Penguin is a small village in northern Tasmania, situated between Burnie and Ulverstone. It was named after the little penguins that used to wander around its beaches. Many things there, including bins are shaped like penguins. Penguin is also the home of Penguin Market.
Understand
Penguin was first settled in the mid-1800s as a timber town. Towards the end of the 1850s, demand for palings for home building during the gold rush in Victoria saw large quantities of timber shipped from the Penguin district across the Bass Strait.
The discovery of copper and silver further contributed to settlement in the area. The town of Penguin was proclaimed in October 1875.
Get in
By car
Penguin is 15 min by car (17 km) east of Burnie.
From Devonport and the "Spirit of Tasmania" ferry terminal, Penguin is a 30 min drive to the west.
By plane
The nearest airports are located in Devonport and Wynyard.
Get around
- Penguin Taxi Service (0417) 506 851
See
- 1 Big Penguin, Main Street.
- Penguin Roadside Gardens.
- 2 Penguin General Cemetery & Vantage Point, 1 Main Road Penguin Tasmania 7316 Australia (800m west of the Post Office). 24 hours. Heritage listed cemetery and the town's lookout. Free.
Do
- Ambling Among Penguin’s Charms - A 1.5-hr self-guided heritage walk showcasing 28 of Penguin's attractions. Get details on the community website Penguin Heritage Trail.
Buy
- Penguin Market. Sundays.
Eat
- Wild Cafe Restaurant (By the beach), ☏ 61 3 6437 2000.
- Pluny's Thai Restaurant, 9 Arnold Street, ☏ 61 3 6437 2830.
Drink
Sleep
- 1 Neptune Grand Hotel, 84 Main Road, ☏ 61 3 6437 2406.
- 2 Penguin Holiday Apartments, 99-101 Main Road, ☏ 61 3 6437 1900.
- The Madsen, 64 Main Road, ☏ 61 3 6437 2588.
Connect
Go next
- Burnie (heading west)
- Ulverstone (heading east)