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Book via – www.penguinisland.com.au
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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.
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Jackie
05 Jul 2025
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Reservations Team, Owner at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2025-06-05
HI there,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback and for being a returning visitor to Penguin Island. We completely understand your disappointment around not seeing the little penguins during your visit, especially when explaining it to children. As you noted, these penguins are wild and spend most of the day out at sea, returning after dark. While there are still around 100–150 nesting on the island, sightings during the day can be rare.
We do our best to communicate this on our website and booking platforms, but we appreciate your suggestion to make this even clearer to manage expectations for all visitors.
That said, we’re glad to hear you still enjoyed the beautiful boardwalks, birdlife, and natural scenery. And thank you for acknowledging our friendly staff—we’ll be sure to pass your kind words along.
We truly value your insights and hope that if you choose to visit again in the future, you continue to enjoy the peaceful and unique environment that Penguin Island offers.
Kind Regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
Joanne
26 May 2025
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Reservations Team, Owner at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2025-06-16
Hi M8745CQalishac,
Thank you so much for your wonderful review! We're thrilled to hear you had an incredible day and were able to see so much amazing wildlife!
We truly appreciate your understanding that wildlife sightings can never be guaranteed, but we’re so glad the day delivered a memorable experience for you. We’ll be sure to pass on your kind words to Aaron and Isla — they’ll be delighted to know they made your visit even more special.
We hope to welcome you back again one day!
Regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
Alisha
18 May 2025
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.
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Reservations Team, Owner at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2025-06-05
Hi PeterRaye,
Thank you so much for taking the time to share such a helpful and informative review! You've covered so many great tips for future visitors, from transport options and safety advice to the importance of bringing your own supplies and taking rubbish home. We’re especially glad you mentioned the Play Trails app as its such a fun way to keep kids engaged while exploring the island.
You’re absolutely right that while the penguins are hard to spot during the day in the wild, the island is still full of incredible wildlife, and the King skinks certainly like to make themselves known! We also appreciate your shout-out to the Rangers, volunteers, and our team all working together to protect this special place.
Thanks again for your thoughtful review and for helping others make the most of their visit to Penguin Island!
Kind Regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
PeterRaye
28 Apr 2025
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
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Reservations Team, Owner at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2025-06-05
Hi Freedom265598,
Thank you for taking the time to share your feedback. We’re sorry to hear that your experience didn’t meet your expectations, and we appreciate you being honest about what you encountered on the day.
You’re absolutely right that the Penguin Island Discovery Centre, which once housed rescued penguins for viewing, is now permanently closed. This is mentioned on our website, but we understand this change may still come as a surprise to some guests, and we’re currently working on improving how this is communicated during the booking process.
Penguin Island remains a protected nature reserve, home to a range of seabirds and marine life, but as with all wildlife experiences in natural environments, sightings can never be guaranteed. We understand how this, combined with the seasonal conditions on the island, may have impacted your overall impression.
We genuinely value your feedback and will continue listening to our guests as we review and refine our tours. Thank you again for sharing your thoughts—we hope your future travels bring more enjoyable experiences.
Regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
Freedom265598
21 Apr 2025
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Reservations Team, Owner at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2025-06-05
Hi S3803FErichw,
Thank you for sharing your feedback and we’re truly sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. We understand how disappointing it must have been to come hoping to see wildlife and not encounter dolphins or penguins on the day of your visit.
As our tours take place in a natural marine park, all wildlife sightings are dependent on the animals’ behaviour and the conditions at the time. While we do our very best to provide memorable encounters, we can never guarantee sightings of wild animals. We do try to be clear about this on our website and during the briefing, and we’re sorry if this wasn’t communicated clearly enough beforehand.
We genuinely appreciate your feedback—it helps us improve both our communication and guest experience.
Regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
R
18 Apr 2025
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Reservations Team, Owner at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2025-06-05
Hi S3803FErichw,
Thank you for sharing your feedback and we’re truly sorry to hear that your experience did not meet your expectations. We understand how disappointing it must have been to come hoping to see wildlife and not encounter dolphins or penguins on the day of your visit.
As our tours take place in a natural marine park, all wildlife sightings are dependent on the animals’ behaviour and the conditions at the time. While we do our very best to provide memorable encounters, we can never guarantee sightings of wild animals. We do try to be clear about this on our website and during the briefing, and we’re sorry if this wasn’t communicated clearly enough beforehand.
We genuinely appreciate your feedback—it helps us improve both our communication and guest experience.
Regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
Rich
18 Apr 2025
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!
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!
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Toni-Lee
23 Mar 2025
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Reservations Team, Owner at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2025-04-09
Hi C977OUAcw,
Thank you for your feedback. We’re truly sorry to hear that your visit didn’t meet your expectations, especially since you were hoping to see the penguins. We understand how disappointing that must have been.
The penguin colony on Penguin Island has sadly declined by around 90% in recent years, mainly due to human impacts and climate change. While we do not advertise guaranteed penguin sightings on the island, we understand that many visitors hope to see them. As wild animals, their presence can vary depending on the time of year and their natural behaviours.
We are working closely with the Department of Parks and Wildlife to monitor the penguin population and ensure the island’s conservation efforts are in place.
Kind regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
c
20 Mar 2025
Loved this place what a great way to see birds sea lions and penguins in their natural habitat
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Denise
30 Oct 2024
The dolphins put on such a good show. No penguins out to sea feeding.
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Karen
18 Apr 2024
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Elaine
05 Apr 2024
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.
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IBenevolentDictatorI
03 Apr 2024
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PenguinIslandLocal, Staff at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2024-03-22
Hello Explorer59116703706,
We apologise that you didn't see any of the wild penguins that are currently on the island. They do tend to go feeding and hunting during the day and return after sunset. Thank you.
Kind Regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters.
Explorer59116703706
16 Mar 2024
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 .
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PenguinIslandLocal, Staff at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2024-03-22
Hello Globetrotters170,
Thank you for your wonderful review! We are pleased that you enjoyed your experience with our dolphin encounter! We hope to see you again soon!
Kind Regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters.
GLOBETROTTERS170
11 Mar 2024
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!
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PenguinIslandLocal, Staff at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2024-03-22
Hello 811tiborh,
Thank you for your review! We are so pleased that you saw 4 of our beautiful sea lions in the water. We apologise for the water being soupy but are glad that you had a great day!
Kind Regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters.
Tibor
09 Mar 2024
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.
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.
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Jacqui
23 Feb 2024
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Janeen
08 Jan 2024
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.
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Kayla
07 Jan 2024
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!
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Naina
02 Jan 2024
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.
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PenguinIslandLocal, Staff at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2024-01-03
Hello Ckm818,
thank you for your awesome review! Yes that is correct, we only have wild penguins now on the island and unfortunately there is not a guaranteed sighting. We do have amazing species of birds, so our island is perfect for bird watching. Thanks again and see you soon :)
Kind regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
ckm818
25 Dec 2023
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!
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PenguinIslandLocal, Staff at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2024-01-03
Hello YasmeenC15,
We apologise that you didn't experience any dolphin or penguin sightings. All of the animals within the marine park are completely wild and free. We do not lure or feed any of the wildlife, so they are in their natural environment. We dont advertise any guaranteed penguin sightings or about the previous Discovery centre and we apologise if you saw it on a third party website. Thank you for your review. :)
Kind Regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
YasmeenC15
22 Dec 2023
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!
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!
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lisana
09 Dec 2023
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.
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PenguinIslandLocal, Front Office Manager at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2023-12-20
Hi S8754AOneilm,
Thank you so much for your lovely review. We are very happy to hear you had such a nice day with our passionate staff.
Kind regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
Neil
07 Dec 2023
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PenguinIslandLocal, Front Office Manager at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2023-12-20
Hi V2466XDjanj,
Thank you for a review, we appreciate the support.
Sorry to hear you didn't get to see any of our wild penguin but glad you still had a nice day on the island and saw our other seabirds.
Hope to see you again.
Kind regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
V2466XDjanj
04 Dec 2023
**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.
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.
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Fiona
13 Nov 2023
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%
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%
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Tom
12 Nov 2023
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PenguinIslandLocal, Front Office Manager at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2023-06-19
HI TDS0000,
Thankyou for your lovely review.
Regards,
Perth Wildlife Encounters
TDS0000
03 Jun 2023
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PenguinIslandLocal, Manager at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2023-04-19
Hi Felicity P,
Thankyou for taking the time to write a review for the Dolphin Penguin & Sea Lion Cruise.
We are glad to hear you had a wonderful experience. Sounds like you observed plenty of Wildlife.
Regards
Sam
Perth Wildlife Encounters
Felicity
18 Apr 2023
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PenguinIslandLocal, General Manager at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2023-04-19
Hi Netta04,
Thankyou for taking the time to write a review.
We hope you enjoyed your time on Penguin Island and viewing of the little Penguins.
Regards,
Sam
Perth Wildlife Encounters
Netta04
17 Apr 2023
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PenguinIslandLocal, General Manager at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2023-04-19
Hi KishoriBC,
Thankyou for taking the time to write a review.
It sounds like you purchased a spectator ticket, not a snorkel ticket. Unfortunately, the spectator ticket is the ticket to observe the wildlife from the vessel.
We hope you still had a lovely day even though it didn't go as you may have planned it too and we will pass this feedback on.
Regards,
Sam
Perth Wildlife Encounters
KishoriBC
11 Apr 2023
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Eire199
09 Apr 2023
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Richard
05 Apr 2023
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IsabelM577
04 Apr 2023
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PenguinIslandLocal, General Manager at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2023-04-03
Hi 590ryanw,
Thankyou for taking the time to write a review.
We are so glad we could accommodate last minute changes for your trip. We hope you had a lovely day on the Dolphin Penguin & Sea Lion Tour.
Regards,
Sam
Perth Wildlife Encounters
590ryanw
02 Apr 2023
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Enchanting_Couple
21 Mar 2023
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jamescG6945ZX
18 Mar 2023
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Jncben
18 Mar 2023
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Jncben
18 Mar 2023
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.
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Dazzling63
18 Mar 2023
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.
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.
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HH
12 Mar 2023
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.
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patrick
28 Feb 2023
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AndyP1998
26 Feb 2023
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PenguinIslandLocal, Guest Relations Manager at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2023-02-20
Thank you for your lovely review. It sounds like you had a wonderful time on our 3 Islands Snorkel Tour! We're glad your highlights included the wildlife, the food, the equipment and the safety aspect of the tour. We hope to see you again at Perth Wildlife Encounters.
juliaa117
18 Feb 2023
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PenguinIslandLocal, Front Office Manager at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2023-02-13
Hi 553jacquio,
Thankyou for your lovely review.
It sounds like you had a wonderful day exploring Penguin Island and cruising the Shoalwater Islands marine Park on the Dolphin Penguin & Sea Lion Cruise.
Regards,
Sam
Perth Wildlife Encounters
553jacquio
11 Feb 2023
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.
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josredecki
29 Jan 2023
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hannahtQ2118BZ
21 Jan 2023
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kalgal40
16 Jan 2023
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500kryan
15 Jan 2023
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! :)
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Gregory
28 Dec 2022
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.
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AdvisorKing
07 Dec 2022
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PenguinIslandLocal, Guest Relations Manager at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2022-12-04
Thank you for your thorough and informative review! We hope you had a great visit to Penguin Island. Thank you for your feedback and great idea about a coffee shop, however, Penguin Island is classed as a Nature Reserve which means no food or drink facilities can be installed.
Hope to see you again!
Lynneb007
29 Nov 2022
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Laura8892
15 Nov 2022
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Stamrish1
13 Nov 2022
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 ❤️
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 ❤️
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Amy
08 Oct 2022
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PenguinIslandLocal, Guest Relations Manager at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2022-09-27
Thank you for your review. Due to the penguins breeding season extension, the Department of Biodiversity, Conservation and Attractions have placed new (first time) restrictions on visiting the island. These restrictions include number of people able to go to the island, time spent on the island limited to 1 hour, and limited to the grassed picnic area and jetty on Penguin Island. In placing these restrictions it has allowed visitors like yourself to still be able to visit penguin island and see the little penguins, rather than not at all. The 7 Little Penguins in the Discover Centre are rescued due to injuries or becoming an orphan, and unable to be released into the wild. We are glad this number is only 7, and in return they can be showcased educationally, so people can understand why these penguins need our help.
As our ferries and cruises are still operated as usual (running all day with full crew), we hope you can understand why we have not changed our price.
These restrictions will be lifted on the 15th of October, and we hope our efforts to contribute to more penguin offspring has helped during this time.
We appreciate your review though, and are glad that you enjoyed the views of Penguin Island. We hope to see you again once the island is fully reopened.
Kind regards.
Explore08614687664
26 Sep 2022
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.
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Megan
15 Sep 2022
The cruise was amazing. I quite enjoyed the boat ride to the different islands around Shoalwater marine park. There was plenty of bird life around in the water as well as on the islands. I thought it was quite interesting that the islands were once part of the mainland and that they are the remnants of fossilised tree roots.. Even more interesting is that they all could connect to each other through secret tunnels under the water. We also saw a couple of seals on seal island as well as dolphins with a calf.
After the cruise, we headed to the discovery center to watch the penguin feeding. The center isn't very big but did have 2 viewing areas around the pool. It was nice to learn a bit about the penguins as you watch them gulp down fish. We then hiked around the island, which isn't very big. It probably took around 30 minutes to get to the Northern lookout on the boardwalk. We managed to see a seal on the beach as well as many nesting birds. The tide was in so we couldn't walk down to the Western beach to the other lookout closer to the pier. It took about an hour to head to the two observation points and walk around the entire island.
There are toilets here but no other shops. There are also a few beaches but it did sound like it wasn't really there for swimming to preserve the area for the wildlife. It was a nice, fairly short adventure in Rockingham.
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Acineto
12 Jun 2022
Kudos to the team and staff for an excellent experience of interactions with fairy penguins, some seals and dolphins! Would recommend to go for the full tour with 1 hour boat tour around the marine park! Great for adults and kids. Would take around 2-3 hours to enjoy. Certainly a good stop on the way to Margaret river etc.
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KwangYong
01 Jun 2022
The tour of seal Island and bird Island was so incredible
Dolphins and their calves swimming back and forth beneath the glass bottom ferry boat.
Sea lions lounging on seal Island Beach. Osprey on bird Island and then onto the penguins and pelicans on penguin Island
Snorkelling was great on both sides of the Island and the little pensions are so cute
What a hidden gem!!
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PenguinIslandLocal, Tickets at Penguin Island, responded to this review - 2022-03-20
Thank you for wonderful review. We are very pleased to hear you had an awesome time on both our Dolphin, Penguin and sea lion cruise and Penguin Island!
richardmartin007
13 Mar 2022

































































