Penguin.

 Yep. You read it right- there is a town called Penguin. 

Penguin is a delightful little seaside village on the Bass Strait. Overlooking the water with the beautiful Dial Range behind, this is a special little place- I called it home for several years, and I hope to live there again one day. 

Sporting The Big Penguin on the waterfront and penguins painted on everything on the main street, there is no way you could forget where you are. Penguin is a friendly little town that makes you want to stay, despite there not being a lot to do other than enjoy the sun and the sand.

There isn’t a lot that goes on in Penguin, but the town comes alive (or quietly starts buzzing) every Sunday when the Penguin Markets are on. There is a walk along the waterfront to Johnson’s Beach with a park and BBQ area, and the Miniature Train Ride runs every second and fourth Sunday of the month from April to October.

Little Penguins come up on the beach at dusk over summer- although these days I usually have better luck watching them from the observation centre at Burnie or at Lillico Beach on the way into Devonport- you never know what you will find on a walk.

There are several lovely cafes and boutique shops on the main street, and the local council has recently created lovely little areas overlooking the beach with comfortable chairs where you can sit with a takeaway coffee or watch the kids on the playground. The serenity and view is enough to make you relaxed enough to nap- something I may or may not have done before.

If you fancy a little hike, then head to the Dial Range and climb a mountain or three. The views over the range and ocean are spectacular.

Mt Gnomon is a relatively short, uphill hike and takes me approximately 90 minutes return, including a little picnic or snack at the top while I take in the view. A good one to do with the family, and one mine has done many times. We like to take a picnic breakfast and watch the sunrise since it isn’t a long hike and we don’t have to get up super early to make it happen.

Mt Montgomery takes approximately 2 - 2.5 hours return, and is a bit more difficult. The steep section at the beginning is less than pleasant either way, but the views more than make up for the minor inconvenience.

Mt Duncan is another relatively short hike at approximately 4 hours return, but it is less hiked than the others- possibly because it takes more than twice the time than the other two. It is quite steep towards the end, but your view at the summit stretches from Table Cape to Devonport, Black Bluff and Mt Roland.

Maybe Penguin does have a bit to offer after all… Enjoy.