Penguin, on the northwest coast overlooking Bass Strait, is characterised by sleepy weekdays that turn into bustling weekends, a scenic esplanade, its friendly community and charming seaside cafés.
The town’s population of nearly 3,000 rejoices in all things ‘penguin’ – from the penguin-shaped rubbish bins to the many penguin souvenirs available at the local market.
Every Sunday the Penguin Market draws hundreds of visitors from along the coast and around the state. With more than 200 modern stalls – ranging from fine food and wine, to woodcraft and live music – Tasmania’s largest undercover market caters for the whole family.
You can’t miss the largest penguin in the world, which has made the esplanade its home. The 3.15-metre (10-foot) cement and fibreglass bird was erected in 1975 to commemorate the centenary of the town.
Hiscutt Park, with its Dutch windmill and playground, is a peaceful place for a picnic. Behind the town, Dial Range has several walking tracks to the mountain-tops with stunning views over Penguin and the north-west coast.
Penguin was explored by Bass and Flinders and settled in 1861. It was named by Robert Campbell Gunn, after the small seabirds that live in rookeries along the north coast. Penguin was a originally a small timber and mining town, overshadowed by Burnie and Devonport.
The average maximum temperature in Penguin is 21 degrees Celsius (70 degrees Fahrenheit) in January and 13.5 degrees Celsius ( 56 degrees Fahrenheit) in June.
Penguin is 17 kilometres (10.5 miles) east of Burnie, or a pleasant fifteen minute drive west of Ulverstone through the Ling Perry Gardens along the coastal road.
