Penguin Passport at SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium

Visit: SEA LIFE Melbourne Aquarium, corner of Flinders Street and King Street, Melbourne, Victoria 3000 Australia

If you are a fan of the movie Happy Feet or a general animal-lover, this is the tour for you. The penguin encounter and behind-the-scenes tour at the Melbourne Aquarium is a unique look into the lives of King and Gentoo penguins in a well-simulated natural Antarctic habitat. This state-of-the-art facility is home to the tall and majestic King Penguins and the smaller, cheeky Gentoo Penguins.

This is no ordinary tour – you won’t be standing with your nose pressed up against the glass, but actually sitting on the ice among the penguins, watching them slip and slide on the snow-covered ice and play in the cool waters of their pool.

Watch how the penguins’ food is prepared, see where they sleep and look inside the veterinary clinic where the penguins go for checkups.

Your expert guide will give you exclusive behind-the-scenes access, show you how the aquarium maintains the sub-zero temperatures to keep the ice firm and the penguins happy, and answer any questions that you may have.

The Antarctic display is one of the highlights of a visit to the award-winning Melbourne Aquarium. Antarctica is the coldest, driest and windiest continent on Earth.Through interactive and stunning visual displays you will learn about the history, culture and scientific work conducted, and you’ll experience the life of an early explorer and the hardships they endured.

See below for more information on the penguins.

About the Penguins

King Penguins: Immortalized by the film Happy Feet, King Penguins are one of the most visually stunning animals in the Antarctic, with vibrant plumage and yellow-orange spots near their ears and on their necks. They are about3 feet (90 centimeters) tall and weigh up to 35 pounds (14 kilograms) and eat a diet of mainly fish, some squid and crustaceans. They can be found on many sub-Antarctic islands, including Prince Edward, Macquarie and South Georgia.

Gentoo Penguins: Although not as tall or regal as their King Penguin cousins, the Gentoo Penguin is one of the cutest, with orange feet, a reddish-orange bill and white patches over the top of their eyes. They are also the fastest swimmers of all the penguins, reaching speeds of up to 21 miles (35 kilometers) per hour. They are about 3 feet (90 centimeters) tall and weigh up to 11 pounds (5kilograms) and eat small fish and krill. Their main habitat is the Falkland Islands, but they can also be found on the Kerguelen Isles and South Georgia.

Important Information:

To maintain the health of the penguins and their environment, please adhere to the below conditions relating to participating in the tour.

You must:
• Be 14 years or older to participate
• NOT have had contact with birds in the last 24 hours
• Be able to navigate stairs
• NOT have suffered from a flu/cold/gastro/respiration infection in the last 48 hours
• NOT wear jewelry or watches or take mobile phones or cameras on the tour