Little penguins breed along the coastline
Where: North and east coast
When: Sep - Mar
With Antarctica just around the corner, it’s no surprise that Tasmania is a popular spot for penguins. In fact, around 110 000 to 190 000 are believed to call Tasmania home. Penguins come ashore in their greatest numbers during the breeding season between September and March. Penguins can be found almost anywhere around the Tasmanian coastline wherever there is shelter from the prevailing seas, shelving coastline and shrubby growth on the shore. Little penguins return to their burrows after dark from feeding in the ocean.
Locations include:
- Penguin (the town) nightly tours (Sep - Mar)
- Burnie (tours Sep to Mar)
- Lillico Beach near Devonport (tours Sep - May and Dec - Feb)
- Low Head (nightly tours from coastal reserve)
- Bicheno (nightly tours year round)
- Bruny Island (tours from Hobart via boat or take yourself while staying on Bruny).
Image: Low Head Penguin Tours - Credit Pete Harmsen