The Middle Island Project is excited to offer Penguin Protectors Warrnambool these Easter school holidays; a fun and engaging educational experience with the opportunity to take a photo with one of the Project’s Maremma dogs! You will learn about the Little Penguins on Middle Island and the importance of protecting them.

The experience begins at the Pavilion Kiosk and Cafe at the Breakwater and involves a short walk (~600m) mid-way through the experience to the Stingray Bay Beach. You will be walking down onto the beach, so expect to get a little sandy! Please note; there is no seating available on the beach so make sure your footwear is appropriate and comfortable.

Warrnambool’s Middle Island is home to seabirds such as the Short-tailed Shearwater, the Black-faced Cormorant and the Little Penguin.

The Little Penguin population has been decimated by fox predation over the years, with an estimated 800 penguins in 1999 declining to less than 10 by 2005.

Since 2006, Maremma dogs have been trained as guardians to protect Middle Island’s Little Penguins and other sea birds from foxes, allowing the population to slowly recover.

This world-first award winning project relies on the assistances of businesses, organisations and volunteers to help with penguin counts, penguin breeding monitoring and improving habitat for penguins by revegetating areas with native species. All funds raised from this experience go directly towards the work undertaken by the Middle Island Project

PLEASE NOTE- The experience DOES NOT go to Middle Island. We are trying to protect the fragile penguin colony and therefore need to keep people off the island so that the birds are not disturbed. Participants are required to stay at least 1.5m away from Middle Island Project staff and the Maremma dog for the duration of the experience. This is for the safety and wellbeing of our working Maremma dogs as well as staff and participants. Staff have the right to cancel or alter the experience (including relocation to Flagstaff Hill Maritime Museum) on safety grounds if required. In the event of a cancellation by the operator, a refund will be provided.