Granite Island’s little penguin colony is on the brink of local extinction.

Just 36 adult penguins remain (November 2025 census) — a 98% decline from around 1,600 birds only two decades ago. This is the last significant colony left in the entire Encounter Bay / Victor Harbor area. Without action, it is likely to disappear within a few years.

At the same time, Victor Harbor attracts around 1.2 million visitors a year and generates $163.6 million in tourism revenue. Granite Island itself draws approximately 800,000 of those visitors. A well-designed, modern Penguin Centre has the potential to become a year-round flagship attraction that both helps the penguins recover and delivers major economic benefits to the region.

The Proposal

I am calling on the South Australian Government to fund and support the revitalisation of the old Penguin Interpretive Centre on Granite Island.

The full proposal is available here: https://thinlinx.com/new_penguin_centre_proposal.pdf

Key features of the revitalised centre would include:

A high-quality live penguin display with strong underwater viewing so visitors can reliably see penguins swimming and diving at close range
A head-starting facility to raise vulnerable chicks and improve the currently very low survival rates of young birds
Artificial burrows and improved nesting habitat
An upgraded visitor experience that supports education, tourism, and local jobs
Projected benefits by 2031

Colony recovery support through better recruitment of young penguins
15–35% net increase in regional tourism (180,000–420,000 extra visitors per year)
$35–60 million additional annual economic activity
150–400 new local jobs
Direct penguin viewing revenue of $3–5 million per year
Estimated construction cost is $3.0–$3.5 million — an investment that is projected to pay for itself within 4–6 years through increased visitation and ticket sales.

Why this matters now

The colony is so small that natural recovery is extremely difficult. Very low juvenile survival, past food shortages, and the challenges of a tiny population mean that passive “wait and see” approaches are unlikely to succeed. A revitalised Penguin Centre that combines a high-quality visitor experience with practical conservation tools (especially head-starting) offers a realistic path forward that benefits both the penguins and the local economy.

What we are asking

We call on Premier Peter Malinauskas, Minister Emily Bourke (Tourism and Environment), and all South Australian Members of Parliament to:

Support the revitalisation of the Granite Island Penguin Centre as a priority tourism and conservation project
Work with the local community, researchers, and relevant agencies to progress funding and approvals
Recognise the dual opportunity to prevent local extinction and create lasting economic benefits for Victor Harbor and the Fleurieu Peninsula
Please sign this petition and share it with others who care about our local wildlife and the future of tourism in Victor Harbor.

A modern Penguin Centre can help save the last colony in the area and give visitors a reason to stay longer and return more often. Let’s make it happen.

Thank you for standing with the penguins — together we can bring them back before it’s too late! 🐧

 

Artificial Intelligence generated concept images are below