Philip Island is a beautiful city escape just an hour and a half drive from Melbourne. Your trip here is sure to include some classic Aussie wildlife and beautiful coastline – what more could you need?
Recommended time: 1-2 days
- San Remo
- Cape Woolamai
- SS Speke Shipwreck
- Koala Conservation Reserve
- Cowes
- The Nobbies
- Penguin Parade
- Whale Watching
San Remo:
Your first stop will be San Remo, just before you cross the bridge to Philip Island. If you time your arrival at 11:30am, you can walk along the shore and pier to sport huge stingrays. During this time, pelicans will also start flying in for the daily feeding at 12pm that is free to watch!
Make sure to never feed wildlife yourself. This feeding program is regulated and provided by trained staff.
Cape Woolamai:
A fantastic introduction to the rugged coastline is the Cape Woolamai Loop Track. It starts at the popular Woolamai surf beach so there’s an option to add a surfing lesson here. This track is about an hour and a half of beautiful beaches, clifftops, bushlands and to the Pinnacles Lookout. We’ve spotted echidnas, wallabies and snakes while on this walk so keep your eyes peeled!
We didn’t get the chance but you can also bring a body board and have a go at sand dune surfing at Norman Hill.
Shipwreck SS Speke:
A short 30 minute return walk, takes you to the SS Speke Shipwreck from 1905. Consider visiting at low tide vs high tide. Low tide will allow you to walk around and explore more of the shipwreck. High tide is better for photography.
Koala Conservation Reserve:
We recommend visiting the Koala Conservation Reserve which has several boardwalks allowing you to view Koalas in their natural habitat.
Avoid sanctuaries that let you pet, hold or take selfies with Koalas. This can be stressful and compromise their welfare!
Cowes:
The hub for supplies, restaurants and accommodation. Some places we went and would recommend are: Ocean Reach Brewing, Cowes Curry Club, Pinos Trattoria and The Waterboy Cafe.
The Nobbies:
This is a fantastic opportunity to try and spot some wildlife before the Penguin Parade. Stroll along the boardwalks and peek into the burrows and you might just get lucky enough to glimpse one!
You can also visit The Nobbie Centre to learn more about Australian Sealife and the famous Little Penguins. Keep in mind when planning that it closes an hour before sunset.
The Penguin Parade:
Now for the most famous and exciting part of the trip, the penguin parade! The little penguins come in from the sea to their nests just after sunset. Keep this in mind when planning that it will be much later in summer than winter. This is also a very popular activity so be sure to book your tickets in advance to avoid disappointment!
These folks do great work to protect little penguins, so think about getting a ticket! Most penguins come through the middle sand strip and under the observation deck. Any seat gives a good view, but we recommend sitting on either side of the middle sand strip. After watching some groups arrive from the sea, go to the boardwalks to see them greet each other and head back to their nests!
This event doesn’t allow photos because flashes can disturb the penguins. There will be a photographer present, so enjoy watching the penguins without the distraction of taking pictures!
Whale Watching:
Between June and July southern wright whales and humpback whales migrate up the coast near Philip Island. This gives a fantastic opportunity to hop on a whale watching tour to try to spot them! We had a great tour with Wildlife Coast Cruises. If you’re lucky you might also spot, dolphins, seals and albatross. This is another popular activity so be sure to book in advance!
House Hoppers 