Penguin: Coast, History and a Giant Penguin

Penguin combines coastal experiences with distinctive traces of its history. Three beaches, a historic walking trail and a three-metre-tall giant penguin give the town its different facets. There is also a market and a mountain bike park, adding to the ways you can tailor your stay to your interests.

Beaches with different highlights

Penguin is home to Johnsons Beach, Penguin Beach and Watcombe Beach. Penguin Beach has a fenced playground for children. Johnsons Beach has a barbecue area and a playground. Watcombe Beach is suited to leisurely beachcombing. When planning, you can decide whether beach play facilities, a barbecue option or a quieter beach experience is your priority. If one of the listed facilities is particularly important to you, check the details locally before your visit.

Local history on the Heritage Trail

The Penguin Heritage Trail leads to 26 historic sites. These include the 1903 Uniting Church and the heritage-listed Penguin General Cemetery. The cemetery overlooks Penguin’s town centre and records more than 1,800 burials. The cemetery also has a self-guided audio walk about Penguin’s residents and their final resting place; confirm current access before visiting. Two free, self-guided audio walks lead through the coastal town of Penguin. The trail thus links historic places with audio experiences that you can include as you explore the town. The number of stops may change as the trail is updated; check current trail information if the exact number is important to your plans.

Another distinctive landmark is Penguin’s three-metre-tall giant penguin, which makes a good photo opportunity. Its cultural and historical significance has also been recognised: Penguin’s Big Penguin was added to the Tasmanian Heritage Register on 16 April 2025. The giant penguin and the Heritage Trail sites bring a striking photo opportunity and historical themes together, without requiring you to choose just one way to explore.

Market visits and local goods

The Penguin Undercover Market is held in Penguin’s former primary school, built in 1925. It has stalls selling locally made goods and a covered food court. The market is held on Sundays from 9 am to 3 pm at 11 Arnold Street, Penguin. As recurring opening times can change, check the details before travelling. If you want to include the market in your day, you can combine the visit with your other interests in Penguin rather than treating it as a standalone activity.

For active days

Penguin Mountain Bike Park has 6 km of trails with jumps and wall rides, and is a good starting point for more challenging trails in the Dial Range. This is quite different from beachcombing or visiting historic sites. Trail layouts can change; check current cycling information before you ride. This way, you can plan around the trails on offer without assuming a particular distance or ride time for other routes.

Plan your stay around your interests

When choosing accommodation in Penguin, the experiences you want to make time for can be a useful starting point. If you’re travelling with children, the different playgrounds at Penguin Beach and Johnsons Beach are practical details to consider when planning your day. For a history-focused stay, the Heritage Trail, cemetery and Big Penguin offer different points of interest. If you’d rather get on your bike, you can consider the mountain bike park. These differences can help you first decide which side of Penguin suits your trip, then search for accommodation accordingly.

Discover more destinations

Discover more destinations: Westbury, Midway Point, Triabunna, Campbell Town, Sisters Beach, Gardners Bay, Whitemark, White Beach.

For the main travel overview: Tasmania.