An extra pair of happy feet have been welcomed by staff at Melbourne Aquarium.

The King Penguin chick, whose gender is not yet known, arrived to first-time parents Billy and Blake yesterday morning, weighing approximately 200 grams.

It's the first chick of it's kind to be born in Australia, making it a momentous occasion for staff.

King Penguins are difficult to breed in aquariums because it is hard to replicate their natural environment.

The public were given a first glimpse of the new arrival and its proud family at the Arctic exhibit earlier today.

Much like a human newborn babies, when chicks first hatch, they are extremely dependent on their parents.

To keep safe the baby snuggles under their bodies.