Things to do in  Phillip Island

Phillip Island is brimming with memorable wildlife experiences, but its headline act is the nightly Penguin Parade. Each night at dusk, thousands of little penguins—the largest colony in Australia of the world’s smallest penguin breed—can be seen along the shores of Summerland Beach, waddling back to their beachside burrows after a day at sea.

The Nobbies Centre on Phillip Island features educational displays, a cafe, a children's play area, and a gift shop. Overlooking Seal Rocks, the center’s network of boardwalks also offer a front row seat to Australia’s largest fur seal colony and the impressive sea cave known as the Blowhole.

Located in the bushlands of Mornington Peninsula, Moonlit Sanctuary is a wildlife conservation park that is home to native Australian wildlife, including koalas, wallabies, kookaburras, and dingos. The sanctuary is most famous for its night tours, which allow visitors to see nocturnal pythons, feathertail gliders, quolls, and more.

The Koala Reserve on Phillip Island is a fun and informative place to learn more about the popular Australian marsupial. Stroll elevated boardwalks through eucalypt woodland as you observe koalas in their natural habitat.

With its sandy beaches, windswept bluffs, and Pinnacles Lookout granite colonnade, Cape Woolamai is a must-see town on Australia’s Phillip Island. Jutting out from the island's southeastern corner, the rugged headland is a hotspot for surfing, bird-watching, and hiking its miles of coastal trails.

Phillip Island is famed for its free-roaming penguins and Australia’s largest colony of fur seals, but those are not the only types of wildlife you can see there. The Phillip Island Wildlife Park is home to more than 100 different species of native Australian animals. Visitors can see and interact with the wildlife living in the park.

Get a glimpse into the lives of early Australian settlers and pioneer farming practices at Churchill Island. Located just off the coast of Phillip Island, Churchill Island was the first European agricultural site in Victoria. Today, it’s home to a historic working farm, the Churchill Island Heritage Farm.

Whether you want to sample Gippsland’s cool-climate wines or tuck into delicious seasonal cuisine amid verdant farmlands, Phillip Island Winery is the perfect spot to relax and unwind. The island’s oldest winery and one of only two cellar doors, the family-run business produces a range of boutique wines and ciders.

Phillip Island isn’t only famous for its wildlife sightings, coastal hikes, and the nightly Penguin Parade—the Victorian island is also home to a legendary Grand Prix racing circuit. With a history dating back to 1928 and formerly the site of the Australian Grand Prix, the Phillip Island Circuit is known for its technical twists and turns and spectacular ocean views.

Set amid the natural wonders and wildlife reserves of Phillip Island, A Maze'N Things offers a fun alternative for a family day out. The small-scale theme park is packed with interactive exhibitions and activities, including mind-bending illusions, a gigantic maze, a minigolf course, and plenty of games, puzzles, and challenges to keep all ages entertained.

While Australia’s Phillip Island may be best known for its wildlife, this family-owned chocolate factory brings a tasty touch to the island, with handmade truffles and other treats crafted on-site. Cocoa-themed games and displays–like sculptures carved out of solid chocolate and a giant chocolate waterfall–hit the sweet spot for kids.

Perched along the wild and rocky south coast of the Wilsons Promontory National Park, this 19th-century lighthouse is a historic landmark and a beacon for ships crossing the Bass Strait. It’s also the southernmost settlement of mainland Australia. Accessible only on foot, you'll take an overnight hike to reach the remote Wilsons Promontory Lighthouse, where spectacular views await.

Located only 1.5 hours from the teeming streets of modern, fast-paced Melbourne—Phillip Island is known for its wildlife and rural, undeveloped shores. The fact that the island has remained so wild is in large part due to the Phillip Island Nature Parks—a group of five family-friendly attractions, plus conservation areas that preserve and promote the island’s wildlife wealth.

Looming large off the tip of Wilsons Promontory—mainland Australia’s southernmost point—this massive skull-shaped rock is reminiscent of a movie villain’s lair. Sheer granite cliffs on all sides make it nearly impossible to access, but intrepid travelers can view its mysterious mass and enormous cave from the water on a day cruise.