Melbourne Independent Travel Day 3｜Puffing Billy Steam Train + Penguin Homecoming Experience: The Most Unforgettable Wildlife Watching Day!

This day was the one I most looked forward to during the whole Australia trip: riding the nostalgic Puffing Billy Steam Railway, then heading to Phillip Island to witness the penguins returning home with my own eyes. What A Cat looked forward to most was the hot air balloon, but as for me, I came just for today's wildlife adventure!

Morning snack + Queen Victoria Market shopping trip Breakfast was the cheese I bought at the supermarket last night (this is the one my mom specifically recommended after reading the blog). Since the meeting time was a bit later, I arranged a little side trip: heading over to the Queen Victoria Market for a stroll and a browse.

Besides shopping and eating, the most important thing is to complete the mission assigned by Mom: buy a koala plush toy! The stalls here have such exquisite styles, and all kinds of food and souvenirs are hard to resist~

A little episode before departure: sending a postcard to myself The meeting point was in Chinatown (probably because it was a Chinese-speaking tour), and along the way we happened to pass by a post office, so I managed to send a postcard to my future self! The postcard, including postage, cost only 2.55 Australian dollars — such a small expense, but such a meaningful keepsake.

When I arrived at the meeting point, I unexpectedly saw a statue of Dr. Sun Yat-sen, the Father of the Nation. Seeing such a familiar figure in a foreign land still felt quite heartwarming.

Puffing Billy Steam Train | A Nostalgic Railway Journey Our first stop is Lakeside Station, where the steam train has a history of over a hundred years. It was originally built to transport timber, potatoes, and daily necessities for mountain residents, and was later converted into a tourist attraction thanks to the staff's insistence on preserving it. Before boarding, we'll take a walk along the lake and have a picnic — lunch will be bread we brought from the Victoria Market.

The classic experience of dangling your feet from the train The most fun part of riding the Puffing Billy is being able to sit at the edge of the carriage and dangle your feet out the window! The kids go wild for it, so let's give it a try too~

The whole trip takes about an hour, passing forest mountain views along the way, and you'll also pass by some lovely little houses, where residents wave and greet the passengers on the train — it feels just like a movie!

When we reached the terminus at Belgrave, the driver-guide had already driven over to pick us up. Many of the Puffing Billy staff are warm-hearted elders, which made the whole experience feel even more heartwarming.

MARU Wildlife Park | Get up close with kangaroos and koalas The second stop is the 【MARU Koala and Animal Park】, where admission costs AUD 25 at your own expense. If you'd like to experience touching a koala, that's an extra AUD 25.

The park isn't large, but you can spot quite a few animals unique to Australia: Dingo: It looks like a Shiba Inu, but it's actually one of Australia's dangerous animals.

Emu: kind of like an ostrich — I later saw wild ones at Glenorchy too.

Kangaroo: You can interactively feed them here, but I think seeing them in the wild is more breathtaking.

Wallaby: Looks like a mini version of a kangaroo, and it's a bit shy around people.

Koala: Here you can get up close and touch their fluffy backs~

🐨 First Koala Encounter Experience I was the only one in the whole group who paid extra for the koala interaction experience. At first, the staff explained some background information in English (I mostly just soaked in the atmosphere~), then they led us to another area for a close-up interaction with a koala that had just finished eating. Although you can't hug it (apparently koalas may attack the eyes if startled), you can touch its soft back fur, and even after I left, my hands still carried a faint scent of eucalyptus leaves. Even though this experience was a bit pricey, it's a rare and precious memory for koala lovers!

Phillip Island Penguin Parade | The Little Blue Penguins' Nightly Homecoming Show We finally arrived at the highlight I'd been most looking forward to — the Phillip Island Penguin Parade! We first stopped by the Visitor Centre, which has an exhibition hall, a restaurant, and a room screening penguin documentaries, plus a signboard showing how many penguins came ashore the night before — **1,492 of them!** That really boosted our confidence!

導遊特別提醒：剛開始在海邊的觀景平台其實看不太清楚，建議看到第一波企鵝上岸後就往後走到草地巢區，能更近距離觀察。 在等企鵝前，竟然意外先遇到野生袋鼠（笑）。

📷【Photo Description】: Feathers are scattered in a ring outside a small burrow in the grass — this is the home of the little (fairy) penguin.

Then the sun gradually set, and we waited at the observation deck. A few seagulls were the first to warm up the scene, flying back and forth along the shore. By the time it was completely dark, in that quiet moment like after a stage curtain falls, at 06:07 a string of wobbling little black silhouettes suddenly appeared in the distance — the penguins' vanguard had made its entrance!

Since it was too far away, we decisively followed the guide's advice and moved toward the nesting area, and as a result, we successfully encountered this group of little blue penguins—fairy penguins—only about 30 cm tall, up close on the trail! Their round, plump bodies waddled along, giving off an indescribable sense of healing.

This wildlife observation experience was simply a dream moment for me, someone who loves wild animals so much. Midnight Snack on the Way Back: First Time Trying Da Wei Spicy Hot Pot Skewers After the tour ended at 19:00, it took about a two-hour drive back to the city. We found a still-open [Da Wei Spicy Hot Pot Skewers] shop for a late-night snack. It was my first time trying the Australian version of málà tàng (spicy hot skewers), and we ordered "Spicy Pork Intestine Noodles" plus "Crispy Fried Sliced Meat." The spicy pork intestine noodles were tangy and spicy in the most satisfying way, while the crispy fried sliced meat was just so-so — but honestly, compared to Vietnam, the price difference is like an extra zero added on (haha).

Recap | Steam Train and Wild Penguins, a Perfect Day! This day's itinerary had just the right pace and was packed with highlights — from a nostalgic railway journey to a nighttime visit with a mysterious penguin colony, every part of it was unforgettable. If, like me, you love wildlife and vintage scenery, then when you come to Melbourne, this is one day trip you absolutely can't miss! More Australia self-guided travel guides: Trip planning Australia self-guided travel guide: 7 must-know things + a 10-day itinerary overview ▍Sydney Australia self-guided travel Day 1-2: Flying from Vietnam to Sydney & a city stroll guide Sydney Opal Card One-Day Tour: Explore Sydney's Classic Sights and Transit Experience Blue Mountains Day Trip Guide | Full Guide to Scenic World Railway, Cable Car & The Three Sisters ▍Melbourne Melbourne Independent Travel Day 1 | Jetstar Arrival, War Memorial & Yarra River Sunset Stroll | Special ANZAC Day Itinerary Australia Independent Travel Recommendation: Yarra Valley Hot Air Balloon Sunrise Experience & Melbourne Sightseeing Walk Puffing Billy Steam Train + Phillip Island Penguin Parade One-Day Tour Grampians National Park, Australia | Experience Wild Kangaroos & Victoria's Most Spectacular Waterfalls Great Ocean Road Day Trip | The Twelve Apostles, Loch Ard Gorge — Melbourne's Most Beautiful Coastline Mornington Peninsula Itinerary Review | Are These Attractions Worth Visiting? Hot Springs, Wineries, and the Lighthouse All Explained