The 100th anniversary of the Phillip Island (Millowl) Penguin Parade has been celebrated this month.
Locals began gathering casually on the Summerland Peninsula to watch the nightly phenomenon of the little penguins returning to their burrows from the ocean.
But it was a visit by the Governor of Victoria, the Earl of Stradbroke, in November 1921 that really launched the penguin parade as one of Victoria’s premier tourist attractions.
The anniversary marks 100 years of ecotourism at the Summerland Peninsula, which sparked an incredible conservation story that showed the way for ecotourism in Australia.
He penguin parade is not only a wonderful experience shared by generations Victorians.
Millions of people from more than 70 countries have also made the trek to see the little penguins’ nightly walk.
And 25 million viewers from all over the world watched Live Penguin TV from their homes over the past two years.
The parade is a conservation success story that has, over years and decades, involved the removal of a housing estate on the Summerland Peninsula and the eradicating of predators including foxes from Phillip Island.
It is now the world’s largest colony of little penguins.
This anniversary is a celebration of the penguin parade itself, Phillip Island Nature Parks, conservation efforts through a range of Victorian Government and non-government agencies and of Victoria’s stunning natural landscapes.
Page last updated: 08/12/21