Had an amazing trip. Will book with anytime again. This was my second daytrip booking with them. Highly recommended tour agent.
Absolutely amazing penguins and wildlife tour. Antony was our tour guide for Moonlit sanctuary experience. He is very professional , polite and cheerful.Very small group and comfortable bus. He explained to us clearly and gave us tips along the way. Me and my kids thoroughly enjoyed feeding the wallabies and ducks and Kengaroos. Very close encounters. Loved it. Saw cute koals. After half day we were combined with another group for Penguin island. Gina was our guide. She is very professional, explained about the wildlife , when to spot. Dos and donts. Stopped at places to get stunning philip island coastal views. Only small vehicles can reach these places. Always ask the guide what is the best place to sit for penguin viewing. Try not to miss the penguins coming out of the ocean. Amazing amazing experience. The little blue penguins are adorable. Prepare for cold winds as you will be seeing penguins after sunset. Walk around after a while to see penguins returning to their homes and interaction with each other.
Absolutely loved the trip

A fun and enjoyable family adventure especially with kids A fun day outing with family, especially with kids. It was a nice experience with many photo moments along the journey. The knowledgeable and vocal conductor is an added attraction.

Great Tour Had a great time on this tour. Stuart was very knowledgeable. Plenty of time at Moonlit Sanctuary and Penguin Parade station never felt rushed. Thoroughly recommend.

Had an amazing trip. Will book with anytime again. Had an amazing trip with a small group. Darren was amazing, very professional and engaging. Walked with us in the rainforest explaining and engaging. Saw cute koalas, Kengaroos etc in the healesville sanctuary. He took a video of us from a specific place beating the train. It was a very fun and great experience.

One tip if you wear light colored clothes the chars from the steam train may fall on your clothes, ofcourse u can wash them away later.
If you want valley view sit towards the platform side (preferred) and for mountain view sit on the other side.

Puffing Billy Puffing Billy was great absolutely loved it but not much to do before going to the penguins. A few stops, and some interesting local information. Unfortunately the weather gods were not on our side and it rained just as the penguins were coming ashore. Despite being told multiple times to not use umbrellas or take photos, everyone around us did which made it difficult to see anything. Pretty disappointing.

One of it’s kind, a must do tour from Melbourne. Got to spend the day with our tour guide, Stuart, who was absolutely phenomenal. He provided detailed and engaging commentary throughout the entire trip, explaining every area we traveled through and always giving clear directions whenever we had free time to explore on our own. Our group consisted of seven people, and every single one of us agreed that Stuart elevated an already incredible experience to another level. Highly recommend him!

The Puffing Billy Steam Railway through the rainforest was the perfect length and truly unforgettable. The scenery was breathtaking, and the train itself was fantastic. Many passengers chose to sit on the ledge with their legs dangling outside the carriage — completely safely, of course, as that’s part of the authentic Puffing Billy experience. For those who prefer to stay seated inside, the seats were very comfortable and didn’t take away from the experience at all.

The Penguin Wildlife Tour was a genuine bucket-list experience. Coming from Canada, seeing penguins in the wild is something we simply don’t get to experience back home. Most of our group, myself included, upgraded to the Penguins Plus package, and it was absolutely worth it. We were seated right on the beach and witnessed hundreds — possibly over a thousand — little penguins waddling right past us, only feet away. It was incredible.

Even after about 30 minutes, we had already watched four separate waves of penguins come ashore. On the walk back to the main building, several hundred meters from the beach, we were still able to walk alongside these amazing little animals as they waddled up the hillside toward their burrows.

Photos and videos are not allowed because penguins are extremely sensitive to light, and protecting their environment is important. Honestly, though, this experience is something that will stay with me forever regardless.

I HIGHLY recommend Explore Australia and especially Stuart to anyone considering this tour.

Thank you all for an unforgettable experience!

Best regards,
Mike from Canada

Amazing Experience This was one experience we were looking forward to so much! We booked 6 weeks in advance as they sell out very fast and are so popular. Our tour was with Explore Australia , the morning of our booking , we waited for bus and one it arrived , we found out there was an issue with our booking, we had updated the date recently and Viator had it but it wasn't updated so EA didnt know the change! The tour was full so nothing could be done but to reschedule, which we did from two days later. Suddenly , we got phone call an hour later from the manager of Explore Australia and he felt so bad that error had happened and explained about the error, he asked us where we at and he said he was sending a private uber car to get us and take us the 45 mins t catch the train where the tour bus was heading. I was like shocked and we agreed and soon wee were in uber on way to make the experience after all. We made the train with ample time and got to do the experience after all and didn't have to wait another two days. The manager went above and beyond and to me , this is customer care at its finest and he also messaged and called throughout our journey to train and once we completed it. Things happen but this company and manager with his team work above and beyond so we enjoyed even after booking error. I would highly recommend using Explore Australia, great experience but customer service was a bonus without any doubt!!

First time in Melbourne The trip was excellent and the tour guide was very knowledgeable

Enjoyed the tour thoroughly Had Matthew as our tour guide and he's really funny! The tour was also relaxing

Excellent Experience A very nice experience . our tour guide Jose was very friendly as well . excellent experience Must visit!!!!

Perfect half day trip to the rainforest and puffing billy Puffing Billy and Rainforest with Jose
A perfect half day tour to see the rainforest and huge ferns plus an hour ride on puffing billy. Jose is a charming and informative guide who made sure everybody was safe and happy

Puffing Billy and Healesville Sanctuary Day Trip Great down out. First stop was to Healesville Sanctuary , a dedicated animal attraction for animals from Australia. Plenty of time to walkaround to see all the animals. Then onto Puffing Billy. Puffy Billy was a good trip but its important to understand which side to sit on to get the best experience, this is the platform side and the wooden bridge is just outside the station. This it winds through the local woodlands with view of the valley and small towns. All locals are very happy to wave you pass which was great to see. It is only a one way trip. Seating with you legs out was a great experience but not very confortable, and maybe an issue with people with mobility issues - Larger seats would be ideal, lower bench seating is also there so not a massive issue. Driver and Guide Matt was very knowledgeable about Australia and the trip.

The penguins were absolutely adorable. Highly recommend this tour! I joined this Puffing Billy and Penguin Parade tour as a solo traveler and had a great time. The guide was very friendly and made the whole experience enjoyable. The driving felt very safe, and I also appreciated how they pointed out wildlife along the way.

The penguins were absolutely adorable. Highly recommend this tour!

Special needs well catered for My friend and I found the staff mathew and Nathan to be very understanding with our special needs to rebook and accessible requirements with the step and separate carriage on the train. Nathan told us information about the area and gave us an extra stop as a secret blessing.

Avoid this company. Explore Australia is very unsympathetic and has unreasonable conditions. I would definitely avoid them.

Wonderful tour Great tour the train was fun, but seeing the Penguin is definitely a must see. Additionally, our guide, Gina was wonderful she was so knowledgeable, and did a great job telling us interesting stories about Australia, the history, and of course the Penguins. I’d highly reythis your.

A wonderful experience! Absolutely wonderful experience. Darren our driver was excellent timing things perfectly. We loved Puffing Billy and the Penguin Parade, but itwasa couple of other bits that made it extra special. We were a bit early for the train so Darren took us for a top in the rain forest. You could go to he cafe or Darren said there was a short walk in the rainforest. We did this a d saw a Lyre Bird, which absolutely thrilled me.

Again when we reached the Penguin Parade Darren took us first to Bobby's point where we saw penguins in daylight, wallabies an echidna and lots of Cape Barren Geese. Wonderful!

Excellent vehicle as well. Highly recommend

Happy Birthday to me. The tour met all my expections from pick up to drop off it was a fun day out. I would recommend this tour if you wanted to live a nostalgic day in the Dandenong's. The train was quaint, and not the most comfortable but it is 100 years old. The only thing I was disappointed about was the scenery itself, I thought we would be travelling in more remote type bushland, but we did in fact see housing for most of the journey. In saying all that worth a look if you have never been.

Great experience!
Smooth adventure as explore Australia tours handled tickets, and transportation throughout the day. From a scenic train ride to feeding a Kangaroo it was a great time. Our guide Jose was fantastic

All aboard!! We had a great time riding on the train. Sitting on the side of the train(slight disappointed that it wasn't a steam engine) but mood was fun and brings back memories of early childhood. Was a little crowded with the train but room for everyone. Our tour /driver was very good and informative. Recommended

Great Ocean Road trip, one of the best days out I did when in Melbourne. Despite the tour being a very long day, I was so glad I had done it and loved the fact we were a small group of 11 in a comfortable mini bus, driven by our brilliant guide Anthony who set the tone for the entire day with his welcoming, friendly demeanour and and knowledge. Just enough time was had at all the stops, toilet breaks were plentiful, and you could be sure we never missed sightings of kualas or kangaroos as Anthony always managed to spot them, often from
afar. It is definitely a trip where you get to see so many different aspects the stunning state of Victoria has to offer, from beautiful small ocean towns, to stunning rain forests, culminating in the magnificent 12 Apostles and the even more stunning Loch Ard Gorge. Inspite of the early start, the GOR is a must see trip in my opinion. Just make sure you have comfortable walking shoes!
Please convey my thanks to Anthony. He is a natural at what he does!

Great fun day out Great fun experience! Staff all wonderful & helpful, train journey stunning going through woodlands & beautiful rainforest areas. Visitor centre is very well appointed & organised & food was good. Would def recommend!

Don’t go on a weekday!! I took this tour on a weekday, which turned out not to be the best choice. One of the towns we stopped in had all their cute souvenir and boutique shops closed which left only restaurants open, so we ended up with about an hour there and very little to do.

We also visited Moonlit Sanctuary, which was a huge letdown. The sanctuary looked run down and not very well maintained, and the overall atmosphere was quite depressing. We spent around an hour and a half there, which felt far too long for what there was to see.

The rest of the tour included a few quick stops at beaches and coastal viewpoints, but nothing that really made up for the earlier parts of the day. I would have been better off renting a car and exploring on my own, especially just to see the penguins. NOT WORTH IT!

Fun day out! The driver, Loki was awesome. The tour was exactly what I booked. Everything was on time, it wasn’t too crowded. Very enjoyable.

100% recommend Absolutely recommend this tour! Our tour guide Peter was hilarious and a great tour guide. There only ended up being 5 of us so it felt like a VIP tour. The puffing billy train was a super cool experience and there were tons of cool animals at the sanctuary. I’d definitely do it again!!

A Timeless Steam Train Adventure 🚂🌲 Puffing Billy is a charming and nostalgic steam train experience through the beautiful Dandenong Ranges. A great family-friendly attraction with scenic views, fresh air, and a fun step back in time. Highly recommended for visitors of all ages.

Murray River Padfle Steamer and wildlife tour Our tour guide is Allen, very informative, a very safe driver and looked after our group very well from food, toileting needs etc. Thanks for the fabulous day. Keep up the good work😀 I highly recommend Explore Aust for future tours communication is excellent and on time.

We had an amazing day on Puffing Billy and Penguins wildlife tour. Gina, our tour guide was knowledgeable, friendly and helpful the whole day through.
Puffing Billy is an amazing experience and watching hundreds of penguins come in from the ocean to their Burroughs was something else. Do yourself a favour and pay for upgrade to penguins plus. WELL worth the money for being so close to the penguins 🐧. You can take photos until it gets dark, then no photography or videos allowed. Just live in the moment and the experience.
It's a long day but with a guide like Gina, it doesn't seem like it. An amazing day. Thank you.

Puffing Billy It was a great activity to do while in Melbourne. It was lots of fun. The rainforest is breath taking and amazing so close to the city. You feel like you are on a different planet. Very organized no need to stress about anything

We took the French & Phillip Island tour and were suitably impressed with the itinerary, organisation and all the sights we saw.
The trip is incredible value for money. The tour guide was excellent (sorry didn’t remember his name).
The lunch was great and the hosts were friendly and engaging.
A highly recommended trip and such great value.

Amazing tour! Definitely recommend! Such a great tour! It is the perfect amount of activity/ travel. Our tour guide Mark was an absolute LEGEND! He gave a good amount of informative information and humour! As well as recommending places along the way when we stopped. Overall would recommend to others and use them in future.
We had a high tide with the penguins- sadly didn't see as many come out of the water, but saw so many in the grass and burrows.
Puffing Billy was also a great experience! Highly recommend a wind proof/warm jacket as the weather is unpredictable.

We loved every bit of this tour! Would like to thank Mark for the tour today. Mark was very accommodating and we were extremely grateful to be able to be picked up and dropped off at San Remo.

Mark had the knowledge of Phillip Island, the animals and history of the area. I highly recommend this tour to everyone of all ages.

The Nobbies was beautiful, Woolamai beach was stunning and Cowes is a great stop for dinner but our highlight was seeing the cute penguins at Penguin Parade! This tour did not disappoint :)

Thanks Mark and Explore Australia for this beautiful tour. We’ll be back again in the future.

Great tour Thanks Explore Australia Tours for fitting us in at the very last minute we thought the tour was the highlight of our Melb trip and even great for kiddos thanks again. Matt was a brilliant guide

Puffing Billy Melbourne It’s very beautiful, antique, and eye-catching, but it’s quite long and feels like a waste of time if you book the full trip. It starts at 11 a.m. and returns to Belgrave around 5 p.m. The fun part is over within the first hour, and then it gets quite boring. Make sure to bring food with you and wear warm clothing.

Puffing Billy Tour Very enjoyable. Was exciting to travel through the region on the Puffing Billy. The Nature walk could have been longer. Lili was excellent, and helpful.

Joined the half day puffingbilly & rainforest tour and was a great decision! I only had half a day to spend outskirts of CBD and experience Australia tours provided just what I needed.

The day started punctual with us leaving from the CBD to the rainforest and puffingbilly after.
Really grateful to have Lee Lee as our tour guide who looked out for us all the way, ensuring we feel comfortable on the ride. She provided a good balance of sights information, history as well as quiet time for us to rest on the bus. Really appreciate the clear instructions on time and meeting points as well as always looking out to ensure no one’s left behind.

Will definitely recommend this to my friends and family when they visit Melbourne. Thanks!

Joined the half day puffingbilly & rainforest tour and was a great decision! I only had half a day to spend outskirts of CBD and experience Australia tours provided just what I needed.

The day started punctual with us leaving from the CBD to the rainforest and puffingbilly after.
Really grateful to have Lee Lee as our tour guide who looked out for us all the way, ensuring we feel comfortable on the ride. She provided a good balance of sights information, history as well as quiet time for us to rest on the bus. Really appreciate the clear instructions on time and meeting points as well as always looking out to ensure no one’s left behind.

Will definitely recommend this to my friends and family when they visit Melbourne. Thanks!

Back to the history Great day out discovering the history of Ballarat at Sovereign Hill.
Volunteer guides and period costumes help with authenticity. Guides are very knowledgeable and helpful. Margaret was a excellent tour guide.

It was an amazing experience travelling with Explore Australia! Their pickup points were super convenient, and our tour guide, Gary, was friendly, knowledgeable, and made the whole trip even better. We went on a one-day tour to Echuca a laid-back, relaxing, and truly enjoyable experience overall.

An excellent day tour with thoughtful guides This was an excellent day tour! A huge thank you to our wonderful guides Peter and Anthony, who made sure everyone had the best experience and shared just the right amount of info while keeping the spirits high throughout the day.

With three options for the hike (Mt. Oberon, Mt. Bishop, and a walk through a rainforest), we weren't sure how the guides would handle different preferences within the group, but they managed our group of 10 exceptionally well. Most travellers wanted to hike Mt. Oberon (easier terrain for the most part, taller peak, more popular). This meant that they could only reach the start of the hike by taking a free shuttle bus, as other buses weren't allowed past a certain crossing that day. Our guides made sure they all got to the shuttle bus and provided clear and helpful instructions for their return. Afterwards, they took us to the starting point of the Mt. Bishop hike, which we had opted for due to a more interesting terrain and fewer crowds (and a 0.1 stars better rating on All Trails 🙂). As required, we messaged our guides once we reached the top, and they were already waiting for us in the car park when we got back. Since there were some delays with the shuttle bus and the rest of the group could not return to the base camp on time, the guides took us to Squeaky Beach earlier and recommended that we check out an additional lookout, which the group normally does not have time for. This was incredibly thoughtful of them and, indeed, a much better way for us to spend our time than waiting for the others in the car. We are very grateful.

The Squeaky Beach was amazing too. To our (perhaps unwarranted) surprise, it really did squeak

On our way back, we made several stops to meet some wombats and wallabies. Our guides' enthusiasm was contagious, and we very much appreciated all the fun facts they shared.

The only tiny detail that could make this awesome tour for wildlife lovers even more awesome is getting that iconic purple bus powered by electricity, not diesel. :) Still worth all 5 stars though!

Not so nice bus driver 10/14/2025 She was good until she wasn’t. She drives the bus wild, I felt sick once I arrived to our destination even Life360 said our trip was dangerous. When we got to puffing Billy train ride she came into our cart yelling telling us to squeeze ourselves together so they a couple could get into our cart. We were the only people of a different race on that train and we were full already. She then threw her hands up calling us inconsiderate when she never approached any other group there. Then two monitors were placed on our train ride after her blow up as though to watch us. She made our trip unbearable. Her oral hygiene really bad. Poor behavior was not what I wanted to remember from our Australian trip. I guess people of different race are treated unfairly even across the globe.

I joined the Puffing Billy & Penguins Day Tour with my parents, and it was such a wonderful day filled with fun and memorable moments!
Our guide Jose was cheerful and energetic, keeping us in good spirits throughout the trip. He made sure everything ran smoothly, even coming to check that we were all safely on board the historic Puffing Billy steam train. My parents also felt very well cared for, which gave us peace of mind and allowed us to simply enjoy the experience together. The train ride itself was charming and rolling with beautiful forest views was truly unforgettable.
On the road, Jose also slowed down to help us spot kangaroos in the wild, which was such a thoughtful touch and an exciting surprise for my parents. In the evening, we headed to Phillip Island to see the famous little penguins returning to shore. Jose explained clearly how to spot them and gave us practical tips on where to stand and how to watch them without missing any detail. Thanks to his advice, we were able to enjoy the penguin parade up close, which felt magical and unforgettable.
I really appreciated how the day was well-balanced, with a mix of history, nature, and wildlife. Jose’s enthusiasm, knowledge, and genuine care for everyone (including my parents) made the whole experience even more enjoyable.
Overall, this was an amazing tour that combined the charm of Puffing Billy, the thrill of seeing wildlife like kangaroos, and the wonder of watching penguins in the wild. I’d highly recommend it to anyone visiting Melbourne who wants a fun, well-organized, and family-friendly day out.

Despite the weather's best attempt to spoil it, we had a fantastic day under Jose's guidance on the Puffing Billy and Penguin Parade tour. It's a long tour at nearly 12 hours but it seems to disappear in minutes. The bus too was excellent with ample leg room (I'm 6"), comfortable seats, each with USB charging, and perfect onboard climate. Can highly recommend Explore Australia!

So nice trip!!! We have a really great time with Matt.He is a really nice guy.Matt told us a lot of creatures about the national park.This trip was so interesting.I really love it!

Wonderful Puffing Billy steam train tour Great tour and very nice tour guide, Lee Lee. Very kind and clear instructions for tour details. Drive very stable and smoothly in mountain roads!! Very nice experience and recommend!!

Puffing Billy Highly recommended. Lee Lee was very informative and able to give us recommendations on where to go around in melbourne. She was very cheerful. The puffing billy was a great experience. The animals were also very cute

Lovely day out. Great day out. Jose was a good guide and driver and very calm and thoughtful. Puffing billy was fun and the penguins were gorgeous.

Amazing 🤩 Awesome experience and Michael was a great guide. Would recommend to everyone who is wanting to experience the train ride and penguins

Awesome experience with EA Excellent curated tour, plus our tour guide, Jose, is very kind. He provided very clear instructions and a very informative time while cruising on the road.

We were very satisfied with our Explore Australia Tours experience on August 16, 2025. We are from Perth and we joined the Puffing Billy and Penguin Parade tour, and our driver Stuart truly made the trip both knowledgeable and enjoyable.

Not only did he share insights about Puffing Billy Train and the Penguin Parade, but he also gave us interesting information about the places we passed along the way. Stuart was very friendly, approachable, and even gave us great tips on where to visit in Melbourne for the rest of our stay.

Thumbs up to Explore Australia for having such an excellent guide—good job, Stuart!

A truly unforgettable experience with Explore Australia Tours!

We joined the tour on July 14th and had the pleasure of being guided by Michael, who was absolutely fantastic from start to finish.

Pick-up was perfectly on time, and the ride was smooth and comfortable throughout the day. Michael took great care of every group on board and shared his deep knowledge about the local wildlife and surroundings, making the journey both educational and engaging.

The itinerary was incredibly well-organized. From the charming Puffing Billy Steam Train ride to the magical Penguin Parade at Phillip Island, everything ran like clockwork. We had front-row views of the penguins returning to shore — a truly breathtaking moment!

What made this tour stand out was how worry-free it was. We didn’t have to plan a thing — just sat back, relaxed, and soaked in the amazing sights.

Highly recommended for anyone looking for a smooth, fun, and well-managed day out in Victoria. Thanks again, Michael and the team!

It was a lovely time exploring outside Melbourne where we went to the Puffing Billy and Penguin Parade. Our guide Adam has very knowledgeable on everything we need to know about the places. He was very approachable and offered us in taking photos. Great experience!

We took the French Island/Philips Island tour and greatly enjoyed ourselves! Scott, Lee and Celia were very friendly and accommodating to us. Lee was very knowledgeable and enthusiastic in sharing about French Island. His home-cooked meal, as well as Scott’s extensive knowledge about koalas and the island as a whole, really added a sense of authenticity to our experience! Scott also stopped at every opportunity to let us take pictures of the wild koalas. Darren, our Philip Island guide was also incredibly friendly and shared much interesting information about the wildlife on the island. He also very kindly pointed out as much of the wildlife for us to see, and was very punctual, which we greatly appreciated.

We were in Melbourne for just a few days and booked two tours. The Philip island penguin parade was terrific, seeing the little penguins emerge from the sea in their hundreds was heartwarming. The journey to it included a visit to the Moonlit Sanctuary where hand feeding kangaroos and wallabies was a completely unexpected lifetime moment our lady guide whose name I can't remember was great. The other tour to the Puffing Billy train was equally good and included a visit to the lovely Healesville Sanctuary with more kangaroos and koalas. Our Guide Darren was great and took the trouble to take and share videos of the train journey.

As a tourist with limited days and a lot to do, organized day tours are a great way to feel more sorted and make the most of your time.
I joined the Great Ocean Road trip with Explore Australia Tours. While I would have loved to spend more time at each spot and truly soak it all in, doing so would require multiple days and overnight stays, which wasn’t feasible for me.
In that case, day tours like this are perfect when you want to experience the highlights within a limited timeframe.
Our tour guide and driver, Andy, was an amazing host — sharing history, fun facts, and important details about each location before dropping us off to explore.
We were a small group of 11 and traveled in a comfortable minivan. I was lucky to get the front seat, and it made the trip even more enjoyable with the stunning views along the water!
Highly recommend if you’re looking to experience the Great Ocean Road efficiently and with a knowledgeable guide.

A Puffing Good Time Great mix of outdoor forest and wildlife reserve activities centred around the unmissable Puffing Billy steam train ride. Perfectly scheduled and driven by Margaret whose enthusiasm and experience exelled.

Blackadder: "Baldrick, I want you to take this and go out and buy a turkey so large, you'd think its mother had been rogered by Would happily follow Matt wherever he was leading, however wacky or dangerous. No danger here though, with excellent choice of venues and photo stops, other than over-indulging and laughing and learning too much. Highly recommended.

Very exciting & Fabulous trip , food & wine.& tea & pastries & beer , 🍺 Nice Good trip & excellent Guide cum Driver , Very Polite & smile & Supportive, Thank you Explore India , I am visitor from India ,

Strongly recommend Gina is very informative and good at photography. We absolutely had a great day. Strongly recommend this tour to everyone who’s visiting Melbourne.

Funny Matt A day on the Puffing Billy Railway is absolutely worth it!

The historic steam train departs from Lakeside and weaves through the vast Dandenong Ranges. With a unique experience and lots to see, there is no going wrong with a Puffing Billy train ride.