Penguin Island Things to Do

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There are new boardwalks which provide access between the jetty, The Penguin Experience Island Discovery Centre, picnic area and the (only) toilets for people with disabilities. The park authorities request that the access on the island is limited to walk trails and demarcated beaches only. The rest of the island is a bird sanctuary area and access is strictly prohibited.

There are cavernous reefs which surround both Penguin Island the nearby smaller islands. These reefs support a variety of subtropical and temperate invertebrates which include sea starts, molluscs and urchins as well as numerous fish species. Good snorkelling and diving can be found around these reefs.

Mersey Point is the departure point for the Penguin Island ferry. Ferry tours operate from mid-September through to early June and leave on an hourly basis. There is a small store and café at the point where you can buy your ferry tickets and also any light snacks to take with you to the island. There are no shops on the island.

After the ‘courtship walk’ where the female can lead a group of up to 8 males, and after the dominant male has one out, the female selects a nesting site and forms a shallow depression in the ground where she will lay her eggs. Both the male and female will aid in the building of the nest. The female will usually lay around 2 eggs and both parents will incubate the eggs until they hatch which is usually 32-35 days.

The Australian pelican is Australia's largest flying bird and a colony of these birds have nested on the north end of the island since late 1998. The nesting period varies according to the availability of food and Water but normally between August and November.

Penguin Island is home to one of only nine breeding colonies of Australian Pelican known along the West Australian coast. You are requested not to get to near the pelicans and stay on the walk trails and boardwalks as they can be sensitive to disturbance and move to even more secluded areas. Also young pelicans have been known to fall over the cliff and drown.

The Pied Cormorants numbers have tripled on the islands over the past 10 years. These birds are masters at diving from the surface and pursuing their prey at depth. Their white underside makes them less conspicuous to the fish and enhances their hunting method. Large amounts of guano are produced by the Pied Cormorants and the Pelicans.

On Seal Island in particular you can see masses of Pied Cormorant. The striking black and white bird at times resembles the pelican but it has a striking white face and yellow or orange facial skin. They prefer the rocky outcrops or just sitting around on piers and buoys. They are Australia’s most common cormorant.

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These Sea Lions are the only pinniped (fin-foot) that is found only in Australia and aside from Seal Island, lives along parts of the western and southern coastline. Males weigh about 3 times more than females at roughly 300kgs. They have dark brown fur with pale necks while the females backs are grey with a creamy fur front. Unlike other Sea Lions, breeding can occur at any time from January to June and pups are born on rocky beaches and mortality is high in the first 6 months.

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The Australian Sea Lions spend most of the year on Seal Island. The Australian variety is the rarest in the world and has been given protection under State Legislation. No one is permitted to land on Seal Island while these mammals seem harmless and sleepy enough, they can delivery a nasty bite if aggravated.