Melbourne, Australia is a tourist hub and a sightseer’s dream for a number of different reasons.
The modern architecture of the cbd, the beautiful coastal great ocean road, and chinatown’s delicious eats are just some of Melbourne’s top attractions. The city is filled with back alley coffee shops, artistic graffiti walls, famous historical buildings, and renowned museums.
One incredible sight of Melbourne, Australia is the Penguin Parade of Port Phillip. The Penguin Parade shows off Australia’s cute little creatures in their natural habitat. Hundreds of fairy penguins waddle ashore every night at sunset, and it is an astounding sight to see.
Phillip Island, however, is approximately 90 minutes outside of the City and charges entrance fees to watch the spectacle. What few people know about, is the small penguin habitat that can be found right in the centre of Melbourne itself. This up-close and personal experience is overlooked by most visitors to the city.
These penguins ALSO gather every night at the St. Kilda pier.
Though St Kilda in itself is a popular tourist destination, most adventures out to this area of town leave out this incredible must-see. A typical day visiting St. Kilda includes a morning on the beach, an afternoon at Luna Park, and an evening spent enjoying Ackland street. Nowhere in there does anyone ever think “lets go see penguins in the middle of the city”.
I mean, it makes sense, Australia is a country of year round summer. Why on earth would there be penguins just wandering around?
The Penguins
The penguins of the St.Kilda come ashore after sundown, and go to sea before sunrise.
The penguins are called Eudyptula Minor Penguins of the Speniscidae family. They are the same breed of penguins which can be found on Phillip island. These penguins grow to approximetely 13 inches tall, and weigh between 2 and 3 pounds each.
They are only found in the southern hemisphere, and are specific to Australia and New Zealand.
Read more about the St.Kilda Penguins here
Where to Go
The St. Kilda pier is located north of the central St. Kilda beach. Walk along the beach until you reach the unmistakable pier.
At that point, walk out to the edge of the pier until you have reached the Breakwater rock.
This is where you will find the penguins year-round.
