Burnie Penguin Observation Centre

30/11/2025

Recently our volunteers spent two working bees removing thistles from the penguin habitat, during the day when the penguins were either out to sea or in their burrows. They filled 51 bags with thistles! The timing was essential to avoid them setting seed!

Big thank you to our volunteers, and also to Burnie Council for removing the bags.

Updated photo provided by Perviz Marker.

28/11/2025

Our guides will welcome visitors to the Observation Centre every night after 8:15pm, starting with an introductory talk before guiding starts. We are there in all weather conditions except lightning
Breeding season is in full swing and you can expect to see both chicks and adults, and if you are lucky you will see the chicks being fed.
Please, no flash or white light.
See you there!

26/11/2025

When I reposted this, I was speechless.

All I can add, even now, is a plea for every dog owner to control their dogs, and not to walk where the signs indicate not to.

Even the smell from a dog’s footprint can deter a penguin from coming further ashore.

29/10/2025

Have you noticed that the days are getting longer and longer? The penguins do! As the days lengthen, they arrive later - just before dark, whenever time that might be. Guides at the Burnie Penguin Observation Centre will arrive at 8:00pm throughout November and give a brief talk a short time before the penguins are expected. Please keep in mind that penguins operate on penguin time and ignore our watches.

This video of the arrival of Little Penguins on King Island was shared by a recent visitor. While the birds do behave differently landing in that colony, they are the same penguins arriving at the same time, just before dark.

18/10/2025

All set up at the Cradle Coast UTAS open day, we’ll be here until 2pm 🐧

09/10/2025

First night back at guiding for the season
In Burnie, the penguins’ behaviour speaks for itself; the chicks playing together, the adults calling with their distinctive trills and “huk huk,” the way they preen at the fence line or feed their young right in the open.
It’s not that they’re putting on a show exclusively for us, it’s that they feel secure enough in their environment to live as they naturally would, without the same fear or hesitation of other colonies. I’ve had the chance to visit several penguin colonies (well over a dozen) — some promoted, others that are on a “need to know basis”, some are the home to over several hundred birds, while others have been dimished to less than a handful.
Believe me when I say we are spoilt and we should not take that for granted. If we foul it up, we lose something truly special.
They make a lot of noise along the pathway, but it hits my chest hard, that the absence of their song would be absolutely haunting.
Sarah F. - Guide at the Burnie Little Penguin colony.

Thank you for your reflections Sarah, and also for your photo of a mum and 2 chicks with a bit of fluff, which so clearly shows what is so special about penguin watching in Burnie. Please note that guiding will start this week at 7:30, and that there are plenty birds and chicks to watch.

05/10/2025

With the start of daylight savings our volunteers will now be on-site from 7.35pm every night 🐧

28/09/2025

We're back! Friends of Burnie Penguins are pleased to welcome visitors, and our new guides, to the Burnie Little Penguin colony on Wednesday 1st October for the start of the penguin viewing season. Starting from 7:00 our guides will be on hand to tell you about these Burnie residents and help you watch them. And maybe you will be able to see for yourself why they were once known as" little blue penguins".

15/09/2025

Our volunteers return to guiding on October 1st but if you need a penguin fix before that our friends at Little Penguins Lillico Tasmania are starting back tonight 🐧😊

12/09/2025

https://www.facebook.com/share/p/19aE6ndojF/?mibextid=wwXIfr

05/09/2025