Penguin Parade rules

Can you take photos at the Penguin Parade?

Not after sunset. Photos and videos are banned at night, with or without flash, on cameras and phones alike. Drones are banned at all times.

Nature Parks puts it in one line on its visitor information page: "There is strictly no photography or filming after sunset." The terms (clause 8.9) add "with or without flash", and clause 8.12 rules out drones.

Before sunset you can photograph the beach, the visitor centre and the views. Once the light goes, the screen goes too. Most visitors end up enjoying that.

Why can't you take photos of the penguins?

Because flash and sudden light can frighten or disorientate the penguins, whose eyes are adapted to the dark.

The official FAQ says: "Penguins have sensitive eyes and a bright, sudden flash or unusual light can frighten or disorientate a penguin." The birds come ashore at dusk for cover. A screen in a dark stand is also bright enough to bother the people around you.

The ban isn't new: the South China Morning Post dates it to the 1980s, and notes the site's LED lamps filter out blue light for the same reason. A blanket ban is easier to enforce than a flash-only rule on thousands of phones.

Where can you get Penguin Parade photos instead?

From the official Nature Parks photo gallery, which offers free high-quality penguin images to download.

The media and filming page links to a gallery of professional pictures of the parade, free to download. They are better than anything a phone could manage in the dark. If you want your own penguin photos, go to St Kilda Pier in Melbourne, where photos without flash are allowed on the free guided sessions: see seeing penguins for free.

For a daytime shot of a penguin burrow, the Guided Daytime Adventure Tour (A$25) walks through the restored habitat on the Summerland Peninsula in daylight.

Can I eat at the Penguin Parade?

Yes, in the visitor centre: the Shearwater Restaurant is open 12 pm to 9 pm and Chicks Café from 4 pm until close.

The Penguin Parade page lists both, and the restaurant takes reservations. Payment is contactless only, and a 10% surcharge applies to food and drink on Sundays (15% on public holidays). Eat before you go to the stands; once you are seated, you won't want to give up your spot.

On a tour, food is excluded but you may bring your own, and the Eco Tour lists dinner at the parade as an optional extra. Pack a snack and a hot drink in a flask for the stand. Nature Parks publishes no specific rule on eating in the stands, so be tidy and take your rubbish with you.

What should you wear to the Penguin Parade?

Warm, windproof layers and a waterproof jacket, in every season. A beanie and gloves from April to October.

Nature Parks calls the parade an all-weather outdoor event and tells visitors to dress for "sun, rain, wind, or cold". The stands face Bass Strait, and the wind off the water after dark cuts through a light jacket even in summer. One guest put it simply: "Be warned [...] dress for the cold if you're not there in the warmer months."

Wear flat, closed shoes for the boardwalks. On the Ultimate Adventure Tour, closed walking shoes are mandatory, and any wet-weather gear should be dark and non-reflective so it doesn't startle the penguins.

What should you bring to the Penguin Parade?

A rug for the seat, binoculars, warm layers, a rain jacket, your e-ticket on your phone and a contactless card.

• A rug or blanket. The seats are concrete steps. Nature Parks recommends a rug for sitting or warmth.
• Binoculars. They help you spot the penguin rafts forming offshore at sunset, and the first groups on the sand.
• Layers and a rain jacket. Not an umbrella: it blocks the view behind you.
• Your phone, charged. The ticket is an e-ticket. Keep the phone in your pocket after sunset.
• A contactless card. No cash is accepted anywhere on site.
• Leave at home: drones, pets (assistance dogs excepted) and anything with a bright light.

Hotel pickup, Moonlit Sanctuary and The Nobbies before the parade. Bring the rug, the tour does the driving.

★ 4.8 · 12 hours · from $112

Explore the Penguin Parade Eco Tour → Tour details

Is the Penguin Parade accessible for wheelchairs and prams?

Yes. Paths are wide, with ramps and accessible parking, and there are wheelchair viewing areas in General Viewing, Penguins Plus and Underground.

The accessibility section lists a free wheelchair on request at the ticket desk, pram parking at the viewing stands, a Changing Places facility and wheelchair-height displays. The site is certified sensory-inclusive, with free sensory bags (noise-cancelling headphones, fidget tools, cue cards) and weighted lap pads to borrow. The mobility buggy is out of service while the boardwalks are upgraded; the boardwalks stay open for wheelchairs.

The tours are the hard part. The Eco, afternoon and Wildlife tours are not suitable for wheelchair users, and most tours don't take prams or non-folding wheelchairs. If you use a wheelchair, driving yourself with the General Viewing ticket is the reliable option.

Can you bring kids and babies to the Penguin Parade?

Yes. It suits all ages; children under 4 are free but need a ticket. Penguins Premium and the Guided Penguin Tour are for ages 12 and up.

Children aged 4 to 15 pay A$17 for General Viewing, and under-16s must be with an adult. The bigger issue is the hour: in summer the penguins arrive at about 8:45 pm, and a tour gets back near midnight. Winter is kinder, with arrivals around 5:15 pm.

Bring a blanket each, a snack and something to do while you wait. Underground Viewing is good for small children because the penguins pass at their eye level. On tours, check the age rules: the Penguins & Koalas tour isn't suitable for babies under 1, and most tours don't allow strollers.

Frequently asked questions