King Island

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Penguin Parade
No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Gippsland

Penguin Parade

8.5
4.4/5
201 reviews
The penguin parade is located at Summerland Beach on the southwestern tip of Phillip Island, serving as the signature attraction of Phillip Island Nature Park. It occurs daily around sunset: groups of little blue penguins return ashore on the waves after a day of foraging at sea, first gathering in shallow waters and peering around before waddling across the beach along fixed routes to their dune burrows. Spectators can observe this natural "mini parade" up close from viewing stands and boardwalks, often with penguins passing just steps away. The island is home to tens of thousands of little blue penguins. With blue feathers on their backs and snow-white bellies, they stand just over 30 cm tall and weigh approx. one kg when fully grown. Their round bodies and waddling gait make them utterly endearing. They spend their days foraging at sea and return to their nests in groups after dusk, following nearly identical round-trip routes between the ocean and their burrows generation after generation. On-site, you can hear their overlapping calls. There are a few points to note when observing: The eyes of little penguins are highly sensitive to light, so cameras or video recorders are not allowed on site, and quiet waiting is necessary to avoid disturbing them; after sunset, the seaside becomes windy and chilly, so even in summer, it is recommended to bring warm outerwear and arrive early to wait for the penguins to come ashore. This spectacle occurs year-round, with the southern hemisphere's spring and summer seasons (approximately August to February each year) coinciding with the breeding season, when penguin shore arrivals and nest activity become more frequent, typically creating livelier scenes. △ The little penguins leave the island to forage at sea during the day and return to their coastal nests in groups to rest at night. △ These little penguins are the smallest in the world, not only tiny in size but also very timid. Please avoid using flash to prevent irritating their eyes. △ The Penguin Parade can be observed year-round, with warmer weather from September to January coinciding with the breeding season, when penguin activity becomes more frequent, making it an ideal time for viewing.Australia · Summerlands
Carlton Gardens
No. 4 of Spring Outings in Australia

Carlton Gardens

8.3
4.1/5
75 reviews
Carlton Gardens covers an area of approx. 26 hectares and was inscribed on the UNESCO World Heritage List in 2004, together with the Royal Exhibition Building located within the gardens. The garden maintains a Victorian-style landscape, with open lawns and avenues lined with plane trees complementing each other. Multiple tree-lined paths connect historical buildings with leisure areas. The garden features 3 fountains, among which the one designed by sculptor Joseph Hochgertel for the 1880 exhibition is particularly striking, and 2 decorative small lakes are located in the southern part. The garden is planted with various trees, including English oaks, elms, London plane trees, and Moreton Bay figs, offering different scenery throughout the seasons. The Melbourne Museum on the north side forms a sharp contrast with the classical garden through its modern architectural language, and the same area also features a children's playground inspired by the Victorian maze. The garden is perfect for a stroll; people can walk along the tree-lined paths or rest on the lawns to experience urban garden life in Melbourne.Australia · Carlton
Melbourne Skydeck
2026 Global 100 - Night Attractions

Melbourne Skydeck

8.1
4.6/5
760 reviews
Melbourne Skydeck, the Eureka Skydeck 88, is located on the 88th floor, is 285 meters above the ground. With a direct elevator, you can overlook the entire city of Melbourne, 360 degrees, in a few seconds. There is a viewfinder for accurate observation of important landmarks throughout Melbourne. There is also a glass cube called The Edge that extends out of the edge of the building, and extremely exciting to stand up and look downstairs. △ Enjoy the sunset over Melbourne city △ Feel the exciting Edge experienceAustralia · Southbank
Sovereign Hill
No. 1 of Best Things to Do in Goldfields

Sovereign Hill

7.8
4.6/5
590 reviews
Sovereign Hill is an open-air museum located on the Ballarat goldfields, recreating the original appearance of a gold rush town during the first decade after gold was discovered in 1851. Walking into the park, the gravel-paved main street is lined with bakeries, candy stores, blacksmith shops, candle workshops, and old-fashioned photo studios, where staff in period costumes move about, and horse-drawn carriages occasionally pass by, transporting visitors back to the gold rush era of the 1850s. The signature experience here is gold panning: carefully sifting through creek water with a pan, and with luck, you might take home tiny gold flakes. The underground tunnels of Red Hill Mine recount the story of miners discovering the "Welcome Nugget," a gold nugget weighing nearly 70 kg. In the gold melting workshop, staff pour molten gold into bars on the spot—a truly impressive sight. The red-coated soldiers' musket-firing demonstrations along the main street and the handmade raspberry hard candy process in the candy workshop are year-round highlights. After dark, visitors can enjoy the AURA sound and light show, which tells the legend of gold. The park is spacious with many activities, so it's recommended to set aside most of a day for a leisurely visit. The main street has gravel paths, so wearing comfortable shoes is advisable. Gold panning, vintage photos, and carriage rides are particularly popular, so it's best to prioritize these upon arrival. △ It feels like traveling back to the gold rush era of the 1850s △ Observe the candy-making process up close △ Listen to the stories of the red-coated guards on Main StreetAustralia · Golden Point
Great Ocean Road
No. 9 of Night Attractions in Australia

Great Ocean Road

7.6
4.9/5
17 reviews
The Great Ocean Road is one of Australia's most famous coastal drives, located in Victoria and stretching approximately 243 kilometers. It features numerous breathtaking natural attractions, the most famous being the Twelve Apostles, a collection of limestone stacks rising majestically from the Southern Ocean. The Great Ocean Road is not only a scenic drive but also an excellent way to experience the natural beauty of Australia's southern coastline.Australia · Lavers Hill
Twelve Apostles
No. 12 of Best Things to Do in Victoria

Twelve Apostles

7.5
4.6/5
666 reviews
Twelve Apostles stand in Australia inthe Great Ocean Road-adjacent Port Campbell National Park (Parks Victoria), and are the product of the Southern Ocean's waves and strong winds eroding limestone cliffs over tens of millions of years. Seawater carved caves into the cliff face, the caves widened into arches, and when the arches collapsed, they formed isolated stacks that broke away from the coast, some reaching approx. 45 m in height. These stacks were named Twelve Apostles in the 1950s—although only nine remained at the time. The name comes from Jesus' twelve apostles in the Bible, but there were never actually twelve stacks. The waves erode the limestone at approx. 2 cm per year. Stacks collapsed under wave erosion in 2005 and 2009, and this geological process is ongoing. Wooden boardwalk viewing platforms run along the cliff, allowing visitors to walk out and overlook the stacks and the vast expanse of the Southern Ocean. At sunset, the setting sun turns the stacks golden, making it one of the classic scenes along theGreat Ocean Road.Australia · Princetown
Phillip Island
2026 Global 50 - Cool Water Escapes

Phillip Island

7.5
4.7/5
502 reviews
Phillip Island, also known as Penguin Island, is located at the entrance of Western Port Bay in southern Victoria, Australia. It is a true wildlife paradise where you can see koalas, kangaroos, penguins, seals, and many other wild animals. △ The Penguin Parade is one of the most popular attractions on Phillip Island. Here, you can hear the "huffing" sounds of the penguins up close and watch the little penguins waddle from the sea back to their burrows on land. △ Panny's Chocolate Factory is a fun and delicious attraction on Phillip Island, perfect for a family visit. You can watch the chocolate-making process and purchase them as souvenirs. △ Phillip Island Wildlife Park is home to many native species, including kangaroos, koalas, emus, and various birds. Visitors can observe these animals up close, feed kangaroos, and take photos with koalas.Australia · Ventnor
Port Campbell National Park (Parks Victoria)
No. 3 of Spring Outings in Australia

Port Campbell National Park (Parks Victoria)

7.5
4.0/5
95 reviews
Port Campbell National Park (Parks Victoria) is at the heart of the Shipwreck Coast. The park is named after Captain Alexander Campbell, who was active in this area in the 19th century. Steep limestone cliffs stretch along the coastline, where waves and wind have continuously eroded the soft rock layers for millions of years, leaving behind dense and spectacular coastal landforms such as sea stacks, arches, gorges, and sea caves. Twelve Apostles is the park's iconic landmark—a group of limestone stacks rising from the sea, displaying layered colors of golden yellow and gray-white under the sunrise and sunset. Not far away, Loch Ard Gorge is named after the 1878 shipwreck of the "Loch Ard," with towering gorge walls enclosing a hidden beach. To the west,London Archwas originally a double-arched stone bridge connected to the land, but later became an arch standing independently in the sea after the inner arch collapsed. Gibson Steps allow you to descend from the top of the cliff to the beach to admire the scale of the rock stacks from up close. The Grotto is a sea cave at the western end of the park; after the cave roof collapsed, it formed a natural skylight, with sunlight spilling into the water inside the cave.Australia · Princetown
Phillip Island Nature Parks
No. 2 of Best Things to Do in Gippsland

Phillip Island Nature Parks

6.5
4.7/5
253 reviews
Phillip Island Nature Parks was established in 1996, located on Phillip Island, covering an area of 2,750 hectares. It features four main attractions: Penguin Parade, Koala Conservation Centre, Churchill Island Heritage Farm, and the Nobbies Centre. △ The Penguin Parade is a highly popular attraction within Phillip Island Nature Parks, where you can hear the "huffing" sounds of penguins up close and watch the little penguins waddle from the sea back to their burrows on land. △ The Koala Conservation Centre features viewing trails where you can walk along boardwalks to explore the treetop homes of the furry koalas and get up close to wild koalas. △ The Nobbies Centre is surrounded by long, winding cliffside boardwalks. Here, you can enjoy a cup of coffee while admiring the ocean view and gaze out towards Seal Rocks, the fur seal colony. △ Churchill Island Heritage Farm holds significant historical importance, preserving well-maintained traditional sites and serene natural scenery. There are also wonderful farm demonstrations every afternoon.Australia · Cowes
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria - Melbourne Gardens
No. 2 of Spring Outings in Australia

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria - Melbourne Gardens

6.5
4.6/5
468 reviews
Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria - Melbourne Gardens is located on the beautiful south bank of the Yarra River, where thousands of exotic plants from Australia and around the world thrive. The gardens also feature diverse architecture and engaging activities. 1. The Children's Garden helps kids explore the natural world Inside the Children's Garden, there are many interactive facilities where kids can play to their heart's content and get up close with nature. The garden offers everything to help children explore the natural world: crawl-through plant tunnels, climbable rocks, and bamboo groves perfect for playing hide-and-seek. The Children's Garden is temporarily closed for maintenance every winter. Opening hours during other seasons are Wednesday–Sunday from 10:00 AM until sunset, with daily operation during Victoria school holidays. 2.ObservatoryExplore the brilliant starry sky Next to the Children's GardenObservatoryThe bright yellow exterior walls and silver semi-dome make it easily recognizable. Built between 1861–1863, it has maintained close ties with the Astronomical Society of Victoria. The interior is only open to tour groups, and general visitors cannot enter. Planetarium visits are typically scheduled for the evening. 3. Herbarium plant specimen collection To the right of the Children's Garden is the Herbarium, a white circular building. It houses over 1.2 million plant specimens, mostly from Victoria, Australia, with more than half being at least a century old. The facility also includes a small library dedicated to botanical literature. Unfortunately, visitors are not permitted inside. 4. Tropical Greenhouse Step into the tropical greenhouse and discover exotic plants from around the world.Australia · Melbourne

Experiences you can't miss in King Island

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Free things to do in King Island

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Group Tours in King Island

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What travelers say about King Island

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_FB***611 October 2026
5.0
Loved watching a group of little penguins head home! It was so sweet seeing them waddle and shake their tails

Penguin Parade

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Mandadadada30 May 2023
5.0
Lovely place to walk past on the way to the Melbourne museum. This time of the year, there’s autumn leaves covering the walkways. There is even a small pond with some ducks in the corner. And right in front of the royal exhibition hall, there is a fountain where sometimes you will catch couples taking their wedding photos here.

Carlton Gardens

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Avinash Khanapur22 March 2026
4.0
I have completed summit of various tallest buildings and observatory decks. However Eureka Towers lacks the punch or experience and assuming that I was never designed from a commercial aspects. However being jn CBD, it does offer some spectacular views and photographic opportunities. But challenge always remains that Wearher should support u. The GenZ experiences like EDGE and VR are there but can be much better. Felt they are not value for money.

Melbourne Skydeck

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M10***604 October 2026
5.0
You can experience riding a mine cart down the mine shaft, with a 45-minute guided tour, which is quite a novel experience. Overall, it's pretty good! However, considering the two-hour drive and ticket price, the value for money isn't very high, so it's not a must-see attraction. If you're short on time, you can skip it; if you have more time, it's still a great option!

Sovereign Hill

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I•Y11 March 2025
5.0
The tour to Great Ocean Road was taken by the guide named Vance who is frequent with both English and Chinese. Since I only speak English and Japanese, it was helpful that guide can speak English too.The tour was operated quite strictly about time, so the tour went so smoothly than I expected.In the tour, you don’t need to worry about the problem of language because the guide always left the paper which show what time you should come back to bus.The guide Vance is kind and funny, and I really enjoyed his guide and recommendation.And I really enjoyed the beautiful view and it was stunning!!!!

Great Ocean Road

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JaymeLee28 January 2025
4.0
Amazing viewing point! make sure you check out the beach and also the viewing deck. facilities are well taken care of and large parking lot

Twelve Apostles

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谢颖华24 October 2025
5.0
It's actually not bad. There are a lot of people, and I really followed the online suggestions and bought ordinary seats. There is no need to buy too good seats. They will be close to each other anyway. Overall, this trip is worth experiencing.

Phillip Island

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彤記TUNGKee22 February 2023
5.0
When traveling the Great Ocean Road by car, you must come to Port Campbell~ It takes about four hours to drive from Melbourne city center If you play along the road, you can come here I kept seeing many traces left over from history. Every limestone is special What an eye-opener Another question is This town has a lot of delicious food A restaurant that is very popular among locals is the pizza restaurant Super fragrant and special One of the flavors is my first time eating it. It’s pumpkin-based pizza. Everyone can try it wherever you go. Give you an unexpected surprise #melbourne

Port Campbell National Park (Parks Victoria)

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YoYo_1I8Q7O5O7 July 2025
5.0
菲利普岛自然公园是一次难忘的旅行体验。这里仿佛是自然的宝藏,企鹅归巢的壮观场景令人动容,小家伙们摇摇摆摆,萌态十足。还有海豹懒洋洋地晒太阳,与海浪嬉戏。漫步在沙滩,呼吸着清新的海风,感受着大自然的宁静与美好,让人忘却尘世的喧嚣,只想沉浸在这片纯净的天地中。

Phillip Island Nature Parks

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蝴蝶飞了25 November 2024
5.0
The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne is one of Australia's most famous botanical gardens. It is located on the banks of the Yarra River south of Melbourne's city center and covers an area of ​​about 38 hectares. The garden is famous for its beautiful natural scenery, diverse flora and tranquil environment. It is an ideal place for local residents and tourists to take a leisurely walk. Scenic features: 1. Diverse plant areas The garden has more than 8,500 species of plants, including native Australian plants and rare plants from all over the world. In particular, the Australian rainforest area and the cactus garden show completely different natural landscapes. 2. Lakes and wetlands The central lake (Ornamental Lake) is the core landscape of the garden. The lake reflects the surrounding trees and sky, providing visitors with a peaceful view. There are seats and paths by the lake, suitable for slow walking and relaxation. 3. Hiking and viewing trails There are many trails in the garden that shuttle through the trees. From the winding trails, you can enjoy the natural landscape from different angles, especially in spring and autumn, when the garden is most colorful. 4. Landscape Architecture and Sculptures There are some exquisite pavilions, stone bridges and sculptures in the garden. These buildings are harmoniously integrated with the natural environment, adding cultural and artistic atmosphere to the scenic area. 5. Bird watching and wildlife The garden is home to many kinds of birds, including black swans, parrots and ducks, making it a paradise for bird watchers. In addition, you can occasionally see traces of kangaroos or possums. 6. Seasonal landscape In spring, the garden is full of flowers, especially the rose garden area, which is fragrant; in autumn, maple trees and deciduous plants present brilliant colors of golden and crimson. Featured activities: • Moonlight Cinema During the summer, visitors can enjoy open-air movies on the lawn and experience the combination of nature and culture. • Guided tours and educational activities The botanical garden provides free or paid guided tours to help visitors better understand plants and their ecological significance. Summary The Royal Botanic Gardens Melbourne is not only a place to appreciate natural beauty, but also a window to experience Australia's unique ecological environment. Whether it's a leisurely walk, a family gathering, or a photography project, this place can bring an unforgettable experience.

Royal Botanic Gardens Victoria - Melbourne Gardens

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