Bicheno Penguin Tours and Bicheno Surf Shop
Unit 1/70 Burgess St, Bicheno TAS 7215, Australia · Australia
★ 4.7 on Google · 587 reviews · View on Google Maps
Manipulation score
CleanCompleted Sep 12, 2026 · 54 reviews flagged
How this score works
The score estimates how strongly this place's review record matches known manipulation patterns, from 0 (no signs) to 100. Verdicts: Clean below 40, Suspicious from 40, Likely Manipulated from 70; Review Drive when the flags are mostly staff asking customers for named reviews. It rises with the share of reviews flagged and how suspicious each one is.
- Burst
- — an abnormal spike of five-star reviews in a single day compared to the place's usual pace.
- Low activity account
- — the reviewer has almost no other reviews, photos, or Local Guide history; throwaway accounts look like this.
- Duplicate text
- — the wording is nearly identical to another review of the same place.
Verdicts are statistical estimates based on public review patterns, not accusations. Full methodology, signal definitions and known limits →
Case conclusion
What the numbers say
587 reviews examined
- Google rating
- 4.7★
- Not-flagged average
- 4.7★
- Flagged
- 9%
- Coverage
- 100%
All reviews shown by Google
533 examined reviews
54 of 587
587 of 587 Google reviews
“Not flagged” means no configured Revdict signal matched; it does not prove a review is genuine. Data fetched Sep 12, 2026.
Review brief
What reviews not flagged by Revdict say
Reviewers report that Bicheno Penguin Tours offers a well-organised and educational experience to observe wild fairy penguins coming ashore. Visitors frequently mention that the guides are knowledgeable, friendly, and deeply passionate about penguin conservation.
+ Repeated strengths
Knowledgeable and friendly guides
Reviewers consistently praise the tour guides for sharing informative details about penguin behavior and ecology while maintaining a passionate approach.
3 supporting reviews
5★ · 2016-11-10
Great tour for checking out Penguins in natural environment. Staff are very informed.
5★ · 2017-02-05
We loved this tour! We were surprised to see so many penguins so close to is & our guide was very knowledgable & patient with all of our questions.
5★ · 2025-07-08
Connor was awesome. That man knows his penguins ♥️
Up-close penguin sightings
Reviewers report having fantastic opportunities to watch wild little penguins up close as they return from the ocean to their nests.
3 supporting reviews
4★ · 2017-01-03
Penguins actually walked besides my feet!! Pictures not allowed unfortunately.
5★ · 2018-11-13
This tour was great! I didn't expect to see so many little penguins or that they would come so close to us. Our tour guide was great as well
5★ · 2025-12-14
Luv the experience. All Staff - admin, drivers and guides are very approachable and friendly. My guide, Soul, shares every stories about the penguins with vigour, humour and creative, making me feel like owning one! They are organized, ensu...
Well-organised operations
Reviewers highlight that the tours run smoothly with efficient transport, clear rules using red light to protect the animals, and a well-maintained environment.
2 supporting reviews
3★ · 2016-01-03
Very slick operation but felt rushed as the emphasis is clearly on pushing through as many groups as possible in the shortest possible time. A lot of money for a stunningly short tour. Having said that it is well set up and runs smoothly.
5★ · 2025-06-19
Great experience for everyone! Very knowledgeable staff, on time with bus departures, Penguins are very cute and didn't really care for us being there. 10/10 Thankyou
− Repeated complaints
Rushed schedule and large groups
Reviewers report feeling rushed during the short tour duration, noting that large group sizes can sometimes make it difficult to hear the guide or get a clear view.
2 supporting reviews
3★ · 2016-01-03
Very slick operation but felt rushed as the emphasis is clearly on pushing through as many groups as possible in the shortest possible time. A lot of money for a stunningly short tour. Having said that it is well set up and runs smoothly.
2★ · 2016-12-22
Though we saw heaps of penguins the tour was dissatisfactory. There were waves of busses visiting the site and it always felt we were in a rush and hurried on as they were on a tight schedule - there was no time to enjoy watching the pengui...
Pricing concerns
Some reviewers feel the ticket price is high given the brief duration of the tour and the possibility of seeing fewer penguins outside of peak season.
3 supporting reviews
2★ · 2016-12-22
Though we saw heaps of penguins the tour was dissatisfactory. There were waves of busses visiting the site and it always felt we were in a rush and hurried on as they were on a tight schedule - there was no time to enjoy watching the pengui...
3★ · 2019-01-24
$40 per person and you can't take photos
1★ · 2025-07-17
Payed $50 to see penguins from 20m away, only to be told our time was up because the second tour group was coming. It takes a long time for penguins to slowly make their way up, by the time they start moving the first tour is out of time an...
Weather and off-season visibility
Reviewers mention that visiting during the off-season or poor weather conditions can significantly reduce the number of penguins spotted.
2 supporting reviews
4★ · 2016-02-27
Very nice experience, but make sure you are within the right season.
2★ · 2025-01-14
I really wanted to love this. While efficiently run, it is clear that they are maximising for number of guests. Despite the torrential downpour, the tour still happened in the evening with 4 busloads heading to the rookery. Our guide kept p...
Good for
- Families and children interested in wildlife
- Travelers seeking an educational nature experience
- Visitors looking to support local conservation efforts
Avoid if
- You prefer long, unhurried, or self-paced viewings
- You want to take flash photography
- You are visiting outside of peak breeding season and expect high penguin numbers
Review anatomy
Reviews per quarter
| Quarter | Reviews | Flagged |
|---|---|---|
| Q1 ’14 | 1 | 0 |
| Q2 ’14 | 0 | 0 |
| Q3 ’14 | 0 | 0 |
| Q4 ’14 | 1 | 1 |
| Q1 ’15 | 1 | 0 |
| Q2 ’15 | 0 | 0 |
| Q3 ’15 | 0 | 0 |
| Q4 ’15 | 1 | 0 |
| Q1 ’16 | 2 | 0 |
| Q2 ’16 | 0 | 0 |
| Q3 ’16 | 0 | 0 |
| Q4 ’16 | 5 | 0 |
| Q1 ’17 | 3 | 0 |
| Q2 ’17 | 5 | 0 |
| Q3 ’17 | 11 | 1 |
| Q4 ’17 | 11 | 2 |
| Q1 ’18 | 20 | 1 |
| Q2 ’18 | 9 | 0 |
| Q3 ’18 | 8 | 0 |
| Q4 ’18 | 25 | 2 |
| Q1 ’19 | 25 | 0 |
| Q2 ’19 | 16 | 1 |
| Q3 ’19 | 11 | 1 |
| Q4 ’19 | 16 | 0 |
| Q1 ’20 | 16 | 2 |
| Q2 ’20 | 0 | 0 |
| Q3 ’20 | 1 | 0 |
| Q4 ’20 | 10 | 1 |
| Q1 ’21 | 8 | 0 |
| Q2 ’21 | 4 | 0 |
| Q3 ’21 | 11 | 3 |
| Q4 ’21 | 5 | 0 |
| Q1 ’22 | 11 | 2 |
| Q2 ’22 | 12 | 0 |
| Q3 ’22 | 8 | 0 |
| Q4 ’22 | 9 | 0 |
| Q1 ’23 | 11 | 0 |
| Q2 ’23 | 6 | 0 |
| Q3 ’23 | 10 | 0 |
| Q4 ’23 | 13 | 0 |
| Q1 ’24 | 11 | 0 |
| Q2 ’24 | 6 | 0 |
| Q3 ’24 | 4 | 0 |
| Q4 ’24 | 5 | 1 |
| Q1 ’25 | 4 | 0 |
| Q2 ’25 | 28 | 4 |
| Q3 ’25 | 40 | 8 |
| Q4 ’25 | 66 | 12 |
| Q1 ’26 | 39 | 3 |
| Q2 ’26 | 33 | 4 |
| Q3 ’26 | 45 | 5 |
Rating distribution
Evidence
- low activity account 54 reviews flagged weight 0.8
Flagged reviews
Showing the 10 most suspicious of 54 flagged reviews.
Rose Harvey
2 reviews
★★★★★
2014-11-02
lovely little tour. Seen a bunch of penguins, they walked right on by us. Love seeing the man made little areas for the penguins to come back to. We ere lucky to go when the baby penguins were still cute little fluff balls. My little kids loved it.... The guide was great. It wasn't cold at all...
Simonette Gibson
1 review
★★★★★
2017-09-21
Brilliant! An amazing tour with excellent guides.
Joeltay Cw
2 reviews
★★★★★
2017-12-12
Travis Cheng
1 review
★★★★★
2018-02-11
A very interesting experience.
Amanda Whayman
2 reviews
★★★★★
2018-10-06
Jhen Yuan (止战宁息)
1 review
★★★★★
2019-05-19
Stacey Lee Triffett
1 review
★★★★★
2019-08-18
Loved the penguins and very interesting about hearing how much they swim a day and also giving us photos ! And the accommodation we were staying in was awesome thank you again and will be back in Summer🙂
Tuvsinbileg M
1 review
★★★★★
2020-03-17
Damion Oxley
1 review
★★★★★
2020-11-13
Fantastic! Guide was very informative. Better than what I thought it would be. If you are in the area this is definitely something you should do!
Tania Skinner
1 review
★★★★★
2021-08-02
Doing the penguin tour was high on my list and it didn’t disappoint. You get so much closer than I expected to. It was amazing to see them coming up to their homes from the ocean. The guide was very informative and answered any questions we had. I can’t recommend this tour more. Highly recommend!!!
Report generated Sep 12, 2026. Reviews change — you can request a fresh investigation.