Burnie Penguin Observation Centre

15/01/2025

12/01/2025

Where have all the babies gone? Little Penguins fledge at around 8 weeks and then take off for adult life out at sea. There are still plenty of adult penguins in Burnie but when you visit, you may well see some chicks like these with the remaining fluff being replaced by adult feathers. Our guides will be on hand to give a brief talk about Little Penguins at around 8:40 and then to help you enjoy an evening penguin watching.

31/12/2024

The Little Penguins of Burnie are sending out their very best wishes for a happy and healthy New Year. If you come along tonight, you can celebrate with the penguins, and watch the fireworks at 9:15 pm and drone show at 9:30 and 12:00. The guides will present a brief talk about the birds at 8:45 and then stay on to help you enjoy watching the penguins without disturbing them. While the fireworks are for tonight only, the guides will continue to be on hand every evening from 8:45.

29/12/2024

Announcement from Penguin Rehab and Release
We have reached maximum capacity at Penguin Rehab & Release.
For the immediate future, we are unable to take any more birds into care.
If you come across a penguin that needs rescuing, please reach out to the following organizations:
Forth Valley Veterinary Clinic / Tasmania Wildlife Hospital (03) 6428 2703
Wynyard Veterinary Clinic (03) 6442 4242
Bonorong 24hr Wildlife Rescue Line 0447 264 625
Our registered carer, who constantly works herself to the point of exhaustion to care for the penguins, is currently very unwell and we need to set a maximum limit of penguins in care to allow her a chance to recover. The penguins that are currently in care will still receive excellent care and will continue to be expertly rehabilitated, but we can’t take any more into care until our carer has recovered from her illness.

22/12/2024

The Little Penguins of Burnie send happy holiday wishes to everyone. The Friends of Burnie Penguins will continue to be in attendance right through the Christmas - New Year period as the penguins don't actually recognise our holidays and will continue to come ashore each night. Now that the days are at their longest, come along at 8:45 for a brief talk, and then enjoy your evening with the penguins.

17/12/2024

Nap time..A quick update on the progress of the chicks in burrow 1 who are still fluffy and growing quickly, You can see just the beginning of their adult feathers on the tips of their flippers/wings. Scroll back to time this photo was taken to see them breathing deeply as they sleep.

15/12/2024

Who is that visiting the penguins? It looks like a rat but look closely - its tail has a very noticeable white tip. It is a Rakali, or native water rat which can sometimes be seen grazing along the water’s edge looking for aquatic insects, aquatic plants, crayfish, clams, mussels, small fish and crabs. Rakali can be found arlong many water ways around Australia and were once trapped for their lovely waterproof fur. This one wandered into the Burnie colony, allowing Kazz to document the visit.

In the meantime, the penguin colony is a very busy place as parent birds come onto land just on dark to feed their babies and prepare for a well-deserved overnight rest. Guides are there to give a brief informative talk around 8:30 and then stay on to help visitors enjoy a wonderful Little Penguin experience.

01/12/2024

Dinner time, but for how many? A Little Penguin family consists of 2 adults and 2 chicks and the adults will only feed their own chicks. However when the neighbourhood kids are hungry, they do try their luck and continuing lack of success doesn't stop them from trying. Poor parents, being jumped on by a gang is the last thing they need after a day fishing. Thanks Kazz for being there to catch the action and sharing with us.

26/11/2024

Have you been wondering about how the chicks in burrow 1 are growing but haven't checked recently on YouTube? Here are a couple of photos of the chicks at about 9 days of age. The first is the chicks being feed, and the second is the adult having a clean up after the sometimes messy business of feeding the chicks. As the days are now growing longer, suggested starting time is 8:20 for an 8:30 talk; you can watch what the bigger chicks are doing outside their nests being fed or waiting impatiently.

23/11/2024

Lots of Motorsport fans in Burnie this weekend, wonderful to see them enjoying their time in Burnie and visiting our little penguins 🐧

Our dedicated volunteers are present every evening from 820pm if you’d like to come see our feathered friends for yourself 😊🐧

17/11/2024

Friends of Burnie Penguins are happy to announce the arrival of two brand new chicks you can watch grow and develop. Just go to https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ur00D3lgY0M and watch Burrow 1, on the bottom left of the screen. It may look like just a penguin sitting in the nest, but if you watch two little dark heads will poke out from time to time. If you are lucky, you might just see them being fed! Seeing chicks this size is special as they stay hidden in their nests until they are around 4 weeks old.

Of course, you can still come and experience watching penguins big and small get on with life in the Burnie colony. If you come along at around 8:00 the guides for the evening will tell you about penguins and the colony and help you observe them as the adults come in from the sea.

01/11/2024

What is happening at the Burnie Little Penguin colony now? Lots! There is plenty of action to watch as the adults come out of the sea, some to care for their lovely fat chicks and others preparing for the chicks to come. Our guides be on site at the moment at 8:00 to greet visitors and talk about the penguins which will be coming on shore at dusk. Remember that as the days lengthen dusk becomes later as well, so the penguins will arrive later too. In the meantime, you can peek at the chicks in their burrows at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=W7FPeRfSJhc