Chicks Cafe at Penguin Parade Visitor Centre
1019 Ventnor Rd, Summerlands VIC 3922, Australia
Booking Chicks Café gives your guests more than just a venue—it offers an unforgettable experience in the heart of Phillip Island Nature Parks. With delicious catering, beautiful surroundings and the opportunity to pair your event with the world-famous Penguin Parade or other wildlife experiences, Chicks Café provides a memorable setting that is both distinctive and inspiring
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Reviews for Penguin Parade Visitor Centre
Sharifah R
The Penguin Parade is a fantastic wildlife experience and one of the highlights of visiting Melbourne and Phillip Island. The visitor centre has a good range of souvenirs and gifts at reasonable prices. A tip for first-time visitors: there’s no need to rush to secure a seat at the main viewing area. Be patient and take your time, as the boardwalk offers excellent opportunities to spot penguins as they make their way to their burrows. In winter (June), our session started around 5:30 pm and the penguins began arriving at approximately 6:00 pm. Please be responsible and respectful by not using flash photography, as it can disturb the penguins. Seeing these little penguins return from the ocean in their natural habitat is a unique thrill and a memorable wildlife experience. Highly recommended for families and visitors of all ages. A truly special Australian experience.
Nancy Eng
Came from overseas to see the Little Penguins. It was great to see them with the Premium experience, as they came up in groups from the ocean, to their burrows. Other than St Kilda, this would be my only chance. The line up to enter started over an hour before entry time. I think they could assign seating to reduce this herd panic. It's time people could spend shopping and eating and not lining up. Kids and elderly shouldn't have to stand and wait that long. And it reduces the demand for toilets after the viewing. I feel that if they truly want to reduce harm to the penguins, they need to put more space between humans and the penguins, and enforce no photos after sunset, even without flash. Once I was told it would hurt their sensitive eyes, I put my phone camera away. But not everyone did, and I saw MANY tourists with cameras out, and I said something to a few people, to be mindful of the creatures we came to see, and not be selfish. But there were too many people for me to manage that behavior. I only saw a few staff to manage the hundreds of guests, and most of them are answering questions. I bet people have tried to pet the penguins too.
I W
The visitor center is spacious with great exhibition of different types of penguins. I learned about a foundation that does charity work for penguins. The restaurant inside serves high quality food. I ordered a salmon plate and to be honest, the taste and quality of the dish beats a lot of formal restaurants. For the penguin parade, I highly recommend to upgrade to premium seating or underground seating. I saw 80 penguins up close in 40 minutes whereas my fellow travelers who sat at general seating only saw 10 from a far distance. After the parade, don’t forget to look at the starry sky.
Tiffany C
Incredibly accessible for wheelchair and strollers! There is a designated viewing area for wheelchair users + 1 companion. Infrastructure is well designed and planned, very happy with the inclusivity design. Restrooms are busy but well maintained. 10/10 recommend penguin parade.
Yaritza Rodriguez
We arrived about an hour before we were allowed to enter and checked out their exhibitions. They have free parking, cafe, restaurant, and gift shops. The time you’re allowed to enter depends on the time of year. Our entrance time was at 4:45 but the penguins didn’t show up until 5:45. We started waiting in line at 4:30 and we were at the front of our general admission section. I’d recommend upgrading so you can see the penguins up close or bring some binoculars. Also make sure to check out the “penguin highway” after the penguin parade. You got to see the penguins up close! Two cons: 1. It was raining when we went but they didn’t let us use our umbrellas since it was windy. They said we could use the umbrellas if we stood in the back, however you couldn’t see much from back there. 2. You can’t take photos or videos after the sunsets, the penguins come out after sunset. But they do provide you with photos and videos that you can download and share. I’d definitely recommend to go once!
Other spaces at this venue
Shearwater Restaurant
Shearwater Restaurant offers a truly memorable event setting, combining contemporary dining with breathtaking views across the Phillip Island coastline. Located within the Penguin Parade Visitor Centre, the space is flooded with natural light and showcases spectacular ocean vistas, creating a relaxed yet sophisticated atmosphere for corporate events, celebrations, networking functions and private dinners. Its unique location allows guests to experience one of Victoria's most iconic natural destinations while enjoying exceptional hospitality.
Theatre
The Theatre at the Penguin Parade Visitor Centre is a purpose-built presentation space designed for conferences, keynote addresses, seminars and corporate events. Featuring tiered seating, excellent sightlines and professional audiovisual capabilities, it provides a comfortable and engaging environment for presentations of all sizes. Its location within Phillip Island Nature Parks also offers delegates a unique destination that blends business with unforgettable natural surroundings.
Education
The Education Room at the Penguin Parade Visitor Centre is a bright, flexible meeting space ideal for workshops, training sessions, breakout meetings and educational events. Designed to foster collaboration and learning, the room offers a comfortable setting that can be configured to suit a variety of event formats, from classroom-style presentations to interactive group sessions.
Education 1
The Education Room at the Penguin Parade Visitor Centre is a bright, flexible meeting space ideal for workshops, training sessions, breakout meetings and educational events. Designed to foster collaboration and learning, the room offers a comfortable setting that can be configured to suit a variety of event formats, from classroom-style presentations to interactive group sessions.
Education 2
The Education Room at the Penguin Parade Visitor Centre is a bright, flexible meeting space ideal for workshops, training sessions, breakout meetings and educational events. Designed to foster collaboration and learning, the room offers a comfortable setting that can be configured to suit a variety of event formats, from classroom-style presentations to interactive group sessions.
Education 3
The Education Room at the Penguin Parade Visitor Centre is a bright, flexible meeting space ideal for workshops, training sessions, breakout meetings and educational events. Designed to foster collaboration and learning, the room offers a comfortable setting that can be configured to suit a variety of event formats, from classroom-style presentations to interactive group sessions.