Phillip Island Penguin Parade

One amazing island in the Australian state of Victoria is Phillip Island with its superb and reliable surf condition said to be among the more consistent ones in the entire continent. It is said to be about 26 kilometres long founded on 10,300 hectares and regularly hosts several exciting island events like the Pyramid Rock Festival staged annually every December 31st. This has made Phillip Island one very popular tourist spot in Australia, attracting more than 3.5 million tourists every year.

Yet, what is considered as the single biggest attraction of Phillip Island is the Penguin Parade that takes place daily just after sunset. Appearing everyday at Summerland Beach which lies at the extreme southwestern end of Phillip Island, the penguins, numbering around 26,000, quietly make a beeline toward their burrows where they take refuge during the night and which serve as feeding grounds for their young during the breeding months that lasts from August up to March of the following year. Of the 26,000 penguins that participate in the so-called parade, around 4,500 have their own respective burrows firmly established along the shorelines of Summerland Beach.

Just before the crack of dawn, the parade will again occur, but this time, the penguins head toward the sea where they spend their day swimming extensively, often covering a distance of over 100 kilometres. At the same time, however, they make every effort to catch a fish or two that will serve as their food for the day.

The virtual parade takes place daily every year and has become somewhat of a Phillip Island phenomenon, naturally attracting the attention of many sea lovers, particularly tourists. Adding further attraction to the entire event is the size of the penguins, as they measure only about 33 centimeters in height, making them the smallest among all species of penguins.

Admittedly, the penguin parade is fast becoming to be one highly anticipated Phillip Island event. An estimated 500,000 tourists are said to watch this unique occurrence every year, and this increasing number has become somewhat of a threat to the natural habitat of the penguins that are said to be genuine Australian natives. This has led to the creation of the Phillip Island Nature Park located a few feet away from the burrows for the express purpose of protecting the penguins and their dwelling places.

The nature park has been designed with several observation boardwalks where watchers can sufficiently have a good view of the so-called Penguin Parade that are simply fascinating as it takes place both at dusk and at dawn. At the same time, the boardwalks should keep the penguins relatively safe from harm and danger that may be brought on by possible human encroachment into their habitat.

Additionally, the Penguin Parade Visitor Centre located within the nature park offers live programs of a typical Australian penguin life as well as simulated and interactive computer demonstrations of penguins in action both at sea and inside their burrows. This should serve as excellent appetizers to the actual show.

When viewing the parade, specifically during the night, tourists are advised to wear relatively warm clothing since evenings can be extremely cold at times on Phillip Island. It is also recommended that interested watchers coordinate with Australian tour operators so they can take advantage of special promo packages that are regularly being offered during special occasions like summer and Easter.