Battered Suitcases

the Penguin Parade!When I first heard about the Penguin Parade I was really excited… and then immediately disappointed. Who wouldn’t be charmed by the idea of little penguins on parade? However, I knew we’d be operating on a very strict budget in Australia. I predicted that the $22 entry fee would be out of reach and resigned myself to no penguins on parade in my future.

Yet, when the day finally came that we arrived on Phillip Island, Mike and I decided to drive down to the “parade grounds” just to check it out. Well, that little drive turned into a “Screw it! We’ve been good at budgeting… let’s see some penguins!”

Best decision ever.

Are you wondering what a penguin parade might be? Every night at sunset hundreds (sometimes thousands) of little penguins (that’s their actual name) “emerge from the sea and march across the beach to their sand dune burrows.” They’ve got little fluffy babies to feed! The Phillip Island Nature Park has organized a formal viewing experience for visitors to observe the phenomenon in order to help protect the penguins and conserve their habitat.

Sadly (and wisely), cameras and recording equipment are not allowed on the premises. (We actually saw one person get kicked out for trying to secretly use a camcorder.) So I can’t actually show you photos of the adorableness, you’ll just have to trust me (and this official video).

Here’s how it works.

Buy your ticket and enter the grand tourist complex. If you’ve got money to spend you can enjoy a snack at the cafeteria or buy penguin souvenirs at the shops (yes, plural). There’s a countdown clock predicting the penguins’ arrival on the wall which will surely get you pumped up and ready for the parade!

Go outside and walk along the boardwalk to the grandstand on the edge of the ocean. It’s time to wait.

Gradually you will begin to notice small groups of penguins arriving on shore. They’ve been out fishing all day and are ready for dry land. Some go directly up the embankment while others linger (fall down) in the waves. As more and more penguins arrive, they start to walk single file up the hill past the counting devices. There is a literal parade!

After the majority of the penguins arrive, the crowd leaves the grandstands and wanders along the boardwalk. From here you can see the baby penguins (pure fluff) in their burrows chirping and waiting for dinner. Baby little penguins are painfully adorable. The temptation to snuggle one is just too great for some. I saw a grown woman reach out and pet one…twice! Her behavior shocked me, but I can’t say I blame her. Those little guys are cute!

Although it doesn’t seem possible, eventually you’ll be ready to head for home. There are numerous signs reminding you to check under your car for penguins. These little guys take over parts of the island so much so that certain roads are closed after dusk to keep them protected.

At the end of the night, I was happy to have paid $22 to a worthy cause. All of the proceeds of the Phillip Island Nature Park are invested back into supporting the penguins. These little ones have been my favorite tourist attraction by far and are highly recommended, even to travelers on a budget.

The Penguin Parade is truly delightful.

xo, jill

PS If you’re ready for cuteness overload, check out this little scheme to knit the little penguins little sweaters to wear in the event of an oil spill.

Gingers only.

This morning I was once again going through photos on my computer (need to free up space), and I came across evidence of an outing back in December. This was right before settling in to house sit for the holidays on the Central Coast. On our way to the house sitting house, we camped one night in Newcastle and spent an afternoon at Redhead Beach. Redhead Beach is named after the eighty meters high Redhead Point. My photography skills didn’t quite capture it, but if you saw it in person you’d see that the head is indeed red(ish).

No complaints about a day at the beach.

xo, jill 

Wilson’s.

One of the highlights on our way from Sydney to Melbourne was Wilson’s Promontory National Park. The park is one of the most loved National Parks in Australia (it’s Lonely Planet’s favorite) and sits at the southernmost tip of the mainland.  This place is so well-loved that if you want to camp you’ll need to throw your name into a lottery… 6 months in advance! Obviously, camping in the park wasn’t going to be an option of us. Instead, we found a caravan park in the nearby town of Foster (40k north).

The park has so many beaches, hiking trails, scenic drives, and water activities to offer that you could happily spend weeks checking them all out. We had to settle for two days.

With our limited time we opted to relax at Squeaky Beach, check out several viewpoints, and complete a couple of easier hiking trails.

I can definitely see why Wilson’s Prom is such a beloved fixture in Victoria and Australia as a whole.

xo, jill