A day from Melbourne that pairs a ride on the Puffing Billy steam train through the rainforest of the Dandenong Ranges with the Nobbies and the Penguin Parade on Phillip Island.
Days
- 12 to 14 hours, into the evening
Group size
- Small group
Start / finish
- Melbourne / Melbourne
Return
- See itinerary for details
Transport
- Mini-coach from Melbourne CBD pick-ups; Puffing Billy steam train
Meals
- No meals are listed as included
Route
Included experiences
- Puffing Billy — steam train through the Dandenong Ranges
- Dandenong Ranges — temperate rainforest
- Phillip Island — the Nobbies
- Phillip Island — the Penguin Parade
Pictures / Videos
Reviews
4.8
Based on 12 reviews
Verified from
Real reviews from travellers who've done this tour, gathered from around the web and paraphrased.
AI summary of 12 reviews
Travellers consistently praise the guide team for their friendliness, knowledge and helpfulness, and consistently highlight both the Puffing Billy steam train ride with its distinctive open-carriage experience and the penguin viewing on Phillip Island as memorable attractions that stood out most. The tour is noted for being well organised, comfortable and seamless, with good timing and itinerary management throughout a full day trip from Melbourne. The most common caveat raised by travellers concerns the penguin parade venue itself, which some found overly commercialised with tourists not adhering to the wildlife protection rules in place, and visitors are advised to bring warm clothing as conditions can be chilly.
How we collect and publish reviews
Where they come from. Our reviews are gathered from independent review sites and from guests who share feedback with us directly after their trip. They come from people who have actually travelled on the tour. Some longer trips are made up of shorter tours we also sell, run back to back — where a review was written about one of those legs, the review says so.
Why some are edited. Many of our guests travel in their second or third language. Where a review is hard to read, we lightly edit spelling, grammar and punctuation, or paraphrase a sentence for clarity. We never change the rating, the meaning or the sentiment, and we never write a review on a guest's behalf.
Reading the originals. Reviews sourced from public review sites appear there in their original form, and can be read in full at their original source at any time.
Thanks to Alan for being a fantastic guide on our Puffing Billy and Penguin Parade trip.
A lovely tour and Puffing Billy was great, and our guide Troy was knowledgeable and helpful. I found the penguin parade too commercialised, though, with tourists ignoring the rules meant to protect the wildlife.
A great steam train ride sitting with our legs dangling out of the carriage, and the penguin experience was amazing.
The Puffing Billy and Penguins Experience was fantastic. Our guide Lachie was friendly and supportive and the whole trip was well organised and seamless.
The Puffing Billy and Penguin Parade tour was one of the highlights of my time in Australia, from the charm of the steam train to the penguins coming ashore on Phillip Island. Troy, our driver and guide, was friendly, knowledgeable and engaging and made the day even better.
The Puffing Billy and Penguins Experience with the Penguins Plus option was a delightful, relaxing day trip with breathtaking scenery and a well organised, comfortable itinerary.
