15 Wildlife Days in Melbourne Worth Booking

1.Great Ocean Road, 12 Apostles, Wildlife Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 6,020 reviews · 13h 30m · from $94Our pick

Travel from Melbourne with an English-speaking guide such as Warren or Theo, spotting wild koalas and parrots, walking through tall forest, and visiting Torquay, Apollo Bay, the 12 Apostles, and Loch Ard Gorge. Morning tea, transport, and hotel pickup are included, but lunch and dinner are not.

“The Great Ocean Road and the 12 Apostles are spectacular!! We were really lucky with the weather, it was such a beautiful day!! I was in awe of the beauty of the coastline, there were so many amazing viewing platforms and the 12 apostles just took my breath away!! Really recommend this trip, when you‘re in Melbourne, it’s an absolute must do!”

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2.Penguin Parade, & Wildlife Encounters Eco Tour from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 3,774 reviews · from $118Top rated

Spend about 12 hours with Go West Tours, traveling from Melbourne to Brighton Beach, Moonlit Sanctuary, the Nobbies, and Phillip Island’s Penguin Parade. Guides such as Cloe, Jools, Bob, and Graeme are known for lively commentary. Expect a late return, cool evening weather, and no photography at the parade.

“Very informative touring experience. Simon is very friendly, informative, puncture and funny. Everything is on schedule. The tour experience went smooth for us.”

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3.Melbourne Great Ocean Rd Reverse Tour London Bridge Wildlife

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 2,252 reviews · 12 - 13 hours · from $46

Travel from Melbourne along the Great Ocean Road in a reverse-route coach or small-group van. Expect London Bridge, Loch Ard Gorge, the Twelve Apostles, Apollo Bay, wildlife stops, and Memorial Arch. Guides including David Hsu, William, Philip, and Daniel are known for clear commentary and careful driving.

“The tour was wonderful! We traveled with Daniel, an incredible person! He described the places and told stories with great enthusiasm. Besides the Great Ocean Road and the Twelve Apostles, we had the chance to see koalas and kangaroos in their natural habitat. I thought the trip would be tiring, but it was great! I highly recommend it!”

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4.Phillip Island Penguins & Wildlife Day Tour from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 867 reviews · from $111

Travel from Melbourne to Moonlit Sanctuary and Phillip Island with a guide such as Michael, David, Bluey, or Reuben. Feed wallabies, spot koalas, walk the Nobbies boardwalk, and watch Little Penguins come ashore after dark. Expect a 12 to 14 hour day with a late return.

“My husband and I had an awesome tour with our guide, David! The day was spaced out brilliantly, with plenty of toilet, snack/coffee and walk breaks. Seeing the penguins at the official “parade” was of course amazing! But we also got to see them in their nest at the “Nobbies” and could take pictures there, which was really cool! We also saw Wallaby and Echidna in the wild! Highly recommend this tour! My only warning: when you do go to the penguin parade … head to get your food first and eat inside … or a seagull may swoop down and take your fish taco without a second thought …”

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5.Puffing Billy Steam Train & Wildlife Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 640 reviews · 8 hours · from $140

Leave Melbourne by minibus for a one-hour Puffing Billy steam-train ride from Belgrave to Lakeside, followed by two hours at Healesville Sanctuary. Expect rainforest views, open-sided carriages, koalas, kangaroos, birds of prey, and a friendly English-speaking guide such as Gary, Stuart, or Anthony.

“We had an amazing time Stuart as a tour guide was fantastic”

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6.Puffing Billy Train & Penguin Wildlife Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 605 reviews · 12 hours · from $145

Join Explore Australia for a 12-hour trip from Melbourne with guides such as Alan, Gina, Jose, or Stuart. Ride Puffing Billy through the Dandenong Ranges, visit The Nobbies, then watch little penguins come ashore at Phillip Island. Bring warm layers and consider the Penguin Plus upgrade.

“Nathan was amazing! Super knowledgeable and was really friendly. Thank you for making this trip one of our main highlights of Melbourne.”

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7.Penguins and Wildlife Full-Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 539 reviews · from $102

Travel from Melbourne to Phillip Island by air-conditioned bus with an English-speaking guide such as Fiona, Vicky, or Graham. Visit the Koala Conservation Reserve, Woolamai Beach, Nobbies, and Seal Rocks, then watch little penguins return from the sea at the Penguin Parade.

“Just fabulous in every way! Fiona was so knowledgeable and really made sure we got to see the best of everything.”

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8.Penguins and Wildlife Nature Day Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.7 · 380 reviews · 12 hours · from $105

Spend 12 hours with Explore Australia visiting Moonlit Sanctuary, The Nobbies, and Phillip Island’s Penguin Parade. Expect a small-group coach, free time at the wildlife park, coastal viewpoints, and guides such as Gary, Gina, Alan, or LeeLee sharing local wildlife and history.

“Our guide Gary was perfect, he told us a lot about our activities, about Philipps Island & about the penguins. The Moonlit Sanctuary was very nice, even tough it is not as big as Healesville, but the opportunity to feed and pet Wallabies & Kangaroos was lovely. The Noobies is also nice to see, the given time was just perfect for us to enjoy the view. We even saw some penguins sleeping in their homes. The penguin parade was our highlight of the day! As Gary informed us already beforehand, the best way to enjoy the parade is not at the beach where you see them from far away. The…”

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9.Yarra Valley Wildlife & Wine Day Tour with Healesville Sanctuary

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 333 reviews · from $236

Spend 10 hours with a small group visiting Healesville Sanctuary, Yering Station, and De Bortoli Winery. Expect native animals, the bird flight show, a quality vineyard lunch with wine, and estate wine and cheese tastings. Hotel pickup is available from select Melbourne hotels.

“I really enjoyed my trip to the Yarra Valley. I chose the Healesville Sanctuary and Wine Tasting combo tour. I had to reschedule once, but it was handled very smoothly. I did the tour solo, but was with a group of about 8 other people. AltRead more”

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10.Great Ocean Road & Wildlife Tour for Backpackers

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 306 reviews · 1 day · from $91

Spend a full day on the Great Ocean Road with an 18 to 35 age group, visiting the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Apollo Bay, rainforest, and wildlife stops. Guides such as James, Guy, Mark, Raph, and Cam add local stories, humor, and sharp koala-spotting skills.

“Great Tour to see the most important things of the Great Ocean Road and also connect with other people similar to your age. We had enough time at every spot to walk around, take pictures and didn‘t have to sprint from one place to another. Our Guide, James, was very nice and chill (never had a Guide this cool before tbh). He even gave us a camera to take pictures with and those you will get completely for free via e-mail. You also don‘t have to worry about food since you stop at a bakery for breakfast, at Apollo Bay for Lunch with plenty of time to get a good…”

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11.Great Ocean Road Reverse Tour with Iconic Stops & Wildlife

★★★★★★★★★★4.4 · 264 reviews · 12 - 13 hours · from $42

Spend 12 to 13 hours exploring Victoria’s coast and forest on a reverse-route coach tour from Melbourne. Expect the Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge, Apollo Bay, Lorne, Memorial Arch, live commentary in English or Chinese, and possible wild koala and kangaroo sightings. Guides such as Daniel, Ray, Philip, and William are noted for careful driving and friendly service.

“We enjoyed the tour very much! Daniel, our guide, was very informative, pleasant, and kept us on schedule. He took us to a couple of sights where we were able to see koalas and kangaroos in their natural environment all in route to our destination which was great! Overall, an excellent trip. I would encourage a good detailing of the inside of the van and maintenance check as we had to stop at the beginning of the trip to put water in the radiator.”

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12.1 day Puffing Billy Steam Train and Wildlife Tour from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★4.5 · 211 reviews · from $157

Travel from central Melbourne to Grants Picnic Ground, ride Puffing Billy for an hour with its famous open-sided carriage style, then visit Healesville Sanctuary. Guides such as Gerry, Andy, Mark, Margaret, and Stewart add local stories, while the bird show and kangaroo encounters are worth your time.

“The Puffing Billy train ride is unique and fun. We also loved the Healesville Sanctuary and seeing all the koalas, kangaroos and other unique animals there. It is beautifully laid out and feels like you are just out walking in a lovely natural area. Our guide Lucky was great and made the tour very enjoyable.”

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13.Boutique Great Ocean Road, wildlife and Rainforest Experience

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 198 reviews · from $178

Spend about 12 hours on the Great Ocean Road with a maximum of 11 people, traveling in a Mercedes with extra legroom. Guides such as Paul, Andy, Annie, Adam, and Brendan lead coastal stops, wildlife searches, a rainforest walk, lunch in Apollo Bay, and extended time at the Twelve Apostles and Loch Ard Gorge.

“What a great day tour! Andy was very knowledgeable about Melbourne, he explained so well about history, how this happened, what the famous areas in the CBD as well. Often tour guide doesn't have much understanding in the country or the city but he did such a great job. Loved every place that we visited, rainforest, beaches, and of course 12 apostles (not 12 anymore, only 8). Fish and chips along the water, great coffee on the way. It was an amazing day trip”

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14.Small-Group Grampians Great Wildlife Escape Day Trip with Hiking

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 160 reviews · from $111

Spend a long day in the Grampians with a small group of up to 23 people. You’ll visit Boroka Lookout, the Balconies, MacKenzie Falls, Halls Gap, and Brambuk Aboriginal Cultural Centre, with guided walks, wildlife spotting, and commentary from guides such as Lauren, Graham, Jacob, and Tina.

“Really enjoyed a very well planned and informative trip with Jerry as our guide. Great small group. Perfect for quiet time or a group activity as per personal choice.”

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15.Full-Day Penguins and Wildlife Nature Experience from Melbourne

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 150 reviews · from $114

Travel from central Melbourne to Moonlit Sanctuary and Phillip Island in a group of up to 21. Feed kangaroos, see koalas and Tasmanian devils, visit Cape Woolamai and the Nobbies, then watch little penguins return from the sea. Guides such as Brooke, Ryan, and Stuart add local insight.

“The penguins were just delightful. However seeing a wombat at Moonlit Sanctuary and an echidna while driving along was special. Ryan was informative, cares about the environment and showed us why Philip Island is special.”

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