⭐ Perth Wildlife Encounters – A Magical Experience You’ll Never Forget! ⭐

Visiting Perth Wildlife Encounters was truly one of the most memorable experiences I’ve had in Western Australia. From start to finish, everything felt well-organised, welcoming, and filled with genuine passion for wildlife conservation.

The staff were incredibly friendly, knowledgeable, and clearly love what they do. Their enthusiasm makes the entire tour feel personal and special. You don’t just see wildlife—you connect with them.

The absolute highlight was getting up close with dolphins, penguins, and sea lions in their natural environment. Watching them swim freely, play, and interact was something truly magical. The guides made sure everyone felt safe, informed, and comfortable throughout the journey.

The boat ride was smooth, scenic, and filled with stunning views of the coastline. It’s perfect for families, couples, or anyone who loves nature and adventure.

If you’re visiting Perth or even living here, Perth Wildlife Encounters is a must-do experience. It’s not just a tour—it’s a reminder of how beautiful and precious our wildlife truly is. I walked away with amazing photos, unforgettable memories, and a deep appreciation for WA’s marine life.

Highly recommended! 🌊🐬🐧🦭

11/10 experience!!!! Not only did we see a HEAP of dolphins, the crew went above and beyond to ensure we had a great view of them, were comfortable and safe at all times, and very importantly, having fun. The briefing with info, lunch, amenities etc were all awesome. To the skipper and ALL the crew, you made the memory of a lifetime for us.
We HIGHLY recommend this tour. Excellent value for money.

We did the 60min dolphin cruise, the tour was incredible and so were the wonderful staff. Our skipper, Bradley, was very talented, we all felt very safe, the trip was smooth and he got us nice and close to a lot of the attractions, Isla the deck/guide was extremely knowledgeable, well spoken and full of fun facts if you get these two your tour will be great! They showed us dolphins and sea lions and ospreys. If you’re in the area this tour is a MUST :)

Off season.....incubation period for penguins.....but then one could see them on a tiny island nearby.....amazing.Many thanx to those officers and staffs at the centre.

People need to be aware you are very unlikely to see live Penguins Sadly Penguin Island is losing its uniqueness. Not advertised prior but there are now less that 110 penguins on the island. They fish from early morning til the sun goes down so really hard to even see one. Disappointing to explain to children once you are there. Environmental issues have taken there total, but there is a huge amount of birdlife. Saying that once you get over the fact that this is the case the boardwalks to walk along and see the beauty of nature is lovely. Finally the cost of the ferry ride is over the top and should be addressed. Staff on the ferry really friendly as were the people on the island. I have been to Penguin Island before hence my opinion now.

Incredible day! Lots of bad reviews recently so I almost didn’t do a tour and I’m so glad I still went for it. Such an incredible day! Saw lots of dolphins, pelicans and sealions as well as various bird species. Obviously wildlife viewing is never guaranteed as they are wild and free and go where they please, but they are about and chances are you will see something! We got lucky and saw so much. The captain (Aaron) and tour guide (Isla) were lovely, knowledgable and respectful of the wildlife we encountered. The guided walk was also very interesting. A definite MUST SEE when in this area. Highly recommend. Money spent on visiting this island helps the endangered tiny penguin population, so it’s money well spent! You may not see the penguins as they are out at sea most of the day but you may get lucky. It’s all part of the fun.

Penguin Island. Tips and tricks This island is a great place to visit for the day
You need to bring food, drinks, fold up chairs or blanket and maybe shade if you want. There are several ways to get to the island.
1. Walk across the sandbar. This can be very dangerous especially in high tide, swell or wind. Not really recommended. If you do please have floatation devices.
2. Use a kyak or SUP but be aware of strong winds. Sometimes it's very hard getting back.
3. Take the ferry. It leaves on the hour from 9am till 2 or 3pm. Fares include a guided walk which is very informative but you can opt out and save $10. I recomment the talk as it is very informative.

There is a great free app for children 5 to 11years. It was be used for many parks in the metropolitan area called PLAY TRAILS. The app pings as you walk around the island. It then speaks a child friendly poem about the site and then gives a fun challenge. It really keeps the kids interested but of course not as informative as the guided tour.

The commercial ferry company, Wildlife Adventures, also has a variety of tours that are well worth investigating.

So, will you see penguins on the island? Probably not as they leave to go fishing at 5am and come back at about 8.30pm. In December they malt and can't swim so they stay hidden in their nests for about 2 weeks. There are about 150 penguins on the island.

We have soooo much wildlife on the island. Pelicans, crested terns, seagulls and King skinks. So you won't see penguins but you will see so much more. If you want to see a penguin go to the zoo or Caversham Wildlife. Because penguins in their natural environment as very rarely seen in the daytime. Be careful of our King skinks. They are very friendly and love to crawl into your bags. Please do no feed our wildlife

Very clean toilets. Drinking water but NO BINS SO PLEASE TAKE YOUR RUBBISH HOME.

Depart of Patks and Wildlife Rangers, department volunteers and camp hosts (who stay on the island) can answer your questions. They all wear blue bur as the Ferry company also wear blue it can be a bit confusing.

Not worth the cost. I would not be able to recommend this trip. As many have pointed out, you can no longer see penguins on Penguin Island. It feels dishonest to not disclose this on the website or prior to purchasing tickets. It should be called Seagull Poo island as that is a more accurate description of what we experienced. Beach was also filled with seaweed and smelt horrible.

Saw a bird on a rock during the “cruise.” That was it.
I understand it’s not their fault if the wild animals aren’t out for viewing, so I can’t complain about that aspect of it but overall the cost of the entire experience does not reflect the quality of the experience at all.

It’s time to change it up hopefully whoever runs this is listening to the feedback

Don’t waste your money !! Disappointed! Do not waste your time and money ! Did not see any dolphin or penguins ! Saw 1 sea lion 400 ms away . Please read the fine prints on their page . Employees told us that you will not see any penguins when we were on the penguin island .

Don’t waste your money !! Disappointed! Do not waste your time and money ! Did not see any dolphin or penguins ! Saw 1 sea lion 400 ms away . Please read the fine prints on their page . Employees told us that you will not see any penguins when we were on the penguin island .

Penguin Island & Dolphin, Sea Lion & Penguin Island Cruise – A Stunning Nature Experience

Penguin Island is a breathtaking destination just off the coast of Rockingham, perfect for nature lovers and wildlife enthusiasts. The short ferry ride over offers gorgeous views, and the island itself features crystal-clear waters, white sandy beaches, and scenic walking trails.

Seeing little penguins in the wild is rare, but the 30-minute guided tour was a great way to explore the island’s beauty and learn about its wildlife. Two special highlights were spotting a dolphin and also seeing the sea lion play with his food during the tour—both magical moments! The island is also home to a variety of seabirds, making it a great spot for birdwatching.

We also took part in the Dolphin, Sea Lion & Penguin Island Cruise, which was a fantastic experience. While we didn’t see dolphins during the cruise itself, the sight of sea lions lounging on the sandbanks was incredible. The crew was knowledgeable and made the experience both informative and engaging. The cruise provided beautiful views of the marine park and made for a relaxing way to enjoy the area.

Overall, Penguin Island combined with the cruise makes for a fantastic day trip. Just be sure to bring your own food and water, as facilities on the island are limited.

A wonderful nature experience with stunning scenery, wildlife encounters, and a well-run guided tour and cruise!

No penguins on Penguin Island (times of the year impact your chance of seeing them) We went to see the penguins but there were none, however we were not told this until after we had paid $100 (4 adults) and arrived on the island. Naturally we asked where we could see them only to be told we wouldn’t at this time of year. This was advised by an employee and a volunteer who had been living on the island for weeks and they themselves hadn’t seen one. Naturally we shared our disappointment on the boat ride back and were told, “we didn’t name the island” and “they are wild animals and so there are no guarantees of seeing them”. Upon further conversation back on land with the manager we were further advised that at certain times of the year the presence of the penguins changes. This info isn’t on the web page and wasn’t shared prior to selling us ferry tickets to the island. We had followed up our dissatisfaction in email as had requested a refund, which was refused, yet instead offered 4 free ferry tickets to go again and even though I followed up again, got nil reply. It’s not clear that penguins are not always on the island and so something to consider if that’s what you are going to see, you probably won’t.

Loved this place what a great way to see birds sea lions and penguins in their natural habitat

Amazing dolphin show Absolutely brilliant day. Guys on the boat were amazing so informative
The dolphins put on such a good show. No penguins out to sea feeding.

Wonderful wildlife watching tour This is a great way to see the amazing wildlife around Penguin & Seal Islands if you would rather not get into the water. The crew are informative, and go out of their way to ensure that you see the sea lions, dolphins and other amazing wildlife that call these islands home.

No Penguins Warning you won't be seeing any Penguins! Although, the Penguin Island website states "A five minute ferry ride is all it takes to meet the world's smallest penguins ..", without the Discovery Centre there is very little chance of seeing the world's smallest penguins. This is because the penguins leave the island early in the morning and don't return until after sunset. I went to Penguin Island expecting to see at least one penguin because I had no idea that the Discovery Centre no longer existed.
Nevertheless, it is a nice day trip to the island. I just wish I would have known that I wouldn't be seeing any penguins.

Misleading advertising Advertising with photos of penguins should be changed, disappointing to not see penguins with overseas visitors, especially when we went to caversham wildlife park and avoided the penguins there in anticipation of seeing them at Penguin Island. Feels like we wasted our money twice, otherwise if this was just advertised as a sea lion and dolphin tour I wouldn’t complain as that is true to advertised and beautiful.

Penguin Island We've visited Penguin Island many times over the years & also taken the Dolphin Encounters trip as well. Have many great memories of the wildlife & staff .

Being from the UK we haven't been to Rockingham since the end of 2019 mainly due to the Pandemic.

We were so saddened to learn of the demise of the Discovery Centre(DC) for the injured / rescued little penguins . Understand the rationale for the final decision though .

Even more sad to learn from the DBCA about Kevin would like to let Jane D . & the other DC staff know we share in their loss of him & some of the others before rehoming to Perth Zoo & CWP occurred .

I still think Penguin Island is worth visiting & wish the all staff involved all the very best .

Recommend this company to everyone The water was soupy, but this is not the outfit's fault, blame mother nature.
They delivered what they promised, very friendly, great music from the skipper, the food was great.
The guides very informative, paid attention to everyone, all of them were scanning non stop for seals and dolphins and they looked after everybody.
Four seals, nothing to complain about, was worth the money, had a great day on the water!

What an experience! Watching the dolphins and sea lions in their natural habitats was a special thing????. We were so happy to have four dolphins swimming thru the waves of the boat... and watch the sea lions lazing the day away. Snorkeling thru caves and along the rocky islands was a highlight for me????.
The crew are so welcoming and knowledgeable with lots of interesting facts about the wildlife and islands. Always nice to meet travellers from all corners of the earth too????. A beautiful selection of fresh seafood, sandwiches and fruit for lunch???????????????? was the perfect end to a great trip. ???????? As its 100% wild each time will be a different adventure, I'll definitely return next summer.

One small oversight, ruined our whole day :( Because of not being told or reminded at check in (and nothing mentioned by the Staff member double checking at the normal ferry, when viewing our Cruise Boarding Pass) - that the FIRST Ferry of the day (for the Dolphin Cruise) actually leaves from the Main Pier (and not the actual Island like all the others) - myself and 10 family Members (including my elderly mother in a wheelchair and 3 kids) had to sit around for 4 hours in the only shade on the Island (we think) as being the picnic tables area, with no long term supplies of food / water, activities:( It was a frustrating and heartbreaking experience for me as organiser of this family reunion outing, to have missed the small print regarding the first ferry of the day - when the Confirmation Email stipulated booking your transfer ferry to the Island before your tour as a prep 'must do'. We were not checked / advised by 2 different staff members when viewing our boarding passes, that we were boarding the wrong boat:( The fact that we paid nearly $700, made us wait around for first alternative Cruise available after that. (4 hours). We also missed our afternoon activity too, back in Perth City, so that added insult to injury! If all had gone well, the feedback would have been way higher, as it definitely looked a beautiful place to enjoy properly - errors on both sides I admit - but a very expensive lesson.

Booked this on my birthday with myself and my partner. Although I understand that it isn't always guaranteed to see wildlife, and the guides did their best to assist. We didn't see anything. No sea lion snorkel. No dolphin snorkel and I only really saw one or two fish in the other snorkel spot. The guides did their best but I was overall very disappointed as for $250 I would have expected to at least see something. The food was also average as well. I would have had absolutely no problem with it if the staff could book us in for a date in the future again to try again, but they were quite rude and not understanding at all. We also wanted to use our return to ferry another date at least, and they said we had to use that ferry ticket today which we didn't want to do. Overall really unimpressed with the staff response to an overall disappointing experience. A real shame as I know the crew on the boat did their best.

If I could give a 100 stars I totally would. We went for the 'Swim with Wild Dolphins' experience and it was truly breathtaking. We got to float in the water as wild dolphins came within metres of us in huge groups. They are social because this organisation has been working in these parts for decades and truly understand the wild dolphins. The boat is clean and fairly spacious. Food was lovely. It was a magical, life-changing day and anyone who can must do it!

Twitcher’s paradise I remember coming to Shoalwater Islands Marine Park, in which the Penguin Island sits, 9 years ago. Our family changed our itinerary one day before Christmas Eve and booked this trip. Luckily we got our tickets for the cruise and guided tour walk. Both are worth the trip.
Nine years apart, the place remains awesome with numerous marine life: sea lions, bottlenose dolphins, pelicans, cormorants, crested terns, bridled terns.
The only difference is you can’t be guaranteed to sight a little Penguin. Our family found two staying in the wild. I counted ourselves very lucky. And of course, chance favours the prepared mind. I would much recommend bring your telephoto lens if you’re an avid birdwatcher.

Don’t waste your time ! Should have called “Seagull island” instead.
The penguins were move to the zoo and there were no information during booking or not that I’m aware of during booking! We saw the Sea lions from very far but no penguins! No Dolphins! Waste of $$ and time!

My husband, daughter (10yo) and I did the Swimming with Dolphins tour. What an amazing experience!
We loved our day: 6 hours on a boat! Nice, vibrant and motivating crew with superb knowledge and skills! They put you in the water as many times as possible to have an encounter with the dolphins. They really try to give you the best experience! It is priceless to look into the water and see a dolphin swimming underneath.
It is a complete experience: we saw SO MANY DOLPHINS while on the boat!
The food was very good as there was plenty for everyone!
It was the best day ever!
Thank you all!

Excellent customer service What a lovely experience. We did the Island tour with a fantastic young guide, Neave. A great entertaining commentary and very knowledgeable. Probably one of the best tour guide I have encountered. Well done Neave.
We then went on the Dolphin Sea Lion tour with Ian and Lara. Again fantastic commentary and knowledge. A great team working together so that the passengers could see the most wildlife on show.
I would highly recommend this tour as the quality of customer service, their knowledge and passionr we eceived from all the staff and volunteers on the island was second to none

Well done.

No penguins but still a worthwhile trip Although we were disappointed not to see any penguins, we did see plenty of pelicans and other seabirds along with a few skinks. The island is a bird sanctuary and I was happy to pay the charge so it can be maintained. The walk around the island, especially the view points, was lovely.

**Swim with Dolphins**
My partner & I did this day tour together and it was honestly incredible.
From the amazing reservation staff to the pick up & drop off transfers we paid extra for to get from Perth to Rockingham. Now, the tour itself was so FUN. Getting so up close to the Dolphins was surreal, especially in their natural habitat. We had the best day and I would totally recommend this tour and do it again if I'm ever back on the West Coast.

AWESOME!! What an experience!!!
We went swimming with wild dolphins. Couldn't have asked for any more!! The crew were great and knowledgeable in everything, they were just as excite as everyone else to see more.
We got to see so many dolphins in and out of the water many times over the whole trip with many chances to get in with them to see more.
All of the kit supplied was top class and the lunch was amazing
This isn't a cheap trip but wow it's worth the money 1000000%

Great place to learn about our little penguins The penguin discovery centre was a really good start to the day. The volunteers obviously love these little guys and are hopeful that it’s taking the stress off the wild population. Really lovely walk around the well maintained boardwalk to see the seabird rookeries. Finished off with a cruise to see the seals. All the staff were really passionate about their cause and full of useful information.

Wonderful experience Calm boat trip around Penguin Island and surrounds. Friendly, professional, enthusiastic and knowledgeable guides. We saw dolphins, sea lions and many birds. Great experience!!

Worth a trip. Enjoyed a peaceful visit to the island where I learned so much about penguins. I saw a little group of rescue penguins at the discovery centre and learned that seeing them in the wild during the day is unlikely as they spend 80% of their time in the water and only come home in the very late afternoon / evening. So special to have a place that provides a predator free sanctuary for these little penguins.

No snorkeling included, disappointing We paid for this package but at the location, we were told that it does not include snorkeling. It was a one-hour Uber drive to Shoalwater only to be told this upon reaching. In the end, we had to just sit in the boat and watch other people snorkeling and they had booked from other websites. Even the staff and crew confirmed this. By the way, the staff and the crew are good, friendly and knowledgable.

Average tourist attraction The island was nice and it would be a nice day trip with the family and a picnic. We took the short ferry ride over and walked the 2km route around the island. The education centre on the island was disappointing.

Only 7 penguins at discovery centre Despite there only being 7 penguins in the discovery centre, it is still a great experience and very educational and entertaining. Great for adults as well as children .we were a group of 4 adults. Quick ferry ride (5 minutes) each way.

Excellent snorkelling and birdlife Really knowledgeable guides, excellent safety brief, plenty of time to explore. Amazing fish, birds, colours, seals and dolphins. Food onboard not abundant so don’t start trip feeling

Great tour & great staff Great tour! And absolutely fantastic staff, thank you very much for the tour today. I missed my tour time by accident and rang the office, they said it was no problem as the next tour wasn’t full and let me on the next tour. Thanks again highly recommended

Could spend the time elsewhere We took the hour cruise to see dolphins, penguins and sea lions. Unfortunately we didn’t any dolphins but managed to catch a couple of sea lions lazing on the shore. There were penguins in the show thereafter but overall there isn’t much to see and do at Penguin Island. Pego Cafe’s fish and chips were really nice though.

Nice place to visit Excellent visit to the island but under so much pressure from visitors, numbers need to be limited to let it ( the island ) and the penguin numbers recover, can understand that some of it will close in June this year. Beautiful spot to chill on the beach and see wildlife, loads of fish, dolphins and sea lions in the shallow bay. To be honest I hope it gets more support and limits it’s opening more or certainly the number of people that are allowed onto the island, Witnessed younger children with little understanding of nature and no parents present destroying nature ! by throwing jelly fish onto the beach fortunately they got bored quickly and moved off! But all said and done a great place to visit.

Excellent Excellent trip to view the islands including seal and penguin island, good commentary, was a breezy day so a bit of spray but to me that made it more fun but a few complained ! What do you expect from a small tour boat, two staff onboard were great, informative and knowledgeable they made it an enjoyable trip. I would recommend the trip to families of all ages, kids enjoy the glass bottom to view fish !

Great day out It takes around an hour to get here from Fremantle. It was fairly busy with school holidays, but we managed to get tickets for the ferry over to the island. Just a short journey over to the Island. We did the walk all over the island which took around an hour on the walkways. Great views of the bird colonies including a huge gathering of pelicans. We went to the penguins in the visitor centre and was interesting to hear about how the penguins are looked after although sad to hear their numbers have dramatically decreased in the last decade.
The beaches are beautiful and sandy and the water is shallow. There are bathroom facilities on the island but I did not see anywhere that sells food or drink so I think you have to take your own.
The return ferries fill up quite quickly so get in line early else you need to wait for the next one.
It’s a good day out which all ages would enjoy.

Fun cruise Brilliant cruise around the marine reserve to view the islands and some wildlife, including sea lions and dolphins. Was a fun trip on a slightly windy day but was informative and great guide and skipper on the boat, defo do it again, recommend to anyone.

I would say the three islands cruise is a bit overpriced, even after a 10% discount and with the ferry transfer included, if you compare it with the Mandurah dolphin cruise on which you get to see quite a few more dolphins (due to the larger population in Mandurah) in a much closer distance and a more diverse scenery. The sighting of sea lions is pretty much guaranteed since they rarely move on the island, but you certainly need to bring a telescope or a camera with long range zoom lenses.
As for the penguin island, the little fairy penguins can be seen in the discovery center during daytime (the others should all be in the sea before sunrise). Seeing a lot of huge pelicans up close is really a surprise though (I encountered one literally right in front of me around the boardwalk). The lizards on the grass near discovery center were definitely a bonus point.

Easy to get the ferry across. Don’t bother walking the sand bar. Too dangerous and inconvenient if the tide changes. I would recommend for the boat company to make so you can scan onto the boat using the given QR code instead of having to go to the shop to exchange it for a ticket.

A bit disappointing Fully appreciate this is a nature cruise. However we barely spent 30 seconds at the place where you might see marine life through the glass bottom. Saw a couple of dolphins. The sea lions were in the distance. The birds nothing special. Tbh the island itself nothing special. 2 short boardwalks that were partially closed. Enjoyed seeing the blue penguins albeit decided not to stay for the talk and feed. This allowed us to return on the 12.10 ferry. Came away thinking this was a poor value experience albeit gladly accept other people may have better experiences

Snorkelling in the Shoalwater Marine Park We had a wonderful time with the very experienced and knowledgeable guides/instructors who clearly love their Marine Park. Wetsuits, snorkel equipment and instruction with 2 long swims in the bay and a perfect lunch afterwards. We saw playful dolphins, enormous sea lions, osprey and schools of local fish. A beautiful place to visit and we were very thankful to be shown how to navigate it safely. Best to your trip through the Penguin Island Discovery Centre.

Magical I visited penguin Island with my husband in January . We found it well worth the trip.it was a short ferry trip from shoalwater and then we went for an hours cruise from the island which was very informative and the smaller islands with the sea lions and osprey nests were fascinating. The island itself was rugged and quite beautiful with all the wild birds and the beaches are amazing. Although there are penguin on the island we did not see them in the wild there are some however that are kept in a protected area that you can see

Exciting Memorable Interactive Snorkelling Tour I recently went on the Perth Wildlife Encounters - 3 Island Snorkel Tour and it was an incredible experience!
The tour guides were knowledgeable and friendly, and they made sure everyone felt comfortable and safe while snorkelling.
The tour takes you to three different islands, each with its own unique marine life to discover.
I saw a variety of fish, crabs, kelp and even a few majestic sting rays! One of the couples snorkelling with us saw a Leafy Sea-dragon hiding in the kelp and another swimmer spotted a Dusty Moorwong!!! I hope that’s how to spell it lol
The snorkelling equipment provided was high quality, my wetsuit was so comfort and buoyant, totally made me feel at ease to just float on the surface and see all the underwater creatures beneath me.
After our final snorkel location we got back on the boat to find a beautifully laid out lunch of fresh fruits, super yummy sandwiches and honestly some of the best seafood nibbles I’ve ever had! You’ve got to try the marinated octopus - it’s amazing!

I got so many excellent photos and even added some really lovely romantic ones of hubby and I to cherish.

Overall, I highly recommend this tour for anyone looking for an exciting and educational day out on the water.

Amazing Experience! Well Worth It The guides were amazing, and the tour was beautiful and informative! High quality gear made it a really enjoyable and relaxing experience.

Fun trip with amazing staff It was an enjoyable experience. They provided top quality equipment, the staff was amazing. Our group leader (you split into small groups), Kaitlyn was amazing with interacting my child in the water that my child abandoned me and had a new friend. My negative is I think it’s a bit expensive for the experience. BUT I have snorkeled a lot. If you are new to snorkeling you will be well looked after.

Get there early! The tour was lovely and informative. We went on the 9.45am, if I had my time again I would go on the earlier tour, unfortunately the weather changed which meant our time on the island was impacted by extreme winds. The penguin talk was highly informative and interesting. The penguins were very cute.

It was a decent experience (3 island snorkeling), but unfortunately we only did 2 spots and missed the crucial penguin island. It might have been because of the wind that day or setting up wetsuit time - really unsure. Would be good to know in advance what the plan is. I believe speeding up the booking process could be the option to sign waivers in advance and request for wetsuit sizes (if people know them). Saw some decent fish, sea lions and dolphins for my video and the crew were amazing, the reason for 4 stars. Thanks again! :)

The little penguins are so cute! We visited Penguin Island in mid-November, paying $35 per person for the ferry ride and the ranger talk at the Discovery Centre. It was a cold and windy day and they told us when we arrived that we would only be able to stay for an hour as they were closing the island early due to the weather (so the next ferry after ours would be the last one leaving the island). To be fair, they did send us an email that morning warning us that the hours would be curtailed and inviting us to come a different day. But by that point, we were already en route, and our days in the Perth area were coming to a close, so it wasn’t really an option to turn around, drive the almost 1 hr 30 min back home and try again another day.

We arrived and immediately went to the Discovery Centre as the ranger talk/penguin feeding was starting more or less immediately. The feeding and talk lasted about 20 minutes and was very informative. The penguins weren’t especially cooperative, but some of them walked around and one swam in the tank.

We were invited to stay around to look at the penguins when the show was over, so I stayed for about another 20 minutes. At this point, there was only about 20 minutes left before the ferry was coming back. I decided to go out, walk around the island and see the other animals (particularly the pelicans). I had read up on the island before arriving and was prepared for the fact that penguin island’s penguins were likely to be out fishing/swimming/feeding during the day, so the odds of spotting a penguin on penguin island (other than the rescue penguins in the Discovery Centre) were slim to none. Anyone not knowing this in advance might feel somewhat cheated.

I did a quick tour of the island and got back in time to catch the ferry back. Overall, it was very rushed due to the last-minute schedule change, but I understand why it was done. Even on a cold/windy day, we would have liked a second hour so I could have stayed a bit longer with the penguins in the Discovery Centre and spent a bit more time exploring the rest of the island.

The only other slight negative was that the booking information insisted that we arrive and check in at least 30 minutes before the ferry sailing. While I can see that on the busiest tourist season day it might take that long to check everyone in, on this day it seemed unnecessary. We ended up arriving about 35 minutes in advance and, due to the cold and the wind, spent the next 25 minutes sitting in our car. We also noticed other people who appeared to show up and check in well before the 30-minute cut-off, so it is unclear why the booking information was so insistent about this timing requirement.

Beautiful island Took the five minute ferry ride to Penguin Island. Went to the Penguin feeding which was very informative. You won’t see many penguins though as the ones not in the sanctuary tend to hide away. However there were dozens of beautiful pelicans and a lovely walk all around the island. Probably three hours is enough here although you can take a picnic and spend time on the various beaches. There are toilet facilities but nowhere to buy a drink so take something with you. A little coffee shop would be really useful and bring some more funds to the island.

Not to be missed Fantastic experience that shouldn’t be missed when visiting WA. I have now done it twice and both times (at 9.45am) it has been great and we have been lucky to see so many wildlife - dolphins, sea lions and birds as well as beautiful scenery. No need for filters as the color of the water is just breathtaking.

Interesting cruise We did this as soon as we landed on Penguin Island. We saw Dolphins, Sea Lions and a couple of Ospreys during the tour. The staff was friendly, knowledgeable and pleasant. The weather was fine as well. Very informative and well worth doing.

A day on the water with Perth Wildlife Encounters Swimming with Wild Dolphins ????
Cockburn Sound turned it on with clear blue skies and low winds ☀️
The crew were SO professional and genuine, and seemed to get a real kick out of making sure everyone was having a fun time. We saw SO MANY dolphins and they played and interacted with us for an hour or more. Lunch was perfect, with platters, seafood and sandwiches on the deck.
My 10yo absolutely loved it and told me it was one of the best days of his life ❤️

Very disappointing - Not the right season We paid over $30 for a 5min ferry ride and only to see a few little penguins in a tiny pool. We had to stay in a very small place, it was forbidden to visit the island. However, I think going there in the right season is definitely much better. They should do a discounted rate for off season visits. Other than that, the scenery is very pretty.

I spent the day with Perth Wildlife Encounters yesterday to swim with wild dolphins. This was the most incredible experience of my life. We spent much of the day in the water surrounded by playing dolphins it was amazing and so beautiful. The staff were extremely professional, friendly and knowledgeable and very on point with safety. Overall a fantastic day and I would highly recommend this to anyone who loves the ocean and particularly dolphins.