We are off for the Penguin Parade half-day tour today. The tour starts in the afternoon and ends rather early, at about 7 plus because it’s winter.

Had a little more rest and decided to wear NARS Velvet Matte Lip Pencil in Red Square to spice up my day. Or at least, something different with this orange-red lips. I absolutely love this colour but seldom get the chance to wear it.

Throughout our entire holiday in Australia, the days have been short and gloomy due to the season. Jessie and I were just complaining about not being able to wear our shades the day before. And today, we got the chance. We went down town earlier for some Krispy Kreme Doughnuts. We were pampered with choices. All the flavours and colours, heaven.

Our first stop was to Churchill Island. We headed south-east to skirt Western Port, noted for its mangroves and waterbirds. We also viewed the French Island, a one time penal colony.

At Churchill Island, we had the opportunity to look for birds at the wetlands, meet wallabies and perhaps enjoy a quick afternoon tea (coffee). Wallabies are small kangaroos and they are allowed to run freely in a restricted area. We aren’t allowed to feed or touch them, just walk around the fenced area and adore them from far.

Had a little time for a few photos at the gift shop. Love the pink cowboy hat but buying it would be useless so taking photos of us wearing it would be a great souvenir. Left is without flash and right is. You can see the goodness of my lip colour in different light!! I am loving it.

Next, we headed to the Koala Conservation Centre to meet the Koalas.

Honestly, the stops for wallabies and koalas were boring. I mean, I find the stops not necessary. Nothing fascinating, it’s more for the tour to fill time, if you know what I mean. The stops are real quick, even for people who would love to find out more about the conservation have no time to read up about them.

So, if you are not on a tour, consider diving straight to watch the Penguin Parade. Or, if you are keen to make time for the wallabies and koalas, make sure you allocate approximately 45-60 mins per stop to fully embrace the nature.

Finally, the sun is setting and we are moving into the penguin world. We witnessed the world phenomenon of the Penguin Parade. The Little Penguins return from the sea each evening at dusk after spending the day up to 100km off shore. Watch as they leave the sea, cross the beach and go to their burrows.

Photos and video taking are prohibited at all times during the parade because the little penguins’ eyes are very sensitive and delicate. The flash will blind them. No food and drinks after crossing the Visitor Centre either as penguins have choked on rubbish left behind by us.

With no photos, I would have to describe the entire experience with words. Hopefully I can capture the essence of this phenomenon well enough for you.

Many who have been said it wasn’t worth it as there isn’t many penguins. But honestly, it’s partly luck and patience. We waited for about 30 mins for a group of them to surface. Each group consist of about 6-8 penguins, 15 if you are lucky. After about 45 mins, we decided to follow one of the groups to their burrows.

They are so tiny and cute. Each measures about 30-40cm tall. It’s amazing how close they are to us. I can literally touch them if I want to but touching the penguins are not allowed for both our safety and theirs. Afterall, the penguins are wild.

There are several different viewing options available. For more information click here >

We got the most basic, general admission tickets and it was amazing enough. It was truly a remarkable experience, we enjoyed every part of the parade and words can’t describe how amazing these little penguins are. I felt as though I was part of their family living in their habitat.

On every tour brochure, you will probably see this “Please bring warm waterproof clothing as nights can be cold on the island in any season.”

Well, on a tour, it’s always better to play safe than sorry. Although it wasn’t as cold as we thought during our trip to the Philip Island, I have heard so much about the wind and rain through my family and friends who have visited. Weather is unpredictable, so be warm and enjoy rather than staying indoors just because it’s too cold out there.

To give you a better idea of what we wore for this trip as seen in above pictures which kept us relatively warm – I wore a pair of white leggings (not a wise choice, as I had to sit on wooden platforms filled with sand – unless you don’t mind getting it dirty), boots, a regular long-sleeve T, a scarf and my black jacket. Jessie wore her jeans, trainers, wool top, scarf and her red jacket.

We went for another dose of Krispy Kreme Doughnuts after the tour. It was good with a cup of latte, not to mention the super cute guy who served us!!

Thank you for reading.