Where can you see little penguins at St Kilda Pier?
A colony of little penguins lives in the rocky breakwater at the end of St Kilda Pier in Melbourne. They can often be seen returning from the sea at dusk.
Little penguins are the smallest penguin species, standing about 33 centimetres tall. The St Kilda colony is unusual because it lives so close to a big city, only around six kilometres from the CBD.
Volunteers from Earthcare St Kilda help monitor the penguins and guide visitors. Flash photography is not allowed because it can harm the birds' eyes, and visitors are asked to keep a respectful distance.
About St Kilda
St Kilda is a lively bayside suburb known for its beach, palm-lined esplanade and Luna Park, which opened in 1912. Acland Street is famous for its cake shops.
The pier's historic kiosk burned down in 2003 and was rebuilt in its original style. The breakwater was built for the 1956 Olympic sailing events.
The penguins nest among the rocks all year, and numbers are counted regularly to track the health of the colony.
Did You Know?
Little penguins are also called fairy penguins and are found along southern Australia and New Zealand.