Phillip Island, AU

Phillip Island is a small island located south and east of Melbourne. This little island is famous for its very small penguins. There is a cove where a large group of penguins come onto shore each evening at sundown. The “Penguin Parade” as it is called consists of ‘rafts’ of penguins gathering in groups out in the surf. Then just as it starts to get dark they come ashore to get to their
burrows in the sand dunes.




The waddle from the water to the burrow is quite a site. They wait until sundown to avoid predators. However, unsure that they are safe, they start up the beach and if they get scared, turn and go back to the water. This can happen several times and might be one penguin or the whole group. Also, the surf is pretty strong against them and they can get hit by a wave and washed back…to try again.



At the time of year that we were there, there were also a number of babies. These little ones wait in the burrow all day waiting for the parents to come back and feed them. They know at sundown it is time to come out and start looking for mom or dad. They waddle around and scurry up to each penguin coming out of the water. Trying and trying again to find just the one they are looking for.


These are the smallest penguins in the world at about 35 cm. They are cute and fuzzy as babies. They are dark blue and white…blue instead of black as a camouflage in the blue water.



(They do not allow photography at the beach…so no photos of the actual penguin parade.)