While Phillip Island is internationally renowned for its penguins, Warrnambool's Middle Island is known to locals as 'Penguin Island'. It's the start of the penguin breeding season and researchers have already seen an increasing number of penguins returning to the island.
At one point, the Middle Island penguin colony was almost completely wiped out by burrow trampling and foxes.
The island made national news four years ago when the Warrnambool City Council and Warrnambool Coastcare Landcare Group introduced a world-first penguin protection program using maremma dogs.
Volunteers have been doing regular counts and for the first time have been GPS-tracking the burrows.
But are the dogs the only reason the island's penguin numbers are rapidly increasing?
Video filmed by Colleen Hughson