Excellent boat tour around the new pier, to see little penguins for 1-2 hours after sunset. The new pier itself is closed before sunset, that I'd before the penguins arriving back to their dens read more

St Kilda Penguins - Melbourne, VIC

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SO STINKIN CUTE!!!!!!! We took the tram out to St Kilda just to see the colony of fairy penguins. It was a COLD night and the wind was literally howling - after walking out in the game to the end of the long pier, we were completely frozen. Abs then we saw the first tiny penguin (less than a foot tall!!!) and I forgot that I was cold and damp. If you want to see these cute birds, you'll need to come as the sun is setting - there's a boardwalk that lets you see without disturbing the penguins. You can't use a flash but there are wardens with red flashlights to help you spot them. We got there just at the right time and we're delighted to see penguins swimming in from the ocean and hopping up to the rocks. I was just a few feet away - just an incredible experience. They're a little smelly of course but make a ton of noise. If you're a nature lover, you can't miss the rare chance to see penguins in the wild. The tram ride is an easy 20 minutes or so from the city center. read more

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Yay Penguins!! OMG are these little guys adorable. You will absolutely melt once you lay your eyes on them. A MUST SEE when visiting Melbourne. There are only a few accessible places in the world where one can see penguins in the wild and this is one of them! These little guys are small. The big males are barely the size of a football and the females are about the size of a large potato. We even got to see a few swim up out of the water. You have to walk .5 miles to the end of the pier, it's dark and the wind is howling! Its totally worth it though. Best time for viewing is just after dusk. They were just showing up when we got there and by the time we left, they were all over the place. There must have been 50 of them on the rocks. Your could here them honking all around you. Also turn your camera flashes off!! They hate the paparazzi! read more

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Fantastic experience in Melbourne. The penguins return to the pier just after dusk. The city, with the help of its sister city in Japan, has created a pathway and standing area for visitors to watch the penguins return to the shore line without disrupting them. There are volunteers present so once the penguins swim in they will "light the way" allowing you to see the penguins and take pictures. One word to the wise, make sure your camera does not have flash function engaged as the white light can damage the penguin's eyes. If you want additional light for photos buy a flash light that produces a red light similar to the one used by the volunteers on site. Also, listen closely for their calls as these little penguins produce some adorable sounds when notifying their mate of their return or protecting their turf. read more

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Best Memory made- ever! I love penguins from my childhood on and I was very happy to meet for the first time a wild penguin. The penguins at St. Kilda are extremely cute and it is a phantastic experience for everyone who is interested in nature and wildlife. It is also free and you can spend quite a nice night out at the peer and watch Melbourne's stunning skyline! read more

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