Melbourne: Phillip Island, Brighton Beach, Moonlit Sanctuary

Your Phillip Island adventure begins with late morning pickup at selected Melbourne hotels in an air-conditioned minivan equipped with onboard Wi-Fi. Your first stop on the Phillip Island day trip is Brighton. See the historic Brighton Beach bathing boxes and spend time soaking up the views. Continue to Moonlit Sanctuary Wildlife Conservation Park, where you'll learn about an array of Australian animals, including cuddly koalas, and lend a hand during feeding time. Included in your visit here is the spectacular “Conservation in Action” wildlife show, which showcases a number of lesser-known Australian species in a series of interactive and engaging ranger presentations. Afterward, head to the island’s southwestern coast for dramatic views of the Nobbies and Seal Rocks, home to Australia’s largest fur seal colony. For an enchanting finale to the day, make your way to a local beach for the famous Penguin Parade. As dusk falls, watch from a viewing platform as hundreds of adorable little penguins—the smallest species in the world—emerge from the ocean and waddle across the sand and shrub to their nearby burrows. Once the penguins are safely tucked into their homes for the night, relax on the approximately 1.5-hour return drive to Melbourne, where you’ll be dropped off back at your departure point.