Booking choice: The penguins, koalas and kangaroos day trip, from $100 per person. Check dates Tour details
Is Gippsland close to Melbourne? Yes and no. The region begins just past the Shire of Cardinia, the edge of Melbourne's outer south-east, and Visit Gippsland puts it about 120 km east of the city. It also runs all the way to the New South Wales border, and from Melbourne its eastern corner is a full day's drive.
This guide gives the travel time to each part of the region, from official sources: Phillip Island Nature Parks, Parks Victoria and V/Line. Then it covers the train and coach options, where public transport stops, and the day tours that pick you up in the city.
The quick answer
Phillip Island is about 90 minutes' drive from Melbourne, Wilsons Promontory about 3 hours, and the Gippsland Lakes further east, about 4.5 hours by V/Line train and bus to Lakes Entrance. Trains run to Warragul, Traralgon, Sale and Bairnsdale, but no bus reaches the Penguin Parade and Parks Victoria lists driving as the way into the Prom. Without a car, the penguins, koalas and kangaroos day trip goes from $100 and the Wilsons Prom day tour from $104.
How far is Gippsland from Melbourne?
Gippsland begins at the edge of Melbourne's outer south-east, about 120 km east of the city per Visit Gippsland. Phillip Island is about 90 minutes' drive, Wilsons Prom about 3 hours, and the lakes and the far east much further.
Here is each destination with its official travel time, and the tour that goes there if you would rather not drive:
| Destination | From Melbourne | Tour from the city or nearby |
|---|---|---|
| Phillip Island | About 90 minutes' drive; 20 minutes more from the bridge to the Penguin Parade | Penguins, koalas and kangaroos, Penguin Parade Eco Tour |
| Wilsons Promontory | About 3 hours' drive; Tidal River 30 km past the park entrance | Wilsons Prom day tour |
| Port Welshpool (Prom cruises) | Drive yourself; the cruises leave from Lewis St | Whale cruise, Prom day cruise |
| Traralgon | 2 hours 32 minutes on the 7.40 am weekday train | Self-drive |
| Walhalla | About 180 km east | Self-drive |
| Tarra-Bulga National Park | About 190 km east, per Parks Victoria | Self-drive |
| Lakes Entrance | About 4.5 hours by V/Line train and bus | Metung Hot Springs once you are there |
One combination works well for a road trip: Visit Gippsland's Penguins to Prom Drive links Phillip Island and Wilsons Prom, 210 km and about 3 hours.
How long is the drive from Melbourne to Phillip Island?
About 90 minutes to the island, per Phillip Island Nature Parks, and another 20 minutes from the San Remo bridge to the Penguin Parade at Summerlands.
The Parade happens at sunset, every night of the year, and Phillip Island Nature Parks asks General Viewing guests to arrive at least an hour before the penguins. Work backwards from sunset and add time for traffic out of the city. Parking at the Parade is free, and General Viewing costs A$34 for adults, A$17 for children aged 4 to 15 and A$85 for a family of four.
Without a car, it gets harder. The V/Line coach from Melbourne stops at San Remo, Newhaven and Cowes daily, per Destination Phillip Island, but the Nature Parks are clear that the bus does not go to the Penguin Parade and there are no return buses to Melbourne after it. That is the gap the day tours fill: they drive you there, wait for the penguins, and drive you back.
Donna, on the penguins day trip: "He gave us various stop offs along the way and created extra photo opportunities!" (Nov 2026)
Brighton Beach boxes, koalas and kangaroos at Moonlit Sanctuary, the Nobbies boardwalk and the Parade, with pickup in the CBD.
Explore the penguins, koalas and kangaroos day trip Tour detailsHow do you get from Melbourne to Wilsons Promontory?
Drive about 3 hours: the Monash Freeway (M1), the South Gippsland Freeway to Meeniyan, then the Meeniyan-Promontory Road (C444) to the park entrance. Tidal River is 30 km further south.
Those directions come from Parks Victoria. A few things to plan for:
- Fuel: there is none at Tidal River. The closest is at Yanakie, with more at Fish Creek and Foster.
- Entry: there is no entrance fee to the national park. Camping and accommodation fees apply.
- Road works: the park entrance road has stop/go traffic and delays until 20 November 2026, per Parks Victoria. Our Prom closures note has the other 2026 alerts.
- Summer: vehicle numbers are limited on busy days, and Parks Victoria suggests arriving before 10am.
Public transport is thin. V/Line coaches run from Melbourne through Leongatha, Meeniyan, Fish Creek and Foster towards Yarram, but none goes into the park, and Parks Victoria's own directions are for driving. The day tour is the car-free answer: pickup outside the Mail Exchange Hotel at 688 Bourke Street at 6:30 am, up to 21 people, per the listing. Jannik wrote: "Even though it’s a long drive, we made enough stops where we could get some breakfast, lunch and coffee." (Oct 2026)
Skip 6 hours at the wheel: a small-group day at the Prom with time to hike.
Check dates for the Wilsons Prom day tourCan you get to Gippsland by train?
Yes. V/Line's Gippsland trains run from Southern Cross through Warragul and Traralgon, with fewer services continuing to Sale and Bairnsdale.
On the timetable in force since 1 February 2026, the 7.40 am weekday train from Southern Cross reaches:
| Station | Arrives | From Melbourne |
|---|---|---|
| Warragul | 9.20 am | 1 hour 40 minutes |
| Traralgon | 10.12 am | 2 hours 32 minutes |
| Sale | 10.50 am | 3 hours 10 minutes |
| Bairnsdale | 11.48 am | 4 hours 8 minutes |
From Bairnsdale, a V/Line bus continues to Lakes Entrance in about 45 minutes; V/Line puts the whole trip at about four and a half hours. Coaches sometimes replace trains for track works, so check V/Line's service changes page for your date. The train is good for the towns and the lakes. It does not reach the coast at the Prom or Phillip Island.
How do you get from Melbourne to the Gippsland Lakes?
By car it is a long drive east along the Princes Highway; Parks Victoria puts The Lakes National Park about 300 km from Melbourne. By public transport, take the train to Bairnsdale and the V/Line bus to Lakes Entrance, about 4.5 hours in all.
The lakes are a stay, not a day trip. Give them two nights or more, and break the drive in Sale or Bairnsdale. Lakes Entrance itself is about 320 km from Melbourne.
Once there, a car helps for hopping between towns, though Paynesville and Metung are easy to explore on foot and by boat. Our Gippsland Lakes guide covers what to do and where to stay.
What about Walhalla, Tarra-Bulga and the ranges?
Drive. Walhalla is about 180 km east of Melbourne in a deep mountain valley, and Tarra-Bulga about 190 km; both make a long day from the city or an easy one from Traralgon.
What to know before you set off:
- Walhalla: the Walhalla Goldfields Railway warns that GPS directions are inaccurate and unreliable near the town, and there is no fuel in Walhalla. Fill up before you leave the highway. The train runs about 1 hour return, A$45 for adults; check the days and times for your date.
- Tarra-Bulga: tree ferns, mountain ash and Corrigan's Suspension Bridge, a 720 m walk of about 15 minutes. Parks Victoria notes the park stays cool on hot days.
- Buchan Caves: much further, about 360 km east. A guided tour is the only way into the caves, and tours book online until midnight the day before.
Should you drive yourself or take a day tour from Melbourne?
Drive if you want to stay a few nights and move at your own pace. Take a tour for a single day out to the Prom or the penguins: no 6-hour round trip at the wheel, tickets sorted, and free cancellation up to 24 hours before.
A day trip to Wilsons Prom is about 6 hours of driving before you take a single step on the trail, and the Penguin Parade ends after dark, with the drive home still ahead. That is where a guided day earns its place:
- The Prom: the Wilsons Prom day tour, 12 hours, small group of up to 21, 4.8 out of 5 from 142 reviews. The guide helps pick the hike for the weather. Astrid wrote: "We hiked up to Mount Oberon. The views are amazing. We had plenty of time [...] three hours [...] for hiking." (Oct 2026)
- The penguins, small group: the Penguin Parade Eco Tour, up to 24 guests, with Moonlit Sanctuary, the Nobbies and the Parade ticket included. Angela wrote: "This tour is perfect if you don’t have a car, as everything is well organized and easy to follow." (Jun 2026)
- The penguins plus Brighton: the penguins, koalas and kangaroos day trip, 4.6 out of 5 from 2,530 reviews.
- Driving yourself to the island: book the Penguin Parade ticket ahead; Phillip Island Nature Parks says bookings are essential.
Pickup in Melbourne, koalas and kangaroos, the Nobbies and the penguins at sunset, then back to the city.
Check dates for the penguins, koalas and kangaroos day tripFrequently asked questions
Is Gippsland close to Melbourne?
Yes. Gippsland begins at the edge of Melbourne's outer south-east. Phillip Island is about 90 minutes' drive and Wilsons Prom about 3 hours.
Can you get to Wilsons Prom by public transport?
Not into the park. V/Line coaches reach towns such as Foster and Fish Creek, and Parks Victoria's directions are for driving. A day tour from Melbourne is the car-free option.
Does a bus go to the Penguin Parade?
No. Phillip Island Nature Parks says the V/Line bus does not go to the Penguin Parade and there are no return buses to Melbourne afterwards.
How long is the train from Melbourne to Bairnsdale?
The 7.40 am weekday train from Southern Cross reaches Bairnsdale at 11.48 am, about 4 hours, on the timetable from 1 February 2026.
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Choose your tour
Free cancellation up to 24 hours before on every option. Prices are from-prices in USD and move with the season.
Penguin Parade, Koalas & Kangaroos Day Trip
The most-reviewed penguin day, with Brighton Beach on the way
Wilsons Promontory Wilderness Day Tour
- Return transport from Melbourne CBD
- Guide and driver
- Time to hike Mt Oberon, Mt Bishop or Lilly Pilly
Phillip Island Penguin Parade Eco Tour
- Melbourne hotel pickup and drop-off
- Penguin Parade standard viewing ticket
- Entry to Moonlit Sanctuary
