The Penguin Parade Phillip Island, Victoria, Australia
Since the 1920’s Phillip Island to the south east of Melbourne has hosted one of nature’s great spectacles, the Little Penguins waddling ashore at sunset to their burrows buried in the sand dunes. The Penguins live year round in burrows in large colonies. They fish all day returning under the cover of dusk to feed their young and avoiding their land based predators. The Little Penguin, also often referred to as the Fairy Penguin is the smallest Penguin in world standing at only 17 inches high.
The Penguin Parade on Phillip Island is now a world renowned attraction with over 650,000 local and international visitors enjoying the spectacle every year. The Penguin Parade has the highest eco tourism rating available with all viewing options designed to protect the animals and their homes. All forms of photography are strictly prohibited to further protect the birds. Phillip Island Nature Parks is a not for profit operation and all visitor income goes back into Penguin research and conservation.
In addition to being an eco tourism attraction the Penguin Parade and its associated facilities are accessible and affords tourists with disabilities the opportunity to witness this remarkable nightly event.
Accessibility Features
Visitors Centre
On entering the car park follow the signs around to car park number one, proceed to the top of the car park and turn right into the adjacent area. There is a line of disabled parking spaces all of 3.5 metres in width. The path at the top of the car park leads directly to the Visitors Centre. Entry is via the paved path and ramp. The ticket counter is immediately inside the door. To the left is a theatrette. The door is level and there is an area inside where the short film can be viewed from a wheelchair. A ramp to the right of the stairs leads to the lower (main) level of the centre. There is a cafe and shops available inside and they all on level floors with easy access to all. Accessible toilets are available at the left hand end of the building. It should be noted that there are no accessible toilets out on the viewing platforms and boardwalks. There is an interpretative education centre down a small ramp way that explains the habitat and life cycle of the Little Penguin. All of these exhibits are at an eye height that can easily be seen from a wheelchair.
General Access to the Penguin Parade
There is a fair roll from the visitor centre to the observation decks at Summerland Beach. For those that require it a courtesy buggy is available immediately outside the door of the visitors centre. The parade occurs at dusk each day so check with the centre prior to your visit for the exact time and allow for the walk to the platforms. Our photos have been taken in daylight to highlight the slopes and surfaces you will be traversing.
Just outside the visitors centre there is a new gently sloping boardwalk that leads to the dunes. This path is wide and smooth it is with a gentle gradient and ample level rest areas. The boardwalk gives access to both the Penguin Parade and Penguin Plus viewing platforms. This boardwalk also allows viewing of the Little Penguins in their burrows.
Penguin Parade
This is the main viewing area at Summerland Beach. At the end of the flat boardwalk the boardwalk slopes up to the left. The slope here is 1 in 14. At the top there are two areas. Both have a large level area at the top to accommodate wheelchairs, especially for families, groups of friends or tour groups. The elevated position gives a good 180 degree view over the beach below as the Penguins arrive and waddle across the beach to their burrows. There is a designated wheelchair viewing area between the two platforms that has a prime location right above the weighing station.
Penguin Plus Viewing Platform
This area provides a more personalised penguin viewing experience. Limited to 150 people, this viewing platform provides a closer viewing of the penguin arrival than the main viewing platforms at the Penguin Parade. The stand is located in a high penguin traffic area and is much closer to the ground giving a more intimate experience. Rangers are on hand to give a full interpretation and insight into the lives of these little creatures. Wheelchair viewing is from the bottom of this stand and therefore gives a far better view than is available from the top of the stands at the Penguin Parade. Because of the limited number of spaces available at Penguin Plus bookings are essential.
The latest addition to the Penguin Plus experience is the underground bunker. The area is limited to 60 guest. It provides an eye level view as the penguins walk straight past the ground level windows. The is a special high floor section giving wheelchair users the same experience from a seated position. This option is perfect for people who are susceptible to the cold.
Phillip Island Apartments
Phillip Island Apartments is a 4 star self-rated property located in Church St Cowes, offering spacious fully self-contained apartments with one, two and three bedroom options. All apartments include a full kitchen and laundry facilities, large living and dining area. There is one 2 bedroom accessible apartment. It is a designated parking bay directly outside.
The kitchen has a wheelchair under the workbench with appliances within easy reach.
The bathroom is a full wetroom equipped with handrails for the toilet and shower. The shower has a fold down shower seat, height
adjustable and removable shower rose. The taps are a large star pattern.
The master bedroom has a queen bed with 100mm clearance under it making it suitable for a portable hoist. The second bedroom has two single beds also with 100mm clearance under them.
The lounge is spacious to accommodate a wheelchair.
Phillip Island Chocolate Factory
The Phillip Island Chocolate Factory is located on Phillip Island Road Newhaven.
There 4 four designated disabled parking spaces. Entry to the factory is level and wide through self opening doors. An accessible toilet is located immediately to the left of the entry. It has side and rear hand rails and ample transfer space beside the toilet. The had basin has a single lever mixer control.
The ticket booth is to the right of the entry where factory tour packages can be purchased.
The factory tour is flat throughout on a hard surfaced floor. All displays are easily visible by people of all heights including children and wheelchair users. The activation buttons for the displays are large and easily operated by people with limited hand or control. The passage ways are all wide and the displays rooms are large making navigation easy even during busy periods.
The cafe is open with moveable furniture making it suitable for people of all abilities.
The gift shop is spacious with the merchandise easy reachable by people of all heights.
Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit
The Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit is located on Back Beach Road. It is the home of the Australian MotoGP.
Visitors Centre
The visitor’s centre can be reached by following the road from Gate 1. Two designated disabled parking bays are located next to the building entry on the left hand side.
Entry to the visitor’s centre is through self opening sliding doors. At the end of the entry passage is an accessible toilet on the left hand side with a side handrail. The hand basin has knee
clearance and is operated by a lever mixer tap. The room contains a baby change table.
Inside the vistor’s centre is a cafe, merchandising shop, the history of motorsport museum, simulated race game and the slot car circuit. The lower level of the cafe is accessible, however, the main level and servery is up a flight of stairs. The cafe offers table service. Access to the upper level can be gained via the garden if required.
The museum is well laid out and easy to navigate for those using mobility aids. The displays are visual with photographic displays depicting the history of the circuit.
The simulated race game is built on a low platform. The racing pods can be moved to facilitate transfers by people with a disability. The centre caters for those on the autism spectrum with quiet periods where the sounds of racing are turned down.
From the back of the visitor’s centre there is a path through the water garden that leads to the track viewing area. A wooden ramp leads from the building to a gravel path. The path from the building to the top of the hill is quite steep and would be difficult to navigate by slow walkers or those using manual mobility devices.
Go Karts
Access to the go kart track is from the front of the building. It is a gently sloping fine packed gravel path. A gravel ramp leads down to the building. An accessible toilet facility is located halfway down the access path.
Within the main building the doors are 750mm wide. There are two seat go karts available to cater for people with a disability. At this stage there are no go karts with hand controls.
Track Events
For track events the circuit provides a number of options for patron with a disability. There is a designated viewing area, (platform for major events) opposite the garages in pit lane. There is an accessible toilet facility provided adjacent to the viewing area.
There is a second viewing area on top of the pit garages with sections for people with a disability with glass observation windows. The roof gives a view of the entire circuit and paddock. The paddock is serviced with a cafe and an accessible toilet located at the side of the cafe. The roof observation area is serviced with an elevator at the southern end of the building. The garage building serves and a corporate event venue. The main corporate area is on the first floor which is serviced by the same elevator. The space is large and linked with an external wide veranda. There are no accessible toilets within the corporate space.
Phillip Island Helicopters
Phillip Island Helicopters offers joy flights over the island. The helicopters can accommodated people with a disability. There is no lifting devices available. Guests are manually lifted into the helicopter when required.
There is no accessible toilet available at the airfield with the nearest being the Vietnam Veterans Museum. The airfield does have an accessible picnic table next to the helipad.
Phillip Island RSL
The Phillip Island RSL is located in Thompson Avenue Cowes.
Accessible parking is available at the front and side of the building. Access to the club is through double width self-opening doors. Entry from the car park into the building is level.
The main dining space is the Lone Pine Bistro located to the left of the entry foyer. The room has a spacious layout suitable for all form of mobility devices and parents with prams. The furniture can be easily moved to cater for wheelchair users. The room is well lit. The bar and bistro service counter heights are low with generous space in front of them.
The Club also boasts a sports bar, the Kittyhawk Room. The room has ample maneuvering room and a mixture of high and low top tables.
The club has a large gaming room that is again well laid out with ample room for users of all forms of mobility devices.
There are two accessible toilets in the club, one located between the Kittyhawk room and the gaming room and the other behind the Lone Pine Bistro. Both have side and rear handrails and offset flush buttons.
The club offers patrons the use of wheelchairs and mobility frames for the duration of their stay. They are located behind the reception desk in the main foyer.
