If you live in Melbourne you have likely been to Phillip Island for the day or even stayed a few nights.
It is about a 2 hour drive from Melbourne’s city, but is also accessible via coach or ferry. Some of the biggest draw cards for the island include the nightly penguin parade or the international motorsport on Phillip Island’s own raceway.
The island has a plethora or natural wonders to explore either on land or via sea. The coastal landscapes showcase a number of different beaches, unusual rock formations and splendid nature enriched walks.
Head to The Nobbies on the South Western tip of the island, there is an education centre, café and tourist centre to visit if you want to learn more, but it is free to explore this area on your own.
There is a purpose built boardwalk perched on top of the cliff where you can view seals on the neighbouring islands with binoculars or some other magnified lens, it is hard to make them out with the naked eye, but they are there. Constructed throughout the boardwalk passage you can see little penguin houses. The penguins themselves are a rare sighting during the day, but come dusk the penguins will come in from the sea and return to their houses for the evening. The boardwalk also takes you to a blow hole and you get to view the stunning coastal scenery along the way from all different angles. If you want more, there is access from the car park to a dirt road that will take you along the cliff top to Summerland Beach, home of the penguin parade. Generally, the penguin parade is a paid event, they have an education centre and another boardwalk that takes you to the beach grandstand. Here you sit and wait for the penguins to come home. However, coming along the coastal dirt road you can see the beach area where they come ashore from the hill above the beach, without paying to access the beach itself. If you are lucky you might even spot a penguin or two playing in the bushes.
You can purchase penguin parade tickets on their own for about $30 for adults or $15 for kids, or buy them in conjunction with other popular island activities such as Churchill island Heritage Farm or the Koala Conservation centre. Churchill island is fun, you can enjoy farm activities and explore the historical grounds. You experience this first hand whilst they crack a whip or sheer a sheep in their make shift historical village.
Another free activity to do is explore Cowes. Cowes is the main township of Phillip Island, the majority of the hotels and other forms of accommodation, restaurants, cafes and shops are located here. It’s a great place to meander as there is a great mix of interesting shops from antique wares to new, quirky things. The kids will be drawn in by the mini golf or the lolly shop. The sandy beach at the seaside has a pier where you might like to try your luck at fishing. The North Pier hotel is a great central place to stay but also has a pub with an upstairs play area that my kids love to attend.
Further up the hill is The Waves hotel, this place offers apartments for larger families. It too is situated across from the beach but also has a great little park called Erehwon Point reserve nearby. The park is situated on the foreshore and has BBQ facilities and picnic tables as well as play equipment to keep the family entertained.
My all time favourite free thing to do in Phillip Island is to go the beach. During winter or summer you can choose from rougher surf beaches or calmer sheltered bay beaches. Whether you are entering the water to swim or surf or just there to explore the foreshore, there is a beach option for everyone. You can put in a boat or jetski at one of the ramps in either Rhyll or Cowes, or across the bridge at nearby Newhaven and explore Phillip Island from every angle.
There are a number of information pages on the internet about Phillip Island but if you would like assistance planning your staycation please contact me at kylie@kb4travel.com.au
