French & Phillip Island Wildlife Expedition

Start Location

688 Bourke Street, Melbourne, 3000

Departure Time

10am

Duration

11 Hours

What You Should Know About French & Phillip Island Expedition?

Get ready for an unforgettable day of wildlife, island-hopping, and jaw-dropping coastal views as you explore both French Island and Phillip Island in one epic adventure. Travel in style aboard a sleek catamaran across the crystal-blue waters of Western Port Bay, where dolphins and seals are often spotted along the way. On French Island, take a rugged 4WD tour through untouched wilderness, encounter koalas in the wild, and uncover hidden spots only locals know—complete with a delicious farmgate lunch in winter or afternoon tea in summer.

 

Next, cruise into the charming seaside village of Cowes on Phillip Island for a stroll along the pier, boutique shopping, or a bite at one of the many cafés. Soak in panoramic views from the Nobbies Boardwalk, home to a bustling seal colony and dramatic sea cliffs, before heading to the world-famous Penguin Parade. At dusk, watch the adorable Little Penguins waddle ashore as they return from a day at sea—an iconic Australian experience you’ll never forget. Want the best view? Upgrade to Penguins Plus, Underground Viewing, or a Ranger-Guided Tour for an even closer look!

Included

What To Bring

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Start Location

688 Bourke Street, Melbourne, Victoria, 3000 AUSTRALIA

Departure Time

10am

Return Time

9pm

Duration

11 hours

Free Date Changes

Subject to availability

FAQs About French & Phillip Island Expedition

The tour includes a return ferry ride across Western Port Bay with scenic views and possible dolphin or seal sightings, a guided 4WD tour on French Island with wild koala spotting, a lunch in winter or afternoon tea in summer, leisure time in Cowes on Phillip Island, a visit to the Nobbies Boardwalk with panoramic ocean views and seal colony lookout, and general admission to the Penguin Parade including the visitor centre and evening penguin viewing.

The tour is a full-day experience – approx 11h- allowing enough time to explore both French Island and Phillip Island, enjoy the 4WD adventure, and watch the Penguin Parade at sunset.

Highlights include wild koalas on French Island, dolphins and seals during the ferry ride, and fur seals at the Nobbies. Of course, the tour also includes the famous Little Penguins at Phillip Island.

Yes. Lunch is included on French Island.

Yes. The tour is family-friendly and offers wildlife encounters, scenic views, and engaging experiences for all ages.

Guests are advised to bring sunscreen, a camera, and a water bottle. Comfortable walking shoes and weather-appropriate clothing are also recommended.

Departure details will be provided at booking, typically from a central Melbourne or Western Port Bay location.

The best time to see the Penguin Parade is during the Australian spring and summer, from September to February. This is the breeding season, so the little penguins come ashore regularly and you may even see chicks in their nests, especially between November and January. Days are longer and the weather is warmer, making the experience more enjoyable.

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Ester Zanatta profile picture
Ester Zanatta
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Shout out to Max for his guidance! He listened to my requirements and helped me figure out what I really wanted, and he explained the options in depth. With his help, I was able to have a fun day combining a flight over the reef with an excursion to Fitzroy island. All bookings went smooth. Great service!
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Harry Singh profile picture
Harry Singh
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Big thank you to Elyra and Liz for helping booking us reef experience. Great team and efforts. Highly recommend them for any bookings.
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Rachel Campion profile picture
Rachel Campion
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Huge thanks to Niamh, she was absolutely great from start to finish—so helpful, knowledgeable, and easy to deal with. A great team that made organizing our trip completely hassle-free. Couldn't recommend them enough!
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Conall Durkin profile picture
Conall Durkin
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I had the most amazing time in Cairns. So many fabulous tours. Special shoutout to Niamh! If you need a tour booked in the Cairns area, I highly recommend her, so friendly and organised! Thanks Niamh
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Elizabeth Andrews profile picture
Elizabeth Andrews
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Traveled to Cairns and took a day trip to Palm Cove where Charlotte helped create the best experience! I highly recommend working with her for any travel or vacation services.
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varun ravi
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So happy with the service and help I received from these guys, huge shout out to Tony ( absolute legend ) for helping me with all my questions and two bookings- fishing charter and 2 intro dives + snorkel with Divers den. I did a whale watching tour in Sydney, and then came here and while heading to the reef for the dive, we got to see a humpback whale breach the water at least a dozen times ! The first breach from this whale in cairns, would have beaten the whole tour in Sydney and it was an entire seperate experience as well (dive). Absolutely 1000% recommend these guys and any of their recommendations and advice when planning your trip and activities in cairns.
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Jessica Baark profile picture
Jessica Baark
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Elizabeth helped us to find our perfect tour package and sorted it out for us with a lot of patience! Thanks for that! 💖
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Ana Maria Bedoya
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We had a wonderful experience. Niamh was incredibly kind and took the time to carefully prepare our trips to Green Island and the Kuranda Rainforest, including the train journey from the Shangri-La Hotel. Everything was seamless. highly recommend!
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Paula Gutierrez profile picture
Paula Gutierrez
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Kirk is an excellent salesman; he gave us the best tours, was very kind and a very good person, he is the best salesman we have ever had, and his agency is efficient.
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Hobbe Nick Sarmiento Davila profile picture
Hobbe Nick Sarmiento Davila
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Kirk is the best guy we have found in cairns. He is amazing, he gave us an incredible service with a fantastic vibe. He explained everything about the trips in a great way. I really recommend him and this place.

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