Phillip Island

Melbourne's most popular island getaway, where little penguins waddle ashore in droves after sunset, and by day you can visit the Nobbies boardwalk to see seals and koalas.

Phillip Island sits at the entrance to Western Port in Victoria, Australia, within Bass Coast Shire. It lies about 140 km southeast of Melbourne, roughly a two-hour drive. You can reach the island by crossing the bridge at San Remo, or take a V/Line bus. The island is about 26 km long and covers roughly 100 square km. The north shore has calm bays and the main town of Cowes, while the south shore is all basalt cliffs and granite headlands facing Bass Strait. Its most famous sight is the penguin parade at Summerland Beach: every night at sunset, hundreds of little penguins come ashore from the sea and waddle back to their burrows in the dunes. At the western tip, the Nobbies boardwalk offers sea caves and Seal Rocks, where fur seals rest. On the east side, the Koala Conservation Centre has a treetop boardwalk for spotting koalas, and to the northeast, Churchill Island has a heritage farm. The south coast has a world-class racetrack and Pyramid Rock, and to the southeast, Woolamai Point is ideal for hiking and surfing. The penguin parade, koalas, Churchill Island, and the Nobbies Antarctic Adventure all fall within Phillip Island Nature Parks, and a combined ticket is available. Penguins can be seen year-round. December to February is summer, best for surfing and beach fun. Accommodation is tight around October, when the MotoGP race takes place. In winter, nights are very cold, so bring a warm coat and a windproof layer for penguin viewing. Most visitors make a day trip from Melbourne, leaving in the afternoon, watching penguins in the evening, and returning to Melbourne close to midnight. It is better to stay one night in Cowes and explore the coast and farms the next day. Photography is prohibited while watching the penguins. When driving back at night, watch out for penguins and kangaroos on the road.

Top sights

• Phillip Island Penguin Parade – Every evening after sunset, colonies of little penguins, the world's smallest penguin species, waddle out of the sea and back to their dune…
• Koala Conservation Reserve – A koala reserve on Phillip Island where elevated boardwalks let you get close to wild koalas in eucalyptus trees. It is a standard stop on…
• The Nobbies – A coastal boardwalk at the western tip of Phillip Island, with basalt sea cliffs, blowholes and a view of Seal Rocks, home to Australia's l…
• Churchill Island Heritage Farm – The site of Victoria's first European farm, with a century-old farmhouse and gardens, and daily demonstrations of sheep shearing and milkin…
• Phillip Island Grand Prix Circuit – A world-class circuit built along coastal cliffs that hosts Australia's MotoGP round each year. On weekdays you can visit the track and go-…
• Cape Woolamai – The highest point on Phillip Island, with pink granite sea cliffs and The Pinnacles, rock stacks dropping into the sea. The cape walk offer…
• Woolamai Surf Beach – One of Victoria's best-known surf beaches, a long sandy beach facing Bass Strait with large, consistent waves.
• Cowes – The main town on the north coast of Phillip Island, with restaurants and shops concentrated here. The jetty and calm beaches are good for a…
• Seal Rocks Cruise – A boat trip from Cowes to Seal Rocks off the island's western tip, for close-up views of Australia's largest fur seal colony, which can num…
• Pyramid Rock – A triangular basalt sea stack on the south coast, seen from a lookout at the end of a short trail. The views are wide and the crowds are sm…
• Phillip Island Wildlife Park – A family-style animal park just outside Cowes, where kangaroos and wallabies roam freely and visitors can hand-feed them.
• Panny's Amazing World of Chocolate – A chocolate-themed attraction in Newhaven with chocolate sculptures and interactive exhibits, where you can make your own chocolate.
• San Remo – A fishing-harbour town on the mainland side of the Phillip Island Bridge, where wild pelicans are fed for free at the jetty every day at no…
• A Maze'N Things – A family fun park beside the Koala Conservation Reserve, with a giant wooden maze, an illusion house and mini golf, suited to rainy days an…

Where to eat

• Pino's Trattoria – A family-run Italian trattoria opened in 1991. Its pizza and lasagne have a steady reputation, and many visitors come h…
• Rusty Water Brewery and Restaurant – The brewery and restaurant of Phillip Island's own brewing company, with a four-beer tasting paddle served alongside st…
• Bani's Greek Restaurant – A Greek and Mediterranean restaurant near the sea at the end of Cowes' main street. Moussaka, grilled octopus and dip p…

Itineraries

• Mornington, Phillip Island & Wilsons Promontory – A loop southeast of Melbourne connecting the Mornington Peninsula coast, the Penguin Parade, and the wildlife-rich Wils…
• Melbourne City and Highlights – Two days in the city, plus the Puffing Billy steam train, Phillip Island penguins and the Yarra Valley, then a self-dri…
• Grand Victoria Loop – Loop around Victoria, covering the coast, mountains, goldfields, high country, and Wilsons Promontory in one go.
• Melbourne Family Wildlife and Steam Train – Stay in Southbank and take the kids to the aquarium, zoo and museum, then ride the steam train and see the penguins.
• Sydney to Melbourne Coastal Drive – Drive south along the Princes Highway, connecting white sand bays, a historic whaling town, and the penguin parade