Phillip Island Touring Route

Recommended duration: 1 day
Total Distance: 297 kilometres
Total duration: 4 hours 14 minutes
Suggested legs: Melbourne–San Remo 123 kilometres, San Remo–Cowes 17 kilometres, Cowes–Penguin Parade 12 kilometres, Penguin Parade–Melbourne 145 kilometres.
Driving time: Melbourne–San Remo 1 hour 35 minutes, San Remo–Cowes 25 minutes, Cowes–Penguin Parade 14 minutes, Penguin Parade–Melbourne 2 hours.

Departing from Melbourne the Phillip Island Touring Route travels south-east to San Remo where you can arrive in time for the daily feeding of the pelicans at the San Remo wharf before heading over the bridge and onto Phillip Island. Each day at 11.30am the local pelicans arrive for their seafood morning tea provided by the local fishermen.

Once on the Island, turn left to the south of the Island and head to Cape Woolamai – a renowned surf destination and a great place for a walk through the rugged coastal scenery. Make the time to visit historic Churchill Island for a tour of the historic farm, homestead and gardens, which date back to 1872.

Next, turn inland to the centre of the Island and the Koala Conservation Centre where you can see koalas at close range from a treetop boardwalk. For those interested in motor sport, take a quick detour to the Phillip Island Grand Prix circuit. For something different visit A Maze’N Things and challenge yourself to puzzling and mind-boggling activities.

Continue to Cowes at the north of the Island. Cowes has a wealth of charming cafes and upmarket restaurants and is a good place to stop for lunch. 

In Cowes join a boat tour and cruise past the large fur seal colony on Seal Rocks, or head over to the Nobbies to walk along the boardwalk to the blowhole and enjoy spectacular views along the island’s rugged south coast.

Before returning to Melbourne, the highlight of any trip to Phillip Island is to visit the Penguin Parade at dusk to watch hundreds of little penguins returning to their burrows on Summerland Beach after a day at sea.