Just a few minutes' paddle, swim or boat ride away from the shore is strictly protected Penguin Island , home to penguins, silver gulls, boardwalks, swimming beaches and picnic tables. Apart from birdwatching (pied cormorants, pelicans, crested and bridled terns, oystercatchers), day visitors can also swim and snorkel.
The Penguin Island ferry is run by Rockingham Wild Encounters . Tickets that combine the ferry with entry to the penguin feeding at the island's discovery centre (adult/child $23/18.50) are available.
At low tide it's possible to wade the few hundred metres to the island across the sandbar. However, take heed of warning signs, as people have drowned here after being washed off the bar during strong winds and high tides.
