Burnie Penguin Observation Centre

08/09/2026

The Friends of Burnie Penguin are excited about the proposed development / upgrade of the Penguin Observation Centre. This has been a work in progress for the last couple of years. 🐧🐧

Burnie's Penguin Observation Centre moves into planning

Plans to enhance the Burnie Penguin Observation Centre are moving into the planning process, with a Development Application to be advertised this Saturday (5 September).

The project forms part of the West Park Precinct Master Plan, which was shaped through consultation with the West Park User Group and broader community.

During consultation, the Penguin Observation Area was identified as one of the precinct’s most-used spaces, with 37.6% saying they used the area.

Improving the Penguin Observation Centre is one of the priority projects for 2026–27 as Council starts delivering the Master Plan.

The proposed works include:

✅ a new sheltered viewing area
✅ additional tiered seating
✅ penguin information and interpretation
✅ new vegetation
✅ improvements to the existing observation centre.

The design aims to have a low impact on the existing site, with minimal disruption during delivery, while retaining the existing observation centre and coastal pathway.

The Development Application will be publicly advertised this Saturday via the link below, giving the community an opportunity to view the proposal.

📁 burnie.tas.gov.au/permits

To read more about the West Park Precinct Master Plan, head to: burnie.tas.gov.au/WPPM

📸 Image: Burnie Penguin Observation Centre Concept Design

07/09/2026

REMINDER for anyone still considering joining the Friends of Burnie Penguins Volunteers for the upcoming 2026-27 season. 🐧
See attached flyer of details to register your interest and upcoming training day.😊 (training day will be for Burnie and Stanley guiding volunteers).

21/08/2026

21/08/2026

Urban Penguins Penguin 🐧 YouTube

https://url.au.m.mimecastprotect.com/s/Qgd3CANZy7iZM92KKSGf9mhGNXm6?domain=youtu.be

This wonderful film was launched at the opening of the tunnels on Monday 18 August and was produced by Cyndia Hilger from Business Northwest, with filming by Mason Doherty.

It highlights the important work our volunteer guides do—and, of course, showcases the wonderful penguins we’re so lucky to look after!

Watching this might just inspire you to become a guide yourself… and the timing couldn’t be better because we’re recruiting right now for the upcoming 2026-27 guiding season.

Interested in becoming a guide? We’d love to hear from you!

📞 Contact Rhonda on 0477 321 958
📧 Email [email protected]
💬 Or send us a message here on Facebook.

Come and be part of the team and help share the magic of Burnie’s little penguin 🐧🐧🐧

19/08/2026

On Monday, Friends of Burnie Penguins celebrated the opening of the new tunnels connecting the foreshore to the penguin habitat, safely passing under the coastal path.
This milestone marks the culmination of a project that began 10 years ago, when the announcement of UTAS moving to the West Park Precinct prompted Friends of Burnie Penguins to approach the university with a vision: to restore the carpark to a green space and penguin habitat, reflecting the coastal landscape of Burnie’s early settlement days.
That vision has now become a reality.
The new habitat was designed with assistance from landscape architects ASPECT Studios, with construction overseen by local firm Fairbrother, which generously contributed 12 penguin burrows, alongside the work of a local landscaping company.
Penguin-friendly lighting and new coastal pathways have helped transform the area into so much more than a penguin colony — it is now a welcoming green space for the community and a place where people and wildlife can coexist.
We are incredibly grateful for the partnerships and support that have helped make this vision possible, including UTAS, Burnie City Council and Business Northwest, along with everyone who has contributed their time, expertise and passion over the past decade.
What started as an idea 10 years ago is now a thriving part of Burnie’s foreshore.
A wonderful achievement for our community — and for our penguins!

All photos by Peter W. Allen

15/08/2026

Friends of Burnie Penguins are looking forward to a positive year sharing the penguin viewing experience with visitors whether local, interstate and international.

11/08/2026

It may still be winter but breeding season seems to have commenced in the colony with the first 2 eggs seen in the burrow cam 4!

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=i9yJwcbK4Ww&ra=m

06/08/2026

KEEP WATCHING THIS SPACE!

It will soon be time to welcome those interested in joining our group of volunteer penguin guides in Burnie. Details of the training and how to register will be posted here in the near future.

17/07/2026

Winter-time is still a busy time for our volunteers. Non-nesting season means we can get into the rookery and do some maintenance and upkeep. Yesterday we were joined by a wonderful team from UTAS Sustainability Group. These hard workers removed over 50 bags of weeds!

05/07/2026

This video was taken by a member of Friends of Burnie Penguins while taking part in a regular mid-winter colony observation. Not only did Little Penguins appear, but one of the resident rakalis cruised along foraging for tasty tidbits along the shore. In the background you can hear the sound of winter chicks asking to be fed. Thank you Sarah for sharing