tours!
The guide was friendly, informative, and well organized throughout the tour. The itinerary was enjoyable, with enough time at each stop to explore and take photos. Everything ran smoothly, and it was definitely time well spent. I would happily recommend this tour to others visiting Melbourne.
We recently joined the Puffing Billy and Penguin Parade tour departing from Hotel Windsor in Melbourne CBD and had a very enjoyable experience overall. A special mention to Terry, who was highly organised from the start. He efficiently checked passengers in, assigned seats, and ensured a smooth departure. Throughout the day, he carefully conducted head counts before leaving each stop, helping everyone feel well looked after. One area for improvement is the amount of commentary during the coach journey. Terry was clearly knowledgeable and enthusiastic, and the information he shared was interesting and informative. However, the commentary began soon after departure and continued for much of the trip with only brief pauses. As the drive from Melbourne CBD to the first stop is over an hour, some passengers may appreciate longer breaks from the microphone to relax, enjoy the scenery, chat with others, or simply rest. At times, it was difficult to hold conversations, and even passengers wearing headphones could still hear the commentary. While I appreciate Terry’s efforts to keep guests informed and engaged, incorporating more quiet travel time between commentary segments could make the journey more comfortable for a wider range of passengers. That said, the tour was well organised, the attractions were excellent, and Terry’s closing remarks on the return journey to Melbourne were warm, engaging, and a great way to end the day. Overall, we had a positive experience and would recommend the tour to others. Thank you to Terry and the team for an enjoyable day.
Long drive Small group Bit rushed, did not get time to see around the areas like the station. But fitted in 2 iconic spots in Melbourne in a day. That was nice
We had a great day on this tour. Everything was very well organised, and Matt was an excellent guide and driver. He was friendly, informative, and engaging throughout the trip. There were enough breaks and toilet stops, which were clearly communicated in advance. Matt also went above and beyond to help guests spot wildlife and get good photos of the animals and penguins at Phillip Island. Although it was a long day, the tour was relaxed, comfortable, and well paced from start to finish. We would definitely recommend this tour!
Our tour leader is Charlie. He did a great job with planning, timing, explaining and everything. I would recommend everyone to try. It is worth it.
