A Great Melbourne Day Trip Idea: The Stunning Phillip Island

A captivating destination for nature enthusiasts

Phillip Island offers stunning landscapes, pristine beaches, and an array of unique wildlife experiences, making it the perfect Melbourne day trip idea to escape the city. Phillip Island is the perfect spot to go to when you want to get out of the city and embrace nature! The natural beauty is breathtaking and there are so many experiences that will connect you with the island’s ecosystem and wildlife, fostering a deeper appreciation for conservation efforts and the environment.

What you will find here

In this post about Phillip Island, you’ll find a bit of an itinerary featuring all the things I’ve personally tried and experienced at Phillip Island. I hope this gets you inspired to make the trip yourself! Interested in day trips from Melbourne city but don’t have a car? I got you. Check out Brighton Beach Bathing Boxes. I’m also always writing about Melbourne Victoria travel so make sure you check my posts.

This shows the coast of Victoria making it the perfect Melbourne road trip idea.
Nature, untouched. Just a short drive away from the city.

WHAT IS THERE TO DO AT PHILLIP ISLAND?

See the wildlife

No Victoria road trip would be complete without seeing the amazing wildlife in this beautiful part of the country. The most famous is the penguin parade at Summerland Beach but you can see penguins all the way to The Nobbies View Point if you keep your eye out. 

Just remember that all wildlife are just that – wild. Keep your distance and do not disturb them. You are a guest in their house, act accordingly. There is strictly no photography around the penguins. Penguins have sensitive eyes and it can frighten or disorientate them.

We spotted a lot of gorgeous animals along the Boulevard which wraps around the end of the coast. We spotted a range of birds and wallabies. If you’re looking to see some koalas, you’ll find them at the Koala Conservation Reserve! To see the penguin parade and the koalas you’ll need to reserve a ticket (the money raised goes to conservation efforts).

This shows a wallaby at Phillip Island, making it the perfect destination for nature enthusiasts.
A wallaby minding his own business in the bush.
This shows some birds Phillip Island
Some very interesting wildlife to see along the coast.

Go to the gorgeous beaches

There are so many beautiful beaches that you can go to on Phillip Island that is it hard to pick! When we went, we drove around the edge of the coast so we could go to as many as we could. Here are some of my recommendations:

  • Forrest Caves
  • Red rocks
  • The Colonnades
  • Anzacs Beach
  • Red Rocks Beach
  • Smiths Beach
This shows beach in Phillip Island, Melbourne Victoria travel.
The beaches on the South-East side are stunning.
The edge of the island is rocky and moody.
.

Enjoy a coastal walk

This is probably my favourite thing to do on Phillip Island as there are some really beautiful walking paths around the coast that will take you through some gorgeous beaches. The Cape Woolamai Circuit Walk at Phillip Island Nature Park is a good start, and if you want more there are plenty of them in Phillip Island Nature Park. My favourite is actually George Bass Coastal Walk which technically isn’t on Phillip Island as it is the coastline before the entrance to the island. But, I still highly recommend it if you are out that way!

This shows Bass Coastal Walk, a Victoria road trip idea.
We had the whole coast to ourselves on George Bass Coastal Walk.
The view of the coast is bliss.

Eat delicious vegan food

There are a couple of places that offer vegan options but we went to Island Wholefoods which is a cafe that also sells a range of vegan grocery items. They’re also plastic free! We had the burger and the nachos which were amazing.

Delicious vegan meals on Phillip Island.

VERDICT

Is this Victoria road trip worth it?

In my experience yes. Phillip Island is one of my favourite day trips from Melbourne because it’s easy to get to, perfect year-round, has great vegan food, and is filled with cute little animals! (penguins, wallabies, koalas – you name it!).

Did this article speak to you?

I’d love to hear your thoughts! If you’re on Instagram, you can find me over here: @apicturesquelife so feel free to reach out or use #apicturesquelife and I’d be happy to connect!

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