Penguin Guides

🚫 PENGUIN VIEWING CLOSED – PENGUIN GUIDES SUSPENDED 🚫

Due to COVID-19, Parks Victoria will be installing temporary fencing and preventing access onto the breakwater as of the 15th March. This decision has been made for the welfare of volunteers, PV employees and visitors. We appreciate your understanding and cooperation during this time.

St Kilda is home to a colony of over 1,400 Little Penguins and attracts many visitors each year.

Earthcare St Kilda has been operating its famous Penguin Guide service since 2008 to enhance the learning experience for local, interstate and overseas visitors while also assisting in minimising the impact of the public on this important wild penguin colony.

Guides are rostered in teams, with a team leader, to supervise public penguin viewing at the pier for around 2-3 hours after sunset.

Penguin Guide duties include:

  • Providing information to visitors about the penguins
  • Minimising the impact of visitors on the colony through education about the use of camera flashes and white light torches, keeping off the rocks and keeping a distance from the penguins

This role is all about interacting with visitors, often managing their behaviour, so you must have strong and effective communication skills, diplomacy and confidence in order to be an effective Penguin Guide.

This role is extremely challenging given the very large visitor numbers to see these penguins and you will need to be able to control large crowds to make room for penguin movements and successfully direct visitors when they do not follow the rules.

The minimum commitment is one shift per fortnight for at least 6 months.

Penguin Guides must be over 18 years of age and will be required to become members of Earthcare St Kilda.

No previous penguin knowledge or experience is needed as all training will be provided by Earthcare St Kilda to new Penguin Guides.

More details about Penguin Guiding are given in our Penguin Guide Handbook.

If you are interested in becoming a Penguin Guide then please email the Penguin Guides Co-ordinator or complete this application form.

Further Details

If you would like to know more about Little Penguins then visit the St Kilda Penguins website and read the Earthcare St Kilda publication The St Kilda Penguins.

This activity is open to all current and new members of Earthcare St Kilda.