The September school holidays are a great time to herald the arrival of spring, and Phillip Island Nature Parks has some wonderful free activities on offer as well as some discounted ticket bundles to make the most of your visit to the island.
The little penguins at the Penguin Parade are getting right into the swing of things. For those penguins still looking for love, the males have renovated their burrows in an effort to attract the attention of the opposite sex. Nature Parks’ researchers have reported that many burrows already have two very podgy penguins inside, busily preparing for the breeding season. We should start seeing the first of the eggs very soon, leading to some very chubby and fluffy chicks. They don’t stay fluffy for long though, as chicks usually only take between eight and 11 weeks to fledge and find their own way in the world.
The male koalas are certainly thinking about breeding as well, as they start to develop their pungent aroma that is meant to attract the ladies. The rangers at the Koala Conservation Centre tell us it’s not the best smell, and so far the female koalas don’t seem too thrilled about it either, but it’s only early days in the koala world, so hopefully we will be seeing some wonderful little koala joeys in the near future.
There can’t be anything much cuter than the sight of a baby lamb or highland cow frolicking in the fields, and it won’t be too long until Churchill Island Heritage Farm is home to some brand new faces of the baby variety. The ducks, geese and chickens don’t want to miss out, so they may well make their own contribution to the farm’s animal population in the near future as well.
You can visit all three of these wonderful locations at a heavily discounted rate when you purchase a Phillip Island Nature Parks ‘4 Parks’ Pass. In addition to the Penguin Parade, Koala Conservation Centre and Churchill Island Heritage Farm, the 4 Parks Pass also entitles you to entry to the fun and immersive Antarctic Journey at the Nobbies Centre. This exciting attraction offers hands-on fun, interactive activities and a state-of-the-art multimedia experience as visitors embark on a virtual journey to the frozen continent, complete with augmented reality experience to reach out and stroke a seal or pat a penguin.
As if all of this wasn’t enough, the Rangers at the Nature Parks are putting on some great free school holiday activities like Koala Prowls, Rockpool Rambles, Kite Workshops and Turn the Tide Beach Discovery sessions. Come and join the Rangers for a fun session before the evening Penguin Parade and find out how you can help save our seabirds and other marine wildlife by blowing bubbles instead of balloons.
For more details on the 4 Parks Pass and the school holiday free activities program, visit www.penguins.org.au and start planning your visit to Phillip Island.
