For Penguin Island, wear comfortable footwear. Most visitors wear thongs or sandals. Hats, sunscreen and a long sleeve or UV resistant shirt are recommended for sun protection. Bring swimmers and towels if you are planning water activities.
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Facilities. There is a picnic area with seating and water taps, and waterless composting toilets on the island. Litter bins are not provided on the island and all visitors are required to take away their own rubbish.
The best time of year for spotting wild penguins is during the summer moulting period. The little penguins stay ashore for 6- 8 weeks while growing their new feathers.
The State Government's decision not to rebuild the facility on the island was based on climate change impacting the island's vulnerable penguin population and following strong feedback from the City of Rockingham, local tourism operators and university researchers.
The distance between the mainland and Penguin island is approx. 850 metres so if you're considering doing the walk, consider whether or not you are capable of swimming this distance in a strong wind and seas. Report response as inappropriateThank you.
Make a weekend of your wildlife encounters with our overnight stay & play packages. Spend the day exploring the islands and spotting the wildlife on a guided sea kayak tour!
It may sound silly to mention walking to an island, but there is actually a tidal sandbar that connects the mainland to Penguin Island at low tide. It's not uncommon for people to walk across the sandbar to reach Penguin Island. However, it is discouraged to do so due to the safety risks and strong currents.
A: Each day at dusk, just as the sun is setting, the little fairy penguins come ashore to feed their young. They waddle up the beach to their nests, where they spend the night.
Most penguins return from the sea after dark. They can often be heard calling from out in the water and usually come ashore in small groups pausing briefly before heading off to individual burrows. Due to their movements on land penguins are often mistakenly thought of as nocturnal.
More than 30 species of birds have been observed on the island. These include seabirds such as the little penguin, bridled tern (Sterna anaethetus), silver gull (Larus novaehollandiae), pied cormorant (Phalacrocorax varius) and the Australian pelican (Pelicanus conspicillatus).
Predators and ThreatsAt sea, penguins are vulnerable to hazards such as discarded plastics and fishing line, boat strikes and oil pollution, and are also taken by natural predators like sea lions and sharks.
But when should you go to Antarctica to see penguins? Trips to Antarctica travel between November and March yet it's important to know exactly which penguins are doing what during which months so you don't go at a time when penguin viewing will be less than stellar. November is a beautiful time to go to Antarctica.