Permits and Licences
Phillip Island’s beaches and reserves are home to an amazing diversity of wildlife and natural and cultural sites, and provide a variety of recreational and educational opportunities.
Permits and licences help regulate human impact on the natural environment and ensure that visitors to Phillip Island Nature Parks have equal opportunity to enjoy Phillip Island’s parks, reserves and beaches in the safest possible environment. Below are just some of the examples of different permits/licences:
- Commercial Tour Operator & Activity Provider Licences
- Permits for recreational, sporting and social events and activities (non-commercial)
- Permits to fly Drones in/on Crownland
- Any person or business who conducts an organised tour or recreational business for profit on Public Land is required to hold a licence.
Groups and associations that do not receive financial payment for their activities and services, including not-for-profit and charitable organisations, should refer to the Permit section.
Any person or business that conducts an organised tour or recreational activity for profit on public land or Crown land is required to hold a licence as outlined in key public land management Acts: National Parks Act 1975, Crown Land (Reserves) Act 1978, Forests Act 1958, Land Act 1958, and Wildlife Act 1975. If you engage a third party to deliver some or all the licensed activities, that party must also hold a tour operator licence.
Please reach out to permits@penguins.org.au to enquire about Tour Operating Licence land managed by the Nature Parks. For more information on licence fees and the application process, please refer to forestsandreserves.vic.gov.au.
Groups and associations that do not receive financial payment for their activities and services, including not-for-profit and charitable organisations, should refer to the Permit section.
For more information on pricing for commercial permits and to apply, click here.
Licences are required by law for any company, business, institution, group, or individual conducting commercial activities, tour programs, or lessons on public land on Phillip Island. For more information, please refer to section Tour Operating Licence.
Permits are also required for non-commercial activities on public land managed by the Nature Parks.
Apply for permit here.
Permits to Fly Drones in/on/above Crown land
The Phillip Island Nature Parks has regulations that govern the use of RPAs/ Drones. These regulations build on Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA) guidelines to allow for the safety of all visitors, environment and wildlife.
Our regulations consider RPAs/Drones to be aircraft and vary depending on who is piloting or operating the RPAs.
Recreational use of drones by the general public is prohibited on Phillip Island Nature Parks managed land. The use of Drones is not permitted under our regulations and visitors should refrain from flying them or it could result in a penalty infringement notice (PIN).
Due to high concentration of wildlife personal use of PRAs is not permitted. Anyone wishing to fly a drone for commercial reasons is required to apply for a permit under the Crown Land Reserves (Phillip Island Nature Parks) Regulations 2021
Commercial filming with Drones on Nature Parks managed land requires a filming permit as well as a drone permit.
For more information, please visit Civil Aviation Safety Authority (CASA)
To determine the relevant authority overseeing the specific location interest, please refer to
Parks Victoria
Telephone: 13 19 63
Website: parks.vic.gov.au
Media Filming and Photography Permits
For more information about Filming and Photography Permits, please refer to this page.
To determine the relevant authority overseeing the specific location interest, please refer to the Land Management Map of Phillip Island
Below, you will also find the contact details for the respective authorities managing these areas.
Bass Coast Shire Council:
Telephone: 1300 BCOAST (226 278) or (03) 5671 2211
Department of Energy, Environment and Climate Action (DEECA):
Telephone: (03) 5172 2111
Parks Victoria:
Telephone: 13 19 63