St Kilda Pier and penguins

St Kilda Pier stretches into Port Phillip Bay from the St Kilda foreshore and connects to a 750-metre stone breakwater. Parks Victoria announced its replacement in 2017, construction started in 2022 and the new pier, designed by Jackson Clements Burroughs, opened on 7 November 2024. The rebuilt structure won the Victorian Architecture Medal at the 2026 Victorian Architecture Awards.

The pier is open as a walk by day, and in the evening the draw is the colony of little penguins that breeds among the breakwater rocks. The penguins were first recorded here in 1974, and the colony now numbers about 1,200 birds. They are protected under the Wildlife Act 1975, and since October 2025 visitors have watched them from a 150-metre elevated boardwalk built by Parks Victoria, which keeps people at a distance from the nests and uses wildlife-friendly lighting.

Viewing is free, but tickets are limited and must be booked in advance through Phillip Island Nature Parks, whose guides run the sessions. There are two sessions each evening: the first begins about 30 minutes after sunset as the penguins come ashore, and the second about 90 minutes after sunset as they settle in. Tickets are released every Tuesday from 10am for the following week and go quickly, though it is worth checking again for cancellations. Arrive at least ten minutes early, as late arrivals may lose their place, and show your e-ticket on your phone.

The rules are strict and worth knowing in advance. Flash photography, torches and bright lights are not allowed, takeaway food and drink cannot be taken onto the platform during sessions, alcohol is banned on the pier, and there are no rubbish bins, so take litter away with you. Pets are not permitted, although assistance animals are, and sessions may be cancelled in extreme weather. The pier has a fully accessible walkway and there is an accessible toilet at the entry pavilion.

Because the sessions are free, they suit families and budget travellers, as long as children can manage a late evening. During the day, the kiosk at Parer's Pavilion in the middle of the pier serves food and drinks seven days a week; the original pavilion dates from 1904.

Trams 12, 16 and 96 run from the city centre to the St Kilda Pier stop, or you can take a train to Balaclava and change to tram 16. Bus 606 also stops at the pier. Parking nearby is limited and paid.